The city of Zagreb, capital of Croatia, on the historic and political threshold between East and West, illustrates both the continental and Mediterranean spirit of the nation it spearheads. Zagreb is the cultural, scientific, economic, political and administrative centre of the Republic of Croatia, and is home to the Croatian Parliament, Government and President. Its favourable location between the Pannonian plain, the edge of the Alps and the Dinaric range has allowed it to become a crossing point for mass international communication.

The city is protected from the cold northern winds by the mountain of Medvednica and opens up to the rest of the world thanks to a spacious plain and the Sava river. Zagreb, with a population of nearly one million, contains almost a quarter of the entire population of Croatia. Over the centuries, the city was inhabited by people coming from all over Europe; and, in recent years, by people coming from different parts of Croatia, ensuring a rich cultural life. Zagreb is a safe city whose doors are always open; a city with a tumultuous history teeming with interesting personalities;

a city that warmly invites all those who wish to get to know it, and a city that will surely fulfill your expectations. In this city, you can easily meet remarkable people, make new friends and enjoy special moments. The façades of Zagreb’s buildings reflect the ebb and flow of history, while its streets and squares bear witness to the coming together of the many cultures that have shaped the identity of this laid-back capital. The best thing to do is when you first arrive is to take in Zagreb’s wonderful atmosphere, which, as many claim, is only surpassed by the legendary beauty of the local womenfolk.

Today’s Zagreb has grown out of two medieval settlements that for centuries developed on neighbouring hills. The first written mention of the city dates from 1094, when a diocese was founded on Kaptol, while in 1242, neighbouring Gradec was proclaimed a free and royal city. Both the settlements were surrounded by high walls and towers, remains of which are still preserved.

During the Turkish onslaughts on Europe, between the 14th and 18th centuries, Zagreb was an important border fortress. The Baroque reconstruction of the city in the 17th and 18th centuries changed the appearance of the city. The old wooden houses were demolished, opulent palaces, monasteries and churches were built. The many trade fairs, the revenues from landed estates and the offerings of the many craft workshops greatly contributed to the wealth of the city.

Affluent aristocratic families, royal officials, church dignitaries and rich traders from the whole of Europe moved into the city. Schools and hospitals were opened, and the manners of European capitals were adopted. The city outgrew its medieval borders and spread to the lowlands. The first parks and country houses were built. Zagreb confirmed its position as the administrative, cultural and economic centre of Croatia.

When Kaptol, Gradec and the surrounding settlements were administratively combined into the integrated city of Zagreb in 1850, the development accelerated still more. The disastrous earthquake of 1880 sparked off the reconstruction and modernization of many shabby neighbourhoods and buildings. Prestigious public buildings were erected, parks and fountains were made, and transportation and other infrastructures were organized.

In the 19th century the population increased tenfold. The twentieth century brought the Secession style to Zagreb. The city lived in the plenty of a civil society, with firm links with all the central European centres. With an increase in wealth and industry from the 1960s on, the city spread out over the wide plains alongside the Sava River, where a new, contemporary business city has develop.

[table caption=”” width=”100%” colwidth=”25%|75%” colalign=”left|left”]
YEAR, EVENT
ca 600 AD, “Decline of the ancient Roman settlement of Scitarjevo (Andautonia). Arrival of the Croats. The earliest evidence of their existence in this area are the graves on Visoki Brijeg in Velika Gorica.”
879., “Decline of the ancient Roman settlement of Scitarjevo (Andautonia). Arrival of the Croats. The earliest evidence of their existence in this area are the graves on Visoki Brijeg in Velika Gorica.”
1094., “The Hungarian King Ladislas establishes the Zagreb Diocese.”
1134., “Issue of Felicianus’ Charter mentioning the founder of the Diocese, King Ladislas, the first bishop of, Zagreb Bishop Duh, and the other clergy.”
1217., “Finishing and consecration of the principal church cathedral, largely destroyed in 1242 by the Tatars.”
1242., “The Croatian-Hungarian King Bela IV grants the Golden Bull to Gradec, as a token of appreciation for the citizens who provided him shelter during the Tatarian invasion.”
1355., “Mention of the first pharmacy in Zagreb.”
1557., “Another threat to the city – Turkish invasions. The first mention of Zagreb as the capital of Croatia.”
1607., “Foundation of the Jesuit gymnasium with six forums.”
1624., “A great fire caused by a thunderbolt catches the wooden roof of the principal church. Great fires were quite frequent before the use of bricks as building material.”
1664., “Foundation of the first printing house by the Jesuits.”
1669., “The Croatian-Hungarian King Leopold I grants the right to the Royal Academy to be transformed into a university.”
1767., “The Royal Council designates Varaždin as its temporary seat.”
1771., “The first weekly in Latin published in Zagreb – Ephemerides Zagrebienses.”
1776., “The government seat relocated from Varazdin to Zagreb.”
1834., “The first permanent theatre in Zagreb opens on the southern side of St. Mark’s Square.”
1850., “Zagreb becomes a single administrative unit. The first major of the city is Josip Kamauf, former magistrate of Gradec.”
1862., “Opening of the first railway line, Zidani Most-Zagreb-Sisak.”
1880., “A severe earthquake strikes the area of Zagreb.”
1891., “The first horse-drawn tram in the streets of Zagreb. First electric driven tram was in service in 1905.”
1896., “The first film projection in Zagreb.”
1901., “The first automobile on the streets of Zagreb.”
1909., “The first trade exhibition – Economic Convention (“Gospodarski zbor”).”
1926., “The first radio station starts broadcasting (also the first in this part of Europe).”
1956., “The first broadcast of Zagreb television.”
1957., “Construction of new housing blocks starts on the southern bank of the Sava river.”
1964., “A raging flood strikes Zagreb in the night between October 24 and 25. In the most difficult flood ever, several thousand homes are badly damaged.”
1979., “Tram lines cross the Sava river.”
1987., “The University Games take place in Zagreb.”
1990., “The first session of the Croatian Parliament (Sabor) after the first free, democratic, multi-party elections take place on May 30.”
[/table]

