Zagreb Step by Step

Step by step

B Step by step

A Walk through the City

2 The Upper Town 6 Ban Jelačić Square 8 Kaptol14 Dolac16 Tkalčićeva18 Bloody Bridge19 Radićeva20 The Stone Gate22 Opatička26 St Mark’s Square32 Catherine’s Square34 The Strossmayer Promenade

36 The Lower Town40 Nikola Šubić Zrinski Square44 King Tomislav Square48 Marulić Square50 Marshal Tito Square54 Masarykova56 Petar Preradović Square60 Ilica64 Jurišićeva

68 Outside the Centre

Welcome to Zagreb!

This selection of Zagreb’s cultural and historical sights

will help each visitor to get to know the city better. Step

by step the life of Zagreb is presented through the centuries, from the city’s

foundation to the present day; from its legends to its

historical figures. You won’t get lost in the labyrinth

of streets because you can always stop and ask

for directions. You will be delighted by the hospitality

of people in Zagreb.

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The UpperTown 1. Ban Jelačić Square

2. Kaptol

3. Dolac

4. Tkalčićeva

5. Bloody Bridge

6. Radićeva

7. The Stone Gate

8. Opatička

9. St Mark’s Square

10. Catherine’s Square

11. The Strossmayer Promenade

1. Ban Josip

Jelačić The

Manduševac Fountain

Ban Jelačić Square

Ban Jelačić Square

Central focus of modern Zagreb is Ban Jelačić Square (Trg bana Jelačića). Situated just below the hillside settlements of Kaptol and Gradec, it has served as the city’s commercial heart ever since 1641, when it was designated as a place where fairs could be held. Most of the buildings around the square date from the 19th century, and display a variety of architectural styles, from Biedermaier to Art Nouveau and Post-modernism.The square was Zagreb’s main marketplace and carried the name “Harmica”

(Hungarian for “one thirtieth”), after the tax levied on the goods that were sold here. In 1848 the square was officially renamed in honour of Ban (“Governor”) Josip Jelačić. After World War II the name of the square was changed to “Republic Square”, only to return to its previous title in 1990. Ban Jelačić Square stands at the centre of Zagreb’s social life and the most popular meeting points are “under the clock” on the west side of the square, and “under the horse’s tail”

–a reference to the equestrian statue of Ban Jelačić in the square’s centre.

Ban Josip Jelačić

The statue of Ban Josip Jelačić is the work of the Austrian sculptor Anton Fernkorn. It was placed on the square in 1866, only to be removed by the communist authorities in 1947. In 1990 a public petition secured the return of the statue, and it was unveiled on October 16th

– Ban Jelačić’s birthday. Originally placed facing northwards in order to symbolize the Ban’s defence of Croatia’s rights against Austria and

Hungary, the statue now faces south to provide a better balance to the

layout of the square.

The Manduševac Fountain

The Manduševac Fountain was built above a natural spring that provided Zagreb with drinking water right up until the end of the 19th century. Court records about the persecution of witches mention the spring as their main meeting point. There is also a legend connecting the spring with the name of the city. Namely, one sunny day an old Croatian war leader was returning from battle tired and thirsty, and asked a beautiful girl Manda to scoop up some water from the spring for him. The Croatian word for “to scoop up water” is “zagrabiti”. So the spring got the name Manduševac, after the girl, and the town got the name Zagreb after the scoop of water.

Count Josip Jelačić Bužimski (1801. - 1859.). A general in the Austrian army and Governor (“Ban”) of Croatia from 1848 to 1859, Jelačić abolished serfdom and held the first ever

elections for the Croatian Sabor or Parliament. Jelačić helped Austrian forces put down the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 in the hope that this would lead to greater autonomy

for Croatia, although these aspirations were to remain fulfilled. Celebrated as a national hero in Croatia, his portrait currently graces one side of the 20 kuna banknote.

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2. Kaptol

The Cathedral

Characterized by its soaring twin towers, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of Zagreb’s defining symbols. Although it is a largely Neo-Gothic structure dating from the late 19th century, its origins are much older. The Zagreb bishopric was established in 1094, and construction of the cathedral started soon afterwards. An early Gothic sanctuary with polygonal apse was added at the end of the 13th century, while the

nave was modified and heightened during the 14th and 15th centuries. The expansion of the Ottoman Empire put Zagreb within range of enemy raids, and the cathedral was fortified by adding a turreted outer wall. Once the danger of invasion had passed, a single bell-tower was built in the 17th century. At that time the Baroque became the most prevalent style, which is today borne out by the richly decorated altars. During the 18th century the defensive bastions on the south and east were reconstructed to form a

monumental bishop’s palace. A huge earthquake in 1880 did enormous damage to the cathedral, and it was reconstructed along Neo-Gothic lines, a style that was popular across Europe at that time. Local architect Herman Bolle was in charge of the project, although the blueprints were provided by Austrian designer Friedrich von Schmidt. Thus the cathedral took on its present-day shape with its slender 105-metre-high towers dominating the Zagreb skyline. There is no consensus about the height among the inhabitants of the city.

Renaissance Walls

The cathedral’s defensive walls with round towers were built when the threat from the Ottoman Turks was at its height. The walls were built in record time between 1512 and 1521. One tower was demolished during the 19th-century rebuilding of the cathedral to provide an unobstructed view of the cathedral. These changes aside, the walls remain among the best-preserved Renaissance defences in Europe.

Bishop DuhThe first bishop of Zagreb was a Czech called Duh (which, appropriately for a churchman,

literally means "spirit"). He was

appointed by King Ladislav, founder of the diocese, in around 1094. Duh didn’t remain

head of the diocese for long, but he is thought to have been a capable and pious leader. It was probably Duh who

started building the cathedral, having tired of using one of the existing churches as a temporary episcopal centre.

The stairs that connect Tkalčićeva and Opatovina were named after him in his honour.

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St Stephen’s Chapel

13th-century bishop Stjepan II built a chapel beside the cathedral in honour of Zagreb’s deliverance from the Tatar invasion. He dedicated it to his namesake St Stephen, one of the earliest Christian martyrs. The chapel was temporarily used for religious ceremonies while construction work continued on the cathedral itself. In the 18th century the chapel was incorporated into the Bishop’s Palace. The chapel’s well-preserved 14th-century murals constitute a unique example of Croatian Gothic art.

The Treasury

The Treasury of Zagreb cathedral bears witness to a continuous history of Christianity in this area that stretches back 14 centuries. Liturgical objects made of gold, silver, wood and parchment are kept above the cathedral’s sacristy. The most valuable and oldest object is the ivory plenarium illustrated with ten scenes from the life of Jesus. It has been in Zagreb ever since 11th century. A thief posing as an art-loving aristocrat once made

a copy of the plenarium, taking the original to America where it was sold. Subsequently recovered, the original is now preserved alongside the copy in the treasury. On the eve of the visit of Pope John II to Zagreb, scenes from the plenarium were copied onto the covers of the Book of Gospels that was presented to the Holy Father as a gift.

Virgin Mary with Angels

After the cathedral had been reconstructed in the Neo-Gothic style, a fountain designed by Hermann Bollé was built in front of the cathedral. The Austrian sculptor Fernkorn was responsible for the gold-plated statues of the Virgin Mary and four angels, the latter symbolizing the Christian virtues of Faith, Hope, Innocence and Humility.

Anton Dominick Ritter von Fernkorn (1813. - 1878.), Austrian realist sculptor famous for his public statues, many of which featured heroic figures on horseback.

There are several of his statues in Zagreb: Ban Jelačić on horseback, St George on horseback, Mercury in relief and the Virgin Mary with four angels.

