REALIZED DREAM OF THE VISIONARY
FRIAR LUJO MARUN (1857 – 2007)
Founder of the Croatian National Archeology
Brodsko Posavlje Museum
Brodsko Posavlje Museum

Stripe Marun was born on 10th December 1857, in Skradin, one hundred and fifty years ago. At the age of 18 he joined the Franciscan order in monastery in Visovac, Croatia and got a monastic name Aloysius. On preserved writings he signed himself as friar Aloysius.

Critical event that set path in life friar Aloysius is connected with resistance to the monastery of St. Anthony in Knin for the construction of railways. In 1895, the provincial sent Marun to Knin, where he took care of researching Croatian antiquities in Knin. After finding monuments while cleaning the remains of chapel of St. Luke, he organized boards for excavations of Croatian Antiquities. That was a legal base for establishing Croatian Antique Society.

It should be pointed out Marun’s care about monuments. He encouraged the building of the First museum of Croatian monuments. He did not abandon the intention of building a special Croatian Archaeological Museum. Before and after the First World War he commissioned conceptual architectural solutions.

His vision was accomplished by his inheritors, 30 years ago, when the Croatian archeology, whose founder Marun was, achieved an enviable reputation and position in its development as to ensure proper archaeological discipline

Lujo Marun died in Knin on 15th January 1939.

Mate Zekan, Archeology Museum Split, Croatia

Translated into English by Andrija Rizvic and Karla Miskic, 8B
Iva Tea Curak and Zrinka Maric, 8C

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