Habsburg & Austria-Hungary (1527-1918)

In 1527, the Croatian nobility elected Ferdinand I of Habsburg as king — the beginning of almost 400 years of Habsburg rule. Croatia formally retained its own parliament (Sabor) and a certain degree of autonomy but was increasingly subject to the interests of Vienna and Budapest.

The Illyrian Movement (1830s-1840s) under Ljudevit Gaj was the first national revival movement: the Croatian language was standardized, newspapers and cultural institutions were founded, and more autonomy was demanded. Zagreb became the cultural center — theaters, universities, and the Academy of Sciences were established during this time.

Under Austria-Hungary (1867-1918), the coast experienced a boom: Opatija became a fashionable Austro-Hungarian seaside resort (the first Riviera of the monarchy), Pula the main naval port, and the railway connected Zagreb with Vienna and Budapest. Many of the magnificent buildings in Zagreb, Opatija, and Rijeka date from this era.