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The Cathedral Renaissance Walls

Virgin Mary with Angels

Ribnjak Park

The Franciscan Church

Prišlin’s TowerSt Mary’s ChurchPetrica Kerempuh

Ribnjak Park

Ribnjak was originally the site of the Bishop of Zagreb’s fishponds, and it was here that priests from Kaptol would catch fish ready for Friday’s evening meal. Subsequently transformed into an English-style landscaped park, Ribnjak now offers exotic plants, sculptures, benches and a children’s playground, making it an ideal spot for relaxation.

The Franciscan Church

A church and monastery have existed on this spot since the 13th century, and according to legend St Francis of Assisi himself resided here for a time. The church was rebuilt in Baroque style in the 17th century, but reconstruction work following the great earthquake of 1880 resulted in the addition of some Neo-Gothic features on the outside. The church interior owes its special ambience to the modern stained-glass windows (1961-1964) designed by Ivo Dulčić, in which scenes from the life of St Francis are depicted. Within the monastery complex is a late 17th-century chapel built in Baroque style. The chapel is richly decorated with stuccowork and murals, one of which portrays pious Zagreb noblewoman Katarina Galović welcoming St Francis to the city.

Prišlin’s Tower

This small park at the end of Opatovina is something of an oasis of peace in the bustling centre of the city. Up until World War II this was where the priests of Kaptol had their orchards and vegetable plots. The park contains remnants of medieval wall and a well-preserved defensive tower, built by the inhabitants of Kaptol when the Ottoman menace was at its height. The tower was named after Prišlin, commander of the town guard. On summer nights it becomes an appropriately authentic backdrop for open-air theatre performances.

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3. Dolac

Dolac Market

Open-air food markets make up one of Zagreb’s most attractive features. Almost every district in the city has one, although the most famous one is Dolac, close to the cathedral. Here people sell fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish every day of the week. This bustling place is affectionately known as “the belly of Zagreb”, due to the mouth-watering array of irresistible foodstuffs brought here from all parts of Croatia. The market dates from the early 20th century, when the city authorities decided to tear down all houses on Dolac to make room for a modern marketplace on three levels.

St Mary’s Church

Built on the site of an earlier Cistercian church, St Mary’s is an outstanding example of the three-aisled Baroque churches built in the 18th century. The interior luxuriates in marble altars and illusionist frescoes. The entrance to the church is somewhat

hidden from sight, under the arcades that connect Dolac market with Tkalčićeva.

Petrica Kerempuh

Standing in a small square filled with flower stalls is a mischievous-looking statue of Petrica Kerempuh, the work of sculptor Vanja Radauš. A much-loved character from Croatian literature, Petrica Kerempuh is a plebeian prophet, rascal and cynical commentator on contemporary events, a sort of predecessor of modern stand-up comedians. His most notable incarnation can be found in “The Ballads of Petrica Kerempuh” (1936), written by Croatia’s leading 20th-century writer Miroslav Krleža.

Miroslav Krleža (1893 – 1981), writer and encyclopaedist. His works have left a lasting mark on 20th-century Croatian

literature. He was born in Zagreb and attended a school on Kaptol. His most famous works include the long poem “The Ballads of Petrica

Kerempuh”, the novel “On the Edge of Reason”, and the play “The Family Glembay”. Krleža founded the Lexicographical

Institute that today carries his name. He also initiated work on several encyclopaedias.

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Marija Jurić Zagorka The Glyptotheque

The Bloody Bridge St George4. The Stone Gate

Zagreb’s Oldest PharmacyTkalčićeva

Tkalčićeva

Undoubtedly Zagreb’s most colourful downtown street, Tkalčićeva (commonly known as

“Tkalča”) is built along the course of the former Medveščak creek, traditional boundary between the settlements of Kaptol and Gradec. Everything to the east of the creek belonged to church-controlled Kaptol, while the west side belonged to the secular Gradec. Most of Zagreb’s watermills were concentrated around the creek, and in the 18th century it became the site of workshops producing cloth, soap, paper and liqueurs. The creek was paved over at the end of the 19th century, creating a street that quickly became the animated centre of commercial activity and nightlife. Today people of all ages come to Tkalča for its small boutiques, traditional shops, restaurants and cafés.

Marija Jurić Zagorka

Born into a wealthy family, the writer Marija Jurić Zagorka (1873 – 1957) was very much a woman ahead of her time, becoming the first female professional journalist in Croatia and a champion of equal rights. Writing under the pen-name Zagorka (which literally means

“a woman from the Zagorje”), she wrote novels for a broad readership in which love stories and grand historical themes were intertwined. One of her most popular works was the series of novels entitled

“The Witch of Grič”, a saga set against the background of 18th-century witch-hunts. Her statue, erected in the 1991, is the work of sculptor Stjepan Gračan.

The Glyptotheque

Just north of Tkalčićeva on Medvedgradska is one of the best-preserved industrial buildings in Zagreb, a red-brick former leather tannery that now provides a home for the grandly-named Glyptotheque. Belonging to the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Glyptotheque is basically a collection of plaster copies of famous sculptures. The permanent display includes casts of significant Croatian works, and original sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition, top-quality exhibitions of contemporary art and design are frequently held here.

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5. 6.The Bloody Bridge

The Bloody Bridge

This alley connecting Tkalčićeva with Radićeva is called “Bloody Bridge” (Krvavi most in Croatian) because it was the location of a bridge that connected Gradec and Kaptol and a spot perfectly set for their frequent squabbles. Rights to the watermills along Medveščak creek gave frequent grounds for dispute, and the bridge across the creek was the spot where these arguments occasionally turned violent. The bridge itself was torn down in the year 1899

but the name is still bone by the small street that replaced it. The public library on the corner of Bloody Bridge originally housed Zagreb’s first telephone exchange. It was set up by local entrepreneur Vilim Schwarz in 1887, only eleven years after Alexander Bell patented the telephone in America. Awarded a concession by the Ministry of Development and Communications, Schwarz installed an exchange that served 45 subscribers.

The Witches of the Upper TownA series of trials initiated by the Church during the early 17th century resulted in several local women being burned at the stake for witchcraft. It was believed that

these women formed a secret sect and that they flew to their trysts with the help of a magic ointment. These trysts allegedly took place at the night at several symbolic locations, such as

the Manduševac spring or the summit of Mount Medvednica. In the mid-18th century Empress Maria Theresa abolished witch trials throughout her domains. Inspired by these historical facts,

novelist Marija Jurić Zagorka drew attention to the persecution of these innocent women and encouraged the women of the early 20th century to fight for their rights.

Radićeva

Radićeva

This gently sloping street that leads to the Upper Town from the main square was named after Croatian politician Pavle Radić, who was assassinated during a debate in the Parliament in Belgrade in 1928. Before that the street was known as the Long Street and wooden houses there were often damaged by fires, so over time they were replaced by multiple-storey brick buildings. The street was one of the city’s principal business centres in the 19th century, and it was here at no. 30 that the first branch of the Croatian Savings Bank was opened in 1880. As another point of interest, the writer Miroslav Krleža was born at no. 7.

St George

This work by the Austrian sculptors Kompatscher and Winder was brought to Zagreb at the beginning of the 20th century as a gift from the Mažuranić family, although it wasn’t set down at its current location until 1994. It is one of the rare portrayals of St George after he has actually killed the dragon, and shows him paying respects to the vanquished beast.

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7. The Stone Gate

The Stone Gate

One enters the Upper Town through the Stone Gate (Kamenita vrata in Croatian), the only old town gate that has remained intact. Built in the Middle Ages, it assumed its final form after being rebuilt in the 18th century. Under the arch of the gateway is a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It holds a painting of the Virgin that was miraculously saved from a devastating fire in the year 1731, and the chapel has been a place of pilgrimage ever since. The Virgin Mary is the patron saint of Zagreb, and Her feast day on May 31 is also the date of the annual city holiday.

Chains from HMS Victory

Placed at their current location in 1878, the chains belonged originally to the famous British warship HMS Victory. The Victory was Admiral Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, when Napoleon’s fleet was decisively beaten by the British Navy. Admiral Nelson died on his ship during the final stages of the battle.