The cosmopolitan buzz of Zagreb will soon strike you. Everything is accessible on foot – from your hotel to the theatre, wandering around the old Upper Town or through the bustling streets of the more modern Lower Town, which has not lost an ounce of its charm despite the eternal march of time. Venture out and let the moment take hold. There is something special about the rustle of

leaves as you stroll through the autumn colours of downtown Zrinjevac Park. There is magic in the reflections of the gas lanterns in the Upper Town, as the songs of the street performers evoke their own emotions with their distinctive sound. As night falls, everything becomes soft and subdued; the twinkle of candles in the cathedral and at the

mystical Stone Gate; the cafés beckoning you in the twilight with their warm hues. Zagreb is special. It is a long-running tale that allows you room to write your own chapters with your own impressions, something for you to add to the story. Quite simply, Zagreb has a soul. And you… You have Zagreb…

If cities had hearts – and some most certainly do – the beating heart of Zagreb would be Ban Josip Jelačić Square, one of the city’s symbols and the quintessential subject of its postcards. Zagreb’s central square is the first port of call and the archetypal meeting place. Imagine that you have just arranged to meet somebody but haven’t specified exactly where. Don’t worry, you’re bound to find them. When in Zagreb, do as any local would do – join the throng of people who also have a chance encounter,

without prior arrangement or fixed meeting point. Just bear in mind that all streets lead to Ban Josip Jelačić Square. The old clock has served as a beloved meeting point for generations of citizens. For many a year, people have been meeting under the clock to discuss politics, football and other issues of vital importance. With their hands full of groceries just bought at the main market nearby, they have stopped to have a coffee with

friends and catch up on gossip and talk over old times. A huge equestrian statue of Ban (or viceroy) Josip Jelačić dominates the square. Both the Ban and his monument hold important places in the stormy history of Croatia. At Manduševac Fountain, legend goes hand in hand with reality – a coin thrown into this wishing well might earn you happiness.

You can almost hear the swish of a gentleman’s tailcoat or the rustle of a lady’s crinoline dress. Even though all is quiet, it seems like these sounds are all around you. You’re in the imaginary world of art and artists. You can feel yourself interacting – don’t you wish you could trade places , even if it’s just for a tiny moment? Just around the corner from the central square is one of the most romantic places in Zagreb, Zrinjevac Park. Your first impression will be of a green and floral promenade – this is where art lovers flock in droves.

Your attention is soon drawn to the pretty flowerbeds and water fountains, and to the appearance of a meteorological station. There are few towns where streets and greenery live as closely intertwined as they do in Zagreb. Zrinjevac, named after the Croatian viceroy, Nikola Šubić Zrinski, is the first in the string of eight green spaces, perhaps even the most beautiful. It is one of the most enjoyable lessons about the history of Zagreb you can take because of the art galleries that line it and the

busts of the great figures from the history of Croatia that adorn its pathways. This is where you can discover valuable works by artists of world renown or become immersed in the rich treasure trove of the Archeological Museum, which contains exceptional rarities and serves as a wonderful contrast to the daily rituals of urban life. In the heart of Zrinjevac there stands the Music Pavilion which has served as an open-air concert stage since the 19th century. History is brought to life as summer concerts continue to take place here, even up to the present day.

How many times must you have passed through this square without stopping, and how many more times could you still pass it and remain unaware of its beauty and everything it has to offer? Yet however beautiful its façades may be, however inviting the park, Strossmayer Square is much more than just a peaceful space of superficial beauty.

In the park, you are surrounded by the busts of eminent Croatian personalities, with pride of place going to Bishop Strossmayer’s monument, created by the equally famous Croatian sculptor, Ivan Meštrović. The palace housing the Gallery of Modern Arts, the temple of Croatian 19th and 20th century art, accommodates another precious collection in

the Department of Prints and Drawings of the Croatian Academy of Science and Arts. The Strossmayer Gallery, housed in the building of the Croatian Academy of Science and Arts, holds the works of famous artists, mostly belonging to various Italian schools of painting, as well as masterpieces by the likes of El Greco, Goya and many others.

The building of the main railway station has born quiet witness to many human destinies, to departures and arrivals. Has it ever occurred to you how many people have passed through it since it was built at the end of the 19th century? For the many guests of Zagreb, the railway station building is their first encounter with the city, and the monument to King Tomislav, the first medieval Croatian king, is something they will recognise from the tourist guides as one of the symbols of the city. As you look down the square, across from the equestrian monument, the park seems closed off by the Art Pavilion.

Another water fountain in the park that bears the name of the Croatian politician and writer, Ante Starčević, and a splendid building, the legendary landmark which is the epitome of Zagreb’s hospitality industry: the Esplanade Hotel.

The Botanical Gardens, with its refurbished Garden Pavilion, contains as many as ten thousand plants from all four corners of the globe, each of them special, beautiful and interesting in their own way. One section of the Botanical Gardens has been landscaped in the style of what Croatians term an English park, that is to say with little winding paths and free-standing groups of trees and shrubs. Another section features the strict symmetrical forms and straight lines more in keeping with a park of French style. Having crossed the road from the Botanical Gardens, you find