Cleveland Cultural Gardens

In 1896, John D. Rockefeller donated the land the Cleveland Cultural Gardens occupies today.

[4] In total, there are 35 distinct gardens, each commemorating a different ethnic group whose immigrants have contributed to the heritage of the United States over the centuries, as well as Cleveland.

The group would fulfill the vision of many unique gardens honoring different communities that make up Cleveland.

In each of the gardens, one will find fixtures and statues with inscriptions depicting significant figures in each country’s cultural history.

Artists, composers, peacemakers, saints, scientists, and philosophers are among those depicted as statues in the garden.

The Croatian Cultural Garden is one of the many gardens found in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens and the baptismal font is located in the Croatian garden. The font represents Croatia's conversion to Christianity and is a replica of Prince Višeslav’s baptismal font. The font has six sides and is inscribed: “This font receives the weak to enlighten them. Here they are purged of their sins which they received from their first parents, to become Christians, salutary [sic] confessing the Eternal Trinity. This work was skillfully made by priest John at the time of Prince Višeslav, out of piety but to honor Saint John the Baptist, to mediate for him and his protégé.” [ 2 ]