Dora Krupić

Dora Krupić is a character from August Šenoa’s novel “The Goldsmith’s Gold”. Published in 1871, the book is considered to be Croatia’s first real historical novel. The plot centres on a 16th-century love story involving a nobleman and a town girl called Dora, the kindly and beautiful daughter of a goldsmith. Tragically, Dora ends up being poisoned by an evil local barber, enraged by her refusal of his marriage proposal. A bronze sculpture by Ivo Kerdić was commissioned in her honour in 1929.

Zagreb’s Oldest Pharmacy

Kamenita ulica (“Stone Street”) is the site of the oldest pharmacy in Zagreb, founded in the year 1355. Documents suggest that Nicolo Alighieri, great-grandson of Dante Alighieri, worked here way back in 1399 as a pharmacist. In more or less continuous operation since it first opened, the pharmacy is still very much in business.

August Šenoa (1838 - 1881), Croatian novelist, short story writer, poet, critic and journalist. Šenoa was the most productive and influential Croatian

writer of the 19th century. His opus mainly consists of historical novels that use various periods of Croatian history as the backdrop. Šenoa rose to

become the Mayor of Zagreb, dying of pneumonia after working tirelessly to assist those citizens affected by the great earthquake of 1880.

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Opatička 10 Opatička 18

The Zagreb City Museum Ilirski trg The Priest’s Tower8. Opatička

Opatička 10

The splendid palaces along Opatička bear witness to many a key event in Zagreb’s history. For example the palace at Opatička 10 takes us back to the 19th century, a time of reawakened interest in national culture. Adapted for the needs of the Department of Divine Worship and Teaching, the three-winged palace served as the seat of the administration for culture and education in Croatian territories at that time. A striking entrance featuring

an ornate wrought-iron fence overlooked by busts of Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle hints at the majesty of the building’s most famous reception room, the so-called Golden Hall. This lavishly-decorated space was filled with paintings by the most distinguished pre-World War I artists, Vlaho Bukovac, Celestin Medović, Oton Iveković and Robert Frangeš Mihanović among them. Today the palace houses the

Croatian Institute of History.

Opatička 18

Built in Neo-Classical style, the former palace of the aristocratic Drašković family at Opatička 18 became an important focus of Croatian culture when it was purchased by the Illyrians, a 19th-century movement devoted to the promotion of Croatian language and literature. Renamed the National Hall, the palace hosted many important cultural events, while its main reception room, the so-called Revival Hall, became the venue for political rallies and balls.


Public Gas Lighting Both the Upper Town and Kaptol have retained the gas streetlights that date back to the beginning of the 19th century. Every day at sunset two lamp lighters (the so-called

“nažigači”) light more than 200 gas lanterns in the streets.

The Zagreb City Museum

The Zagreb City Museum is housed in the restored former convent of St Clare, whose nuns gave Opatička ulica its name (“opatica” being the Croatian word for nun). The Sisters of St Clare came to Zagreb in the 17th century in response to an invitation by Croatian nobles, many of whose daughters entered their order. The nuns organized the city’s first school for girls, teaching music and singing alongside more mainstream academic subjects. The building’s main facade was built without windows, helping the nuns to retain their isolation from everyday life. Since 1947 the building has been the home of the City Museum, which presents Zagreb’s long history in a contemporary and entertaining way.

Ilirski trg

The northernmost point of the Upper Town is Ilirski trg or “Illyrian Square”, named after the Illyrian movement which spearheaded Croatia’s cultural and political revival during the first half of the 19th century. Both the picturesque chapel in the middle of the square and the sound of music wafting from the nearby ballet school help to create a uniquely romantic setting.

The Priest’s Tower

Known by the locals as the Priest’s Tower, the round tower at the northern end of Opatička was built in the 13th century to help ward off the threat of Ottoman attack. Fortifications like these had lost their primary purpose by the 17th century, and the Priest’s Tower became the city’s main food storehouse. The nuns of St Clare subsequently held classes in the tower, and in 1903 an observatory was opened on the top floor.

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St Mark’s Church Banski dvori Sabor

Matija Gubec The Meštrović Atelier The Croatian

History Museum9. St Mark’s Square

St Mark’s Church

St Mark’s Square (Trg svetog Marka) constitutes the heart of the Upper Town, having formerly served as the main market square of the settlement

of Gradec. Dominating the square is the 13th-century Church of St Mark, a three-aisled Romanesque church which still retains much of its original shape. The Gothic arched ceiling and the sanctuary were added in the late 14th century, along with the fifteen statues that stand in niches above the southern portal. Some of the statues were made by masters from the Parler workshop in Prague in around 1420. The church was substantially rebuilt in the Neo-Gothic style by Herman Bollé at the end of the 19th century. The roof tiles, decorated with the coats of arms of the Triune Kingdom of Croatia,

Dalmatia and Slavonia and the city of Zagreb also date to this period. The interior was restored between 1936 and 1938 by the sculptor Ivan Meštrović and the painter Jozo Kljaković. Meštrović’s work in the church includes the large crucifix above the main altar, the Pietà in the apse and a silver cross, as well as the Madonna portrayed as a village woman in the south apse. Kljaković’s murals in the main body of the church portray scenes from The Old and The New Testaments, while in the adjacent chapel of St Fabian and Sebastian they focus on themes from Croatian history.

Banski dvori

The Banski dvori or “Governor’s Palace” at St Mark’s Square 1 is the seat of the Croatian Government and also houses the office of the Prime Minister. The palace was built in the beginning of the 19th century and was home to the Croatian bans (governors) from 1808 to 1918. The legendary Ban Josip Jelačić lived and died here.

Sabor

The Croatian Sabor or Parliament has held its sessions at this location ever since 1737. The current building dates from the beginning of the 20th century. It was here that members voted to sever political ties from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 and from Yugoslavia in 1991.

The Old City HallThe Croatian

Museum of Naive Art


Matija Gubec

Matija Gubec was the leader of a major uprising by Croatian peasants, in which a peasant army took on the local landowners near Stubičke Toplice in 1573. With the defeat of the peasants Gubec was taken to Zagreb for trial. He was executed on St Mark’s Square on February 15 of the same year, reportedly by being crowned with a circle of red-hot iron (an ironic reference to his much vaunted status as “king of the peasants”), then quartered. It is believed that his face is depicted on the corner of a building in St Mark’s Square.

The Meštrović Atelier

The Meštrović Atelier is a part of the Ivan Meštrović Foundation, set up by the world-renowned Croatian sculptor. A collection of his works is presented in the house in which he lived with his family from 1922 to 1942. Meštrović bought two houses whose owners since the 18th century had been button makers, a teacher of poetry

and noblemen’s families. With the help of his architect friends, he adapted the houses and turned them

into a studio and an apartment, which he bequeathed to his homeland Croatia.

Ivan Meštrović (1883 – 1962), the greatest Croatian sculptor of all time and the first globally recognized Croatian artist. Born into a poor family in the Dalmatian hinterland, his talent was discovered by his fellow-townsmen who paid his education in Vienna. He went on to work in the most important centres of

European art. His sculptures can be found all over the world, both in permanent museum exhibitions and in numerous public places. He is perhaps best known for “The Victor,” which stands in Kalemegdan Park, Belgrade, and the huge equestrian statues of Indians he produced for Grant Park in Chicago.

The Croatian History Museum

Built in the 18th-century, the impressive Baroque Vojković

– Oršić – Rauch Palace has had many owners and tenants over the centuries. According to some, the building’s first owner Vojković made a fortune by securing advantageous marriages to older, richer women. During the good old days of coaches and crinolines, members of the Croatian social elite happily gathered here for balls and concerts in the hall on the first floor. Since 1959 the palace has been home to the Croatian History Museum. There is no permanent collection on display, but seasonal exhibitions on key themes of local history provide a wealth of insights into the country’s past.


