Although they represent a small collection of some 200 objects, stone monuments are a precious part of the present holdings of the Croatian History Museum. They represent and illustrate historical figures, as well as the political, artistic, religious and economic aspects of certain historical periods. The Collection holds monuments from the period between the 13^th and the 20^th century from all of Croatia, and several from Zagreb and the surrounding region, many are from Slavonia and the Croatian Littoral, while Dalmatia and Istria are each represented by only one exhibit.

The period over which the monuments were made and their territorial distribution are a testament of the diversity of the Collection. The materials, the techniques used and the period in which they were made have determined the collecting of objects which have become a unique entity in spite of the diversity of exhibits.

The objects were made from various types of stone: limestone breccia, sandstone etc.

Many exhibits belong to epigraphic monuments, most of them being inscriptions in Latin. Smaller, but exceptionally valuable, is group of Glagolitic inscriptions. Epigraphic monuments are divided according to type and form of script; with respect to their content, we distinguish between ecclesiastical, secular and military monuments.

A large group of monuments are architectural segments from churches, chapels, monasteries, burgs, castles, palaces etc.

Another very valuable group is made up of tombs, tombstones, commemorative tablets, and some statues (including relieves).

The Museum acquired some of objects in 1870, and at the beginning of the 20^th century most of the present collection was a part of the Archaeological Collection of the National Museum.

The fact that the value of the monuments had been appreciated is shown by their publication (Brunsmid, VHAD, 1912) and their display at the cultural and historical exhibition organized by the city of Zagreb to celebrate the 1000^th anniversary of the Kingdom of Croatia in 1925.

From that time to the present day the objects were a number of times exhibited as a collection. In 1955, the Collection of Stone Monuments was exhibited on the ground floor of the building in Opaticka Street 18. It was placed on display as a permanent exhibition in the basement of the Croatian History Museum in 1968. On that occasion the Collection’s catalogue was published (it’s author was M. Valentic), and the exhibition remained open to the public until the beginning of work on restoring the palace.

In the period after 1982 objects from the Collection of Stone Monuments of the Croatian History Museum have been shown at numerous cultural and historical exhibitions at home and abroad. The exhibitions provided new information about some monuments, and many underwent restoration and conservation work. The Collection of Stone Monuments is still housed in the unfinished basement rooms of the palace at Matoseva Street 9.