On Poljana Sime Budinic, in the premises of the Rector’s Palace, the beginning of works on the reconstruction of the Palace officially began. The works will start within the project “Reconstruction and tourist valorisation of cultural and historical complex of the Rector's Palace”.

The project aims to create recognition of the new integrated cultural tourism product in Zadar through reconstruction and tourist valorisation of the Rector’s palace. The project resolves long-term needs for cultural presentation of the city, county and institutions in culture and tourism in a modern, innovative and attractive way. This will increase competitiveness of the new cultural tourism product, which is a direct incentive to entrepreneurship as an overall city tourist offer extension. The reconstruction of the Rector’s Palace will turn this part of the city into a new social, cultural and tourist center.

Rector of the UNIZD, Ante Uglesic, addressed the audience stressing that The Palace will be place of gatherings not only for the citizens of Zadar, but also for all its visitors.

On behalf of the Ministry of Culture, director of the Conservation Department in Zadar, Igor Miletic, emphasized the importance of long and careful planning of all project participants in order for this town to receive an added value, and an extremely valuable museum space. This building, destroyed in Croatian War of Independence, is being renovated in order to give Zadar’s citizens a space to use, while being a great potential for tourism promotion at the same time. We can all be proud of what we have in our city.

Deputy Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds, Venko Curlin, congratulated on a very good project preparation as it is being chosen among the 150 submitted and 15 selected projects granted for co-financing.

Finally, Mayor of Zadar Bozidar Kalmeta, recalled: I think there was no one who would not come to these premises in the past – be it former public library, or the City Music, or the Singing Society Zoranic, or at least listened to Radio Zadar located in this area. The Palace was then destroyed in 1991. However, thanks to all those who have worked hard all these years – engineers, architects, conservators – the Palace is a stable building today. We are extremely happy that the EU approved funds for its renovation and that in a year time we will be able to gather once again and open the doors to a finished and decorated Rector’s Palace.

The implementation of this project, approved for funding from the tender for development of business infrastructure (RCOP 2007-2013), started on 2 October 2014. The total value of the project is 37.799.651,00 HRK, with 96% co-financing. The project is to be implemented within 24 months.