Ćirilometodska

Running south from St Mark’s Square, Ćirilometodska boasts a wealth of Baroque palaces that once belonged to the local aristocracy. The present name honours the Slavic apostles Ćiril and Metod (Cyril and Methodius) who devised the first Slavic script, known as Glagolitic (glagoljica), in the 9th century. The Greek Catholic church that stands mid-way along the street was also named after the two apostles. The church assumed its current form in the 19th century after a design by the architect Hermann Bollé.

Street NamesMany street names in the Upper Town have changed several times through history. Restorers cleaning the facades of the

Upper Town’s historic houses have uncovered archaic bilingual street names long hidden under layers of plaster. Croatian street names in

Zagreb dialect were written in Roman script, whereas German versions of the same names were written in Gothic script.

The Old City Hall

The complex of buildings at the corner of Ćirilometodska served as Zagreb’s City Hall until after World War II, when it was moved to a newer part of town. Since the Middle Ages this was where town officials held sessions. Today however only some ceremonial sessions are held at the old location, and with marriage ceremonies performed here on Saturdays it remains a place close to the hearts of many a Zagreb family. It was also here that Zagreb’s first theatre was built in 1833, financed by Kristofor

Stanković – a local merchant who had just won the grand prize at the Vienna lottery. It was initially a German-language theatre, although something of a historical first occurred in 1835 when Croatian was used on stage during the intermission. In 1840 the first full-length Croatian play, “Juran and Sofija” by Ivan Kukuljević, was performed here, to be followed six years later by the first Croatian opera, “Love and Malice” by Vatroslav Lisinski.

The Croatian Museum of Naive Art

The Croatian Museum of Naive Art is located in one section of a Baroque palace in Ćirilometodska 3. Considered to be the world’s first museum devoted to naive art, it displays the works of over 20 Croatian masters of the genre, including the likes of Generalić, Lacković Croata and Rabuzin. These colourful paintings by Croatia’s self-taught artists are simply bursting with the joys of life.

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St Catherine’s Church

Zagreb’s first Humanistic Secondary School

The Klovićevi Dvori Gallery

The View from Gradec10. Antun Gustav

Matoš FunicularLotrščak Tower

Catherine’s Square

St Catherine’s Church

Dominating Catherine’s Square (Katarinin trg) is Zagreb’s most beautiful Baroque church. The church was built by the Jesuits in the first half of the 17th century. It consists of a single aisle with six side chapels, and a sanctuary which ends with a grand Illusionist mural modelled on the one found in the “Il Gesu” Jesuit church in Rome. The chapels hold five wooden Baroque altars from the second half of the 17th century, and one made of marble in 1729. The church façade was reconstructed by Hermann Bollé after the 1880 earthquake.

Zagreb’s first Humanistic Secondary School

The Jesuits, a Roman Catholic religious order known for their scientific and educational activities, founded the first Humanistic Secondary School in Zagreb in the year 1607. The school provided a humanistic education for hundreds of students from all walks of life, from children of farmers and city

folk to children from noble families.

The Klovićevi Dvori Gallery

The Klovićevi Dvori Gallery is housed in the former Jesuit monastery on Jesuit Square (Jezuitski trg), which got its name after the religious order that was invited to Croatia by Croatian noblemen. The monastery complex stands next to St Catherine’s church and was built in stages throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Named after the famous Croatian miniature painter Julije Klović (1498-1578), the gallery hosts large-scale art exhibitions by both domestic and international artists. On the opposite side of the square from the gallery is the

"Fisherman" sculpture by Simeon Roksandić. It adorns the Upper Town’s first fountain, built in 1911.

The View from Gradec

Behind St Catherine’s church there is a beautiful view from Gradec towards Kaptol, the cathedral, Dolac market and the main square. The monumental dome of Mirogoj cemetery and the green foothills of Mount Medvednica are clearly visible in the distance.


11. The Strossmayer Promenade

The Strossmayer Promenade

Running along the southern rim of Gradec hill, the tree-lined Strossmayer Promenade was built at the end of the 19th century with money donated by private citizens. It was named after Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer, a prominent member of the Croatian cultural revival and an immensely influential figure in 19th-century society and politics. The nearby State Weather Bureau has been continuously tracking weather conditions ever since its foundation in 1862, contributing greatly to our knowledge of how global climatic changes take place.

Antun Gustav Matoš

Visitors can soak in the view of central Zagreb in the company of poet Antun Gustav Matoš (1873-1914), whose statue sits on a bench beside Strossmayer Promenade. Although not born in Zagreb, Matoš grew to become one of the city’s greatest enthusiasts, writing frank and outspoken newspaper columns that extolled the bohemian life of the city. He also wrote some

of the best-loved poems in the Croatian language.

Matoš packed a lot into his relatively short life,

and is remembered as something of an archetypal rebel and dreamer. Ivan

Kožarić’s sculpture of Matoš was placed on the promenade in 1978.

Funicular

The 66-metre-long funicular that connects the Upper and Lower Town is the shortest passenger cable railway in the world. The height difference between top and bottom is 30.5 meters and the funicular takes 55 seconds to make the journey. 28 grownups can ride in it at one time and it goes up every ten minutes. Opened for passengers in 1890, when it was powered by steam, the funicular was the first ever means of public transport to be used in Zagreb, pre-dating horse-drawn trams by a whole year.

Lotrščak Tower

This is the only preserved mediaeval tower from the 13th-century fortifications, slightly modified in the 19th century, with a small look-out post on top. The bells of the Lotrščak tower used to summon the townsfolk to return to the town at sunset, when the gates were locked for the night. Nowadays Lotrščak is more famous for its cannon, which is fired every day at noon. The canon-firing tradition was initiated on New Year’s Day 1877, although several legends connect it with much earlier events. According to one story, the cannon was presented to the townsfolk by Hungarian King Bela IV in 1242, as a reward for protecting him from marauding Tatars–on condition that the cannon was fired every. The cannon could also have come from the spoils of a victory over the Turks, but whichever story is true, locals set their watches by the sound of the shot heard all over the city centre.


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The LowerTown12. Nikola Šubić Zrinski

Square

13. King Tomislav Square

14. Marulić Square

15. Marshal Tito Square

16. Masarykova

17. Petar Preradović Square

18. Ilica

19. Jurišićeva

12. Nikola Šubić Zrinski Square

Zrinjevac

In a city that has more than its fair share of green squares, Zrinjevac is arguably the best loved of them all. It’s certainly hard to imagine that this neat quadrangle of flowerbeds was until the late 19th century a meadow where cattle markets took place. It was subsequently transformed into an elegant promenade with plane trees imported from Trieste, a wrought-iron bandstand, fountains and busts of notable figures. The square gets its name from Nikola Šubić Zrinski (1508 – 1566), the Croatian Ban who died during the heroic defence of Szigetvar, a Hungarian fortress besieged by the Ottoman Turks. Zrinjevac is the northernmost square of “Lenuci’s Horseshoe”, a line of eight green spaces laid out by municipal engineer Milan Lenuci in the 19th century. An outdoor gallery of 19th- and 20th-century urban culture is a convenient starting point for a walking tour of the Lower Town.

The Meteorological Post

Since 1884 weather conditions have been recorded on the meteorological pole here. It was a present to the city of Zagreb by Adolf Holzer, a physician. You can stand next to the marble post and check the temperature and air pressure and coordinate your watch with a 24-hour dial. In the 19th century numerous wealthy citizens donated valuable public facilities to the city, among them the nearby bandstand.

The First Fountain

The first fountain in Zagreb was built shortly after the opening of the Zagreb waterworks in 1878. It was designed by architect Herman Bollé and serves as a great place to find refreshment during hot summer days. Because of its swelling, organic shape the fountain is popularly known as “The Mushroom”.

