Croatian National Theatre. Ivan Zajc - a significant urban and regional cultural center in Rijeka. Ivan Zajc, born in Rijeka, whose name is the theater, is a renowned Croatian conductor, teacher and composer.

The first theater in Rijeka was built in 1765, and in 1805 a well-known architect Andrew Adamič erected for him a new building. By 1883, the authorities ordered a renowned architectural Rijeka European Bureau modernize the building. The reconstruction was completed in 1885 and the theater, together with the new building was given a new name, he was called "the city theater."

In 1913 the theater was renamed again in honor of the famous composer Giuseppe Verdi, in the same period he had his own troupe. And after three decades of work on the stage of the theater sound only Italian language.

In 1945, Rijeka was included in Croatia and in the theater began to run Croatian martial and patriotic songs, and a symphony orchestra played the national anthem of the country. Since then it began to flourish in Rijeka of ballet, drama and opera.

The basic structure of the theater after the war was considered the union troupes "King Nikola" and "Otokar Kershovani." The administration of the theater was doing everything to create a national theater in Rijeka, Zagreb, like the theater, and this meant that the opera and drama have been put on the Croatian and Italian. This idea is embodied in the new Director George. Roshiche.

In 1953 the theater received the name Ivan Zajc, and in 1991 - the status of the Croatian National Theatre and becomes a par with the likes of four theaters in the country.