An exhibition presenting centuries of intertwined cultural and artistic relations between Croatia and Hungary opened in Zagreb's Klovicevi Dvori Gallery on Thursday evening.

The exhibition, called “Ars et Virtus: Croatia – Hungary. 800 Years of Common Heritage”, was opened by the Minister of Culture and Media, Nina Obuljen Korzinek.

She recalled that Croatian and Hungarian lands had shared the same destiny in a union that had lasted for eight centuries and joined the large union of Habsburg lands in the 16th century. The two countries are also linked by a plethora of cultural figures who made a considerable mark and enriched the history of the two nations, she added, citing the noble dynasty of Zrinski as a symbol of the common historical destiny of the Croatian and Hungarian people.

The minister said that this exhibition shows that “artistic creativity and cultural life do not stop even in the most dramatic moments in history but, quite the contrary, they give us the strength and the will to overcome temptation as quickly as possible. That’s how it was in our common history and that’s how it will be in our friendly future.”

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic also came to see the exhibition.

The exhibition was initiated by the Ministry of Culture as part of the Croatian presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of this year.