The Archeological Museum

Housed in the Vranyczany-Hafner Palace, the Archeological Museum boasts a varied collection of 400,000 artefacts in five main collections. The most enigmatic item on display is the Liber linteus Zagrabiensis or Zagreb Flax Book, a long strip of linen that was used to wrap the mummified body of an Egyptian tailor’s wife. The cloth was decorated with an Etruscan liturgical calendar, and is the longest preserved text in Etruscan, a language that still hasn’t been completely deciphered. The most charming “tenant”of the museum is the unhappy Plautilla, a 2nd-century find of Salona (an ancient city near Split) whose statue is considered one of the best examples of portraiture in Roman sculpture. Croatia’s most famous archeological find is the Vučdol Dove (“Vučedolska golubica”), a clay vessel in the shape of a bird that was probably used in religious rituals some 3,000 years before Christ.


The Meteorological Post

The First Fountain The Archeological

Museum

HAZU – The Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences

The Gallery of Modern Art

HAZU

The Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences the highest institution devoted to science and art in Croatia, is housed in a Neo-Renaissance palace that was built exactly for this purpose in 1880. Towards the back of the entrance hall is the Baška Tablet, one of the oldest stone inscriptions written in the Croatian language. Dating from the turn of the 12th century, the inscription is written in Glagolitic, the highly decorative script used in Croatia before Roman letters became more widespread. Upstairs is the Strossmayer Gallery of Old

Masters, displaying works of art from the 15th to the 19th century. Based on the private collection of the Academy’s founder, Bishop J. J. Strossmayer, the gallery includes works attributed to Tintoretto, Veronese, El Greco and many more. One should not miss the unforgettable Baroque painting “Abraham sacrifices Isaac” by Federiko Benković.

The Gallery of Modern Art

The 19th- century palace standing opposite to the Academy is home to the Gallery of Modern Art, which covers Croatian visual arts of the 19th and 20th centuries. Two centuries of Croatian paintings and sculptures are presented through the works of the most significant Croatian artists. Works are exhibited chronologically, beginning with the Croatian historical subjects painted by

pre-World War I artists such as Oton Iveković and Vlaho Bukovac. The display continues with the mysterious symbolism of Croatian Art Nouveau artists and the poetic soft shades of the painter Emanuel Vidović. Early 20th-century works by Kraljević, Račić and Becić reflect the turmoil of European modernism. The gallery also includes a selection of works by contemporary Croatian artists.

44 Step by step Step by step 45Step by step 45

13. King Tomislav Square

King Tomislav

A monument dedicated to Tomislav, Croatia’s first king, dominates the square carrying his name. This courageous warrior defended the continental part of Croatia from Hungarian attacks and for the first time united all Croatian lands into one country. Tomislav successfully sought papal recognition of his realm, and was crowned as king in the year 925. Despite

dying mysteriously three years later, his status as founder of the Croatian state has never been in doubt. The statue of Tomislav on horseback was completed by sculptor Robert Frangeš Mihanović in 1938, although protracted political difficulties and the outbreak of World War II prevented the statue from being installed in its current location until 1947.

Zagreb Words furt = alwaysfrtalj = a quarterhaustor = house entrance plac = market, squarešuster = shoe-makertaubek = pigeongemišt = white wine and mineral waterštenge = stairsšpancir = a walkpuca = a girl

purger = a person from Zagreb ura = clockšnicl = steakgelender = handrailkefa = brushfest = a lotviršle = frankfurterfašnik = carnivallajbek = vestgrincajg = soup vegetables

The Main Railway Station

The railway arrived in Zagreb in 1862, connecting the 40,000-strong city to the economic and cultural centres of Vienna and Budapest. Built in 1892, the station building was designed by Hungarian architect Ferenc Pfaff, something of a specialist when it came to railway stations. Incorporating a mixture of Renaissance and Neo-classical elements, it is a fine addition to the parade of buildings that lies along the route of Lenuci’s Horseshoe. Travellers coming out of the railway station are confronted with one of the most beautiful views in Zagreb, which takes in the statue of King Tomislav, the Art Pavilion, the cathedral’s spires and the green slopes of Mount Medvednica in the distance.

46 Step by step

King Tomislav The Main Railway

Station The Art Pavilion Hotel Esplanade

The Art Pavilion

Marking the northern end of King Tomislav Square is the Art Pavilion, originally built to serve as the Croatian Pavilion at the Budapest Millennial Exhibition of 1896. Constructed using the latest in metal frame techniques, the pavilion was disassembled at the end of the Budapest exhibition,

transported to Zagreb by train, and re-erected at its current location. The ceremonial opening took place in 1898 accompanied by a grand exhibition of contemporary artists. The pavilion was Zagreb’s first dedicated space for art shows, and has been an important venue for high-profile exhibitions ever since.

Licitar (Gingerbread Heart)The "licitar" is a bright red heart-shaped gingerbread cookie that has long served as a symbol of love and affection. Sold at parish fairs for centuries, the licitar was originally an edible sweet

cookie containing honey, although it is now a largely decorative gift that is meant to be kept rather than eaten. Brightly decorated licitars, moulded into various shapes and richly decorated, also serve as a favourite traditional Christmas tree decoration.

Hotel Esplanade

The hotel is close to the main railway station and was built in very short time in 1925. The original purpose of the hotel was to provide top-notch accommodation for passengers on the Orient Express, the luxurious service linking Paris and Istanbul and which used Zagreb as one of the stops. Many celebrity guests stayed at the hotel, which

became an important centre for society events. The Zagreb public was particularly intrigued by the performance of a provocative dancer Josephine Baker in 1929, when several virtuous local ladies expressed their disapproval. It was also here that Zagreb’s first beauty contest was held in 1926, with the winner going on to be crowned

“Miss Europe” in the following year.

Guardians Frozen in Time During his or her walks through Zagreb the careful observer will notice unusual characters on facades, balconies, posts and towers, next to windows and above doors. Beasts and demons, dragons and owls, angels and spirits are

not just here to serve as architectural decorations. As guardians of the city they are all on a secret mission, and although they stand motionless during the daytime, the luckiest of visitors may yet see them at work.


14. The Croatian

State Archives The Botanical

Gardens The Ethnographic

Museum

Marulić Square

The Croatian State Archives

Marulić Square is dominated by the former National and University Library, today home to the Croatian State Archives. Designed by architect Rudolf Lubynski in 1913, the building is by far the most beautiful example of Croatian Art Nouveau. Every detail, from the decorative elements on the facade to the reading lamps on the desks, was meticulously designed by the leading artists of the day. The building is rich in symbolism, with rooftop groups of globe-bearing owls pointing to the library’s educational purpose. Similarly, allegories of science and the book trade adorn the facade.

Marko Marulić, writer and humanist, (1450 – 1524). Writing in Latin, Italian and Croatian, Marko Marulić was a towering figure of the Croatian Renaissance. Often considered the father of Croatian literature, his most significant achievement was in penning the epic poem “Judith” (Judita), the first

literary work to be published in the Croatian language. Inspired by the Old-Testament Jewish heroine who famously beheaded the Babylonian warlord Holofernes, the book was intended to serve as a metaphor for Christian Croatia’s struggle against the Ottoman Empire.

The Botanical Gardens

Running parallel to the railway tracks, the Botanical Gardens form the southern part of the green belt known as Lenuci’s Horseshoe. Every spring since the late 19th century the gardens have opened their gates to the public. Pride of the gardens is the collection of 10,000 or more plant species, ranging from exotic imports to indigenous Croatian plants. The gardens are open until sundown and entrance is free of charge, but there are strict rules governing behaviour. It is forbidden to walk on the grass, shout, ride a bicycle or pick flowers. The greenery, the wonderful scents and a general sense of peace constitute a true oasis in the centre of the city. The gardens are located on Mihanovićeva, named after the author of Croatia’s national anthem Lijepa naša domovino (“Our Beautiful Homeland”), Antun Mihanović.

