The story of Croatia’s National Theatre in Split is long and complicated but begins on December 26, 1859, right near the beginning of a period of autonomy in the city. Antonio Bajamonti was, during a brief respite from Venetian and Austro-Hungarian control, the city’s leader and a principal investor in the theatre that ultimately bore his name. Sadly, that theatre was almost completely destroyed in a fire in 1881 and plans to re-build on the original site were never realised. The theatre was relocated to its present location on (street) and has resided there since.