The Ethnographic Museum

The Ethnographic Museum is located in the former Chamber of Trade, an Art Nouveau building dating from 1903. The museum itself was founded in 1919 on the initiative of Salamon Berger, a factory owner from Slovakia who donated his huge collection of folk costumes and textiles to the institution. As well as the costumes, visitors can see traditional household utensils and musical instruments from all over Croatia. A further point of interest are the collections donated by brothers Stevo and Mirko Seljan, famous Croatian explorers who returned from Africa and South America with a wealth of native artefacts.


15. Marshal Tito Square

The Croatian National Theatre

The Croatian National Theatre is located on Trg maršala Tita (Marshal Tito Square), which is named after Josip Broz Tito (1892 – 1980), former president of the Yugoslav Federation. This square, formerly known as University and Theatre Square, is the last in the arc of eight green squares that formed Lenuci’s Horseshoe, the central component of 19th-century Zagreb’s urban plan. Well-known Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner and Herman Helmer, who designed forty other European theatres,

were responsible for the plans for the building, employing a rich Neo-Baroque style that was at the time thought most suitable for theatres. Officially opened in 1895, the building brings the national opera, ballet and drama companies together under a single roof. With a repertoire that ranges from classics to contemporary pieces, and with both Croatian and international works well represented, the theatre occupies a central place in the cultural life of the capital.

The Well of Life

Placed in front of the National Theatre in 1912, the Well of Life is one of Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović’s most popular works. Dating from Meštrović’s youthful, playful period, it is a sensual piece of work that many believe to be among his best. It basically consists of a circular pool surrounded by a bronze frieze of intertwined nude figures. From children to loving couples and old people, the figures appear to be reaching over the lip of the fountain to scoop up the water, suggesting a universal theme of human zest for life and interdependence.

Zagreb University

Running along the north side of the square is the main administrative building of Zagreb University. Founded in 1669, it is the oldest university in Croatia, and also one of the oldest in Europe. It currently consists of 29 faculties, three academies and one university centre.The administrative building, built in the 19th century, was originally used as a hospital, and for a time even served as a tobacco factory. In front of the entrance is Ivan Meštrović’s “History of the Croats”, a seated figure of a woman (based on the sculptor’s mother) which eloquently symbolizes the calm strength of the nation. The sculpture was placed here in 1971, and has served as a popular patriotic symbol ever since.


The Croatian National Theatre

The Well of Life Zagreb University

The Museum of Arts and Crafts

St George The Mimara Museum

The Museum of Arts and Crafts

Occupying the west side of the square is the Museum of Arts and Crafts, founded in 1880 and one of the first institutions of its kind in Europe. It was originally charged with the cultivation of traditional crafts and their use in modern design and manufacture. As a result, the School of Decorative Arts (the present-day School of Applied Arts and Design) was established next to the museum. The permanent exhibition at the museum covers three floors and presents the development of applied arts from the Gothic period right through to Art-Deco. The display includes clocks and watches, metalwork, glass, ceramics and textiles. The museum also organizes themed exhibitions about the history of design as well as contemporary art shows.

St George

The theme of St George killing the dragon has been a popular motif since medieval times, symbolizing the struggle between good and evil and the victory of Christianity over paganism. This particular portrayal of the saint was produced by Austrian sculptor Anton Fernkorn. The original made its way to a noblemans palace in Vienna in 1853, although a zinc cast was brought to Zagreb. This bronze copy was placed at its current location in 1908, since when the virtuous knight has been on display killing the dragon for just over a century.

The Mimara Museum

Built in the late 19th century to serve as a high school, the Neo-Renaissance palace on Roosevelt Square holds the wide-ranging collections of the Mimara Museum. The museum was founded to display the artworks donated by private collector Ante Topić Mimara, and was first opened to the public in 1987. The permanent exhibition at the museum is organized into a chronological sequence of historical periods, from the times of ancient Egypt and Greece to paintings and drawings by great masters like Raphael, Velasquez, Rubens, Rembrandt and Goya. The museum’s glass collection

offers a wonderful insight into the changing artistic values of the glass-making trade over the centuries.


16. The Kallina House The Apartment of

Viktor Kovačić Zagreb’s First

Skyscraper Nikola TeslaMasarykova

The Kallina House

The street named after Tomaš Masaryk, the first president of Czechoslovakia, has been the site of impressive-looking office buildings and apartment blocks ever since the 19th century. One of the more fascinating examples of the latter is the Kallina House, built on the corner of the street in 1904 by architect Vjekoslav Bastl. One of the main investors in the project was the owner of a ceramics factory, and the façade of the building is covered in brightly decorated ceramic tiles. The Art Nouveau-inspired decorative details are among the most delightful in Zagreb, while the stylized bat motifs will certainly raise some eyebrows.

The Apartment of Viktor Kovačić

Built in 1906, the residential building at Masarykova 21-23 was designed by the architect Viktor Kovačić, who reserved the attic apartment for himself. Viktor Kovačić (1874 - 1924) was a great promoter of practical architecture, believing that apartments should be built for real people rather than just their furniture. Preserved in very much the state in which Kovačić left it, this attic apartment is one of the rare surviving examples of a meticulously planned early 20th-century interior. Featuring carefully chosen textiles, and furniture that is both practical and good to look at, it offers a fascinating insight into the tastes of the time.

Zagreb’s First Skyscraper

The building on the corner of Masarykova and Gundulićeva has the honour of being the first ever skyscraper built in Zagreb. Dating from 1933, it was constructed in a record-breakingly short period of 79 days, thanks to the use of modern building techniques. Locals immediately hailed it as a skyscraper, although the building’s designer Slavko Löwy protested that the nine-storey, 35-metre-high proportions of the building made it undeserving of such a description. Whatever we might want to call it, this elegant example of rational modernism was one of the highest achievements of Croatian architecture in the period between the two world wars.

Nikola Tesla

Overlooking the intersection of Masarykova and Teslina is a statue of Nikola Tesla (1856 – 1943), that was placed there on the 150th anniversary of the birth of this exceptional scientist and innovator.Nikola Tesla was born and raised in Croatia and after finishing his education in Europe Tesla sought his fortune in the USA, where he was instrumental in the development and introduction of alternating current, x-rays,

remote control devices and radio waves. Thanks to Tesla’s vision we can use the internet and mobile phones today. Tesla was a secretive man who rarely explained the thinking that lay behind his

discoveries, leading many to think of him a something of a wizard. Even today, not all of Tesla’s secrets have been explained.

17. Tin Ujević Miškec’s Passage

The Oktogon

The Grounded Sun The Napredak

Skyscraper

Petar Preradović Square

Petar Preradović Square

Petar Preradović Square (Trg P. Preradovića) was named after Petar Preradović (1818 – 1872), an army general who also wrote patriotic verse and love poetry.

His statue stands in the middle of the square and is a popular meeting point. The square is colloquially known as “Flower Square” (Cvjetni trg), after the flower stalls which have been a feature of the place ever since the 14th century when fairs were held here. On the northern side of the square is the Orthodox Church of the Holy Transfiguration, built at the end of the 19th century on the former site of the Roman Catholic Church of St Margaret. Both the square and the surrounding streets are lined with pavement cafes, and it is here that you can get a true sense of Zagreb’s “outdoor lounge” culture. For the locals, coffee is the ideal accompaniment to a serious business meeting or a good long gossip with a group of friends.

Tin Ujević

The statue honouring Augustin “Tin” Ujević (1891 – 1955), one of the greatest Croatian poets, was placed near Flower Square on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Considered to be the last real Croatian bohemian, Ujević was a professional poet who avoided conventional lifestyles as long as he lived. He wrote verses on every possible subject, and there are few people in Croatia who don’t know at least a few lines of his poems by heart. There are many anecdotes about Tin, his oversized old coat, hat and the glass of wine he always had in his hand while sitting in one of the bars in Zagreb. Tin was and remains an urban nomad.

Miškec’s Passage

The passage that connects Masarykova with Varšavska is named after Miškec, a much-loved local character who occupies an important position in urban folklore. Born Mihail Erdec, Miškec was a well-known pre-World War II acrobat who was forced by injury into early retirement and a life on the streets. Bedding down in the grimy boiler room of the Europa Cinema, he won the sympathies of local residents by doing odd jobs for neighbours and serenading cinemagoers with tunes on his mouth organ. A photo of the unrequited love of his life Štefica Vidačić, the first Miss Zagreb, hung above his makeshift bed. Miškec lived in the boiler room from the end of World War II until the 1960s, when he was finally persuaded to take up a bed in an old people’s home.


The Oktogon

Linking the relaxed atmosphere of Flower Square with the bustling shopping street of Ilica is the Oktogon, an elegant pre-World War I arcade lined with largely upmarket shops. It gets its name from the octagonal-shaped central area, which stands beneath a domed, stained-glass roof. The representative business and residential building of the former First Croatian Savings Bank was built at the end of the 19th century in a record time of only 15 months.

The Necktie Croatia is the home of the necktie, an obligatory accessory for every business meeting. During the Thirty Years’ War Croatian

soldiers in the service of France wore exotic scarves around their necks, becoming a source of serious fascination to the style-conscious citizens of Paris.

The practice of wearing such scarves à la croate was especially favoured by the Sun King, Louis XIV, and the necktie soon became a fashion hit all over Europe.

The Grounded Sun

Arguably the most popular example of contemporary sculpture in Zagreb is The Grounded Sun by Ivan Kožarić. Set down amidst a forest of café tables and parasols, this simple but unusual bronze sphere is a source of constant intrigue to passers-by. Some even push it to see how far it will roll. Kožarić’s

sun inspired another artist Davor Preis to create the Zagreb Solar System, in which metal spheres representing the planets are placed in locations all around the city. The sizes of the planets and the distances separating them are all in exact proportion to Kožarić’s original sun: trying to find all nine planets presents a real adventure.

The Napredak Skyscraper

Looming over the corner of Bogovićeva and Gajeva is the curving façade of the Napredak (“Progress”) building, built by the Napredak Cultural Association in 1936 to serve as business space and apartment accommodation. Designed by Stjepan Planić, the seven-storey building is characterized by the cogwheel motif that runs around the upper part of the façade. The cogwheel was the symbol of the association. The light blue colour of the facade is the architect’s homage to traditional architecture and the blue-coloured Copper Sulphate

used by wine-growers in rural parts of Croatia to stop various vine diseases.


18. Ilica

Ilica

Of all the streets in Zagreb, Ilica is the one which the locals hold dearest. Six kilometers in length, it was for a long time the longest street in the city, although some of the newer multi-lane avenues are now longer. However Ilica remains the symbolic main artery of the city, with high-street shops and government buildings lining its eastern end, theatres and markets (and even Zagreb’s first brewery) emerging as it moves west. It is also one of the rare streets that has kept the same name since its origins in the 15th century. Because of its east-west direction it is famous for the bright sunlight that hits you as you walk westward in the late afternoon.

TramsThe blue-liveried Zagreb tram is one of the city’s most easily identifiable trademarks. Horse-drawn trams were introduced as far back as 1891, although electric trams took over in 1910. A new sense of style came to Zagreb’s tram-lines in 2006, with the introduction of the super-sleek,

Andrija Kačić Miošić

Connecting Ilica with the Upper Town, Mesnička is a sloping street that still retains its old granite paving stones. It has its origins in the Middle Ages, when it was named after the butchers’ shops (mesnička is Croatian for “butchers”) that used to run along its length. Standing at the bottom of the street from 1891 is Ivan Rendić’s statue of Andrija

Kačić Miošić (1704 – 1760), a friar, poet and educator best known for his Razgovor ugodni naroda slovinskoga (“Pleasant Conversation of the Slav People”), a history of Croatia written in verse. First published in 1756, it has been reprinted over 70 times, and remains the most frequently read piece of literature written in the Croatian language.

futuristic-looking vehicles made by the local Končar engineering works. Blue, the official colour of Zagreb, became the standard colour scheme for the city’s trams shortly after World War I. There are currently 15 tram routes operating during the daytime, and 4 at night.

62 Step by step

Andrija Kačić Miošić Britanski trg The Church of Saint Blaise

Britanski trg

Britanski trg (“British Square”) is a picturesque square with several names (Ilica Square, Small Market) famous for the fresh produce market that draws shoppers from all over the city on weekday mornings. On Sundays the square is taken over by a lively antiques and bric-a-brac market, which is as much a social occasion as a chance to pick up bargains. Lovers of antiques, old postcards, vinyl records and comics will have lots of fun browsing the stalls, and there are plenty of pavement cafes offering sunshine and strong coffee.

Penkala (Pen)It was in Zagreb that a small but very important writing tool was born. At the beginning of the 20th century,

Slavoljub Penkala (1871 – 1922) developed a fountain pen that soon replaced the need for pen and separate ink bottle. Enthusiasm for

Penkala’s invention spread like wildfire, and Zagreb became a major global centre for the production of not only fountain pens but mechanical

The Church of Saint Blaise

Standing at the intersection of Deželićeva and Primorska is a Church dedicated to St Blaise, a 4th-century martyr famous for his gift of curing throat illnesses. Begun in 1912, the church was designed by Viktor Kovačić and combines Byzantine influences, traditional Croatian styles and

modern construction techniques to monumental effect. The reinforced concrete dome was the first of its kind in Croatia. An exceptionally beautiful Nativity scene, the work of sculptor Vojta Braniša from 1916, is exhibited every year around Christmas.

pencils too. Penkala was a pioneer in other fields, successfully building and testing the first Croatian aeroplane in 1910.

64 Step by step

19. Stjepan Radić Post Office

The Stock Market HDLU

Novakova VlaškaAugust ŠenoaJurišićeva

Jurišićeva

Jurišićeva is the main business and commercial street leading east from Zagreb’s main square. As well as financial institutions, Jurišićeva boasts a large post office building dating from 1904 built in the Hungarian Art-Nouveu style. At the western end of the street, opposite the Radić bookstore, there is a statue of Stjepan Radić (1871 - 1928), a prominent Croatian politician who was fatally shot during a session of the Parliament in Belgrade. As leader of the Croatian Peasant Party Radić was an inspirational speaker and a genuine national leader, and he remains the most widely respected Croatian politician of all time.

Viktor Kovačić, Croatian architect (1874 – 1924). Considered the father of Croatian modern architecture, Kovačić discarded the fancy decorative

tastes of the late 19th century in favour of a much more pragmatic functionalist style. However he believed that architecture needed to create the right

conditions for comfortable living, and always combined the best elements of traditional heritage with the contemporary taste for straight lines.

The Stock Market

At the eastern end of Jurišićeva, the fountain-splashed Trg hrvatskih velikana (“Square of the Great Croatians”) is dominated by the former Zagreb Stock Exchange. Designed by Viktor Kovačić in 1922, it employs simple classical elements to reflect the grand nature of the institution. The stock exchange for goods and valuables existed in Zagreb since 1907 but was closed down in 1945 because speculative institutions were not in line with the socialist agenda, and the building today houses the Croatian National Bank.


HDLU

The nearby Trg žrtava fašizma (“Victims of Fascism Square”) centres on Zagreb’s most unique exhibition space, the circular headquarters of the Croatian Artist’s Association. Designed by the sculptor Ivan Meštrović in the 1930s, it was originally used as an exhibition pavilion before being turned into a mosque during World War II – complete with the addition of minarets. After the war the minarets were dismantled and the building returned to its original function, although it is still referred to fondly as

“the Mosque” by the locals.

Novakova

Twisting its way uphill from opposite the Ribnjak Park, Novakova is Zagreb’s best-preserved example of a residential street of the inter-war era. It is lined with modern family villas built according to modernist principles, employing clean lines, flat roofs and large windows. Although clearly inspired by international architectural trends of the time, the villas represent a blend of functionality and organic design that is typical of the Zagreb school of architecture.

Vlaška

Vlaška is a street characterized by its row of well-preserved one-storey houses and traditional crafts workshops. Stretching below the walls of the Kaptol district, it was originally settled by Italian traders, which is how the street got its name - Italians were referred to as Vlasi in old Croatian. It was in Vlaška that the novelist August Šenoa was born, a fact commemorated by the street-corner sculpture of him leaning against an advertising pillar, a work of sculptor Marija Ujević. The pillar is inscribed with one of Šenoa’s poems, eulogising the beautiful and proud city which he loved.

Gingerbread CookiesAromatic gingerbread cookies have been baked in Zagreb since time immemorial. Flavoured with honey, walnuts and pepper, these biscuits traditionally served as the principal sweet treat during the winter holidays. The sweet peppery taste goes best with a cup of warm tea. It is also good to know that the crisp gingerbread dough tastes better with time.

Outside the Centre The Technical Museum

Vukovar Avenue

The Museum of Contemporary Art

The River Sava

Bundek

Jarun

Mirogoj

Maksimir Park

Medvednica


Outside the Centre

The Technical Museum

The Technical Museum is located on Savska cesta, a busy street that connects the centre of the city with one of the main bridges across the river Sava. Housed in an innovative wooden pavilion dating from the 1950, the museum displays a host of notable scientific and technological achievements. Exhibits range from horse-drawn trams to space capsules, and visitors can even visit a replica mine-shaft or take part in experiments devised by the great Nikola Tesla. The main hall of the museum is taken up with a fascination display of vintage road vehicles and old aeroplanes. Croatia was a home to important innovators: along with Tesla, we can also mention Faust Vrančić and Ruđer Bošković, and you can learn something about all of them in the Technical Museum.

Vukovar Avenue

World War II was followed by an exceptionally fruitful period for architectural projects in Croatia, and Vukovar Avenue is an outstanding example, with its thoughtfully planned series of tall residential buildings and state institutions. Croatian architects of that time resisted the dictates of socialist realism and opted for European modernist styles instead. A splendid new City Hall was designed by Kazimir Ostrogović, although it is outshone on the beauty stakes by Marijan Haberle’s Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, opened in 1973. Lisinski

(1819 – 1854) was the composer of the first ever Croatian opera, Love and Malice. Close to the concert hall is the splendid glass-and-steel building of the National and University Library. Built in the 1990s, it holds over 2.5 million books on 114 kilometres of shelves.

The Museum of Contemporary Art

South of the river Sava, Novi Zagreb (“New Zagreb”) is home to the brand-new Museum of Contemporary Art. The museum’s permanent collection includes both Croatian and international modern art from the 1950s to the present day. Completed in 2009, the museum building takes the form of an angular-looking wave pattern – a direct reference to the meander motif developed by the leading abstract artist Julije Knifer. In the new building on almost 15,000 square meters enables people from Zagreb and visitors to the city to see original works of art ranging from sculptures and paintings to photographs, films, videos, installations or performances, all by Croatian and internationally recognized artists. Occasional exhibitions reflect current trends in the world of art.


Bundek

Adjacent to the river Sava lies the Bundek, a 35 hectare oasis of peace, greenery and nature on the edges of Novi Zagreb. Many locals come here at the weekend to exercise, walk and relax. The park is especially suitable for families, thanks to the presence of playgrounds for children of various ages. Anglers catch fish from lakes which are also home to ducks and swans.

The River Sava

With a length of 940 km, the river Sava is one of the three longest rivers in Croatia, rising in Slovenia and flowing southeast to join the Danube in Belgrade. The river has always played an important role in the development of Zagreb. The city originally developed on the left bank of the Sava, but after World War II it spread to its right bank with the creation of the new parts of the city known as Novi Zagreb. In the past the river guarded the city from enemies but also posed a threat to when its waters rose and led to flooding. After the great flood of 1964, the flow of the Sava was tamed by building canals and earthen banks on either side of the river, which now serve as foot- and cycle-paths.

Jarun

Southwest of the city centre lies the man-made Lake Jarun, Zagreb’s very-own riviera. Consisting of a big and a small lake connected by a channel, Jarun was created by the digging of gravel from the backwaters of the Sava after the catastrophic flood of 1964. Jarun was developed into a recreation era in time for the World Student Games, which were held in Zagreb in 1987. Rowing facilities, sports grounds and cycling tracks were added, making Jarun the largest sports and recreational centre in the city. During the

day Jarun can be teeming with people, whether they are simply out for a walk or engaged in more serious athletic training. The lakeside pebble beaches fill with bathers during the summer. In the evening, cafes and clubs along the lakefront attract people looking for a fun night out.


Mirogoj

Zagreb’s main cemetery, Mirogoj, crowns a low hill just outside the city centre. Built in the late 19th century by Hermann Bollé, it is a wonderful example of a grand civic graveyard, featuring monumental arcades, domed gatehouses and pavilion chapels. Opened in 1876 with the funeral of fencing instructor Miroslav Singer, Mirogoj

is the last resting place of many eminent Croats, their beautifully sculpted grave memorials giving the whole place the appearance of a park-like outdoor art gallery. Mirogoj accommodates people of all religions, which is why Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim symbols can be seen on many of the gravestones.

Herman Bollé, architect and town planner (1845 – 1926). The German-born architect came to Zagreb in 1876 to restore St. Mark’s Church in the Upper Town. He then stayed on in Zagreb, becoming the leading figure in the renovation projects that followed the catastrophic earthquake of

1880. Among his most important achievements are the reconstruction of Zagreb’s cathedral (whose Neo-Gothic spires are said to be inspired by those in Bollé’s birthplace of Cologne), the Neo-Renaissance walls of Mirogoj cemetery, and the Museum of Arts and Crafts.

Maksimir Park

Main attraction in the eastern part of the city is Maksimir Park, a leafy oasis of greenery first opened as a public promenade by Bishop Maksimilijan Vrhovac in 1794. It was Vrhovac who arranged for the existing oak woods and meadows to be transformed into gardens in the French style. The resulting park was named Maksimir (“mir” being Croatian for peace) in honour of its founder. Occupying one corner of the park, Zagreb Zoo has grown considerably since the early 20th century, when it opened to the public with a modest collection of three foxes and three owls. Today it is home to 275 animal species, and occupies a 7-hectare area of beautifully laid-out flowerbeds and shrubs.

Medvednica

Zagreb is one of the few cities lucky enough to have a mountain right on its doorstep. Protected as a nature reserve, Mount Medvednica shelters Zagreb from cold northern winds. The mountain gets its name from the bears (medvjedi) who used to roam its wooded slopes, although none of the beasts remain on the mountain today. The 1,035-metre summit of Medvednica, known as Sljeme, is a popular destination for local hikers. Trails lead from Zagreb’s suburbs right to the top, where mountain lodges serve hearty portions of grah (traditional bean stew) to those eager to restore their strength. The ski pistes on the northern slopes of Sljeme regularly host World Cup skiing events, with both men’s and women’s downhill events taking place in January.

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Publisher:Zagreb Tourist Board

For Publisher:Amelia Tomašević, PhD

Editor:Dražen Hochecker

Text concept:Martina Petrinović

Translation:Media translations

Proofreader:Jonathan Bousfield

Photos:Želimir HorvatJuraj KopačŽeljko KrčadinacPatrik MacekIvo PervanTomislav RastićTomislav ŠklopanIvor VodanovićGoran VranićAMZ ArchiveHAZU ArchiveTZGZ ArchiveMGZ Phototeque

Art director:Ivan Doroghy

Design & Layout:DZN Studio

Print:Birotisak

ISBN 978-953-228-023-4

Zagreb Tourist Board10000 Zagreb

Kaptol 5

www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr

[email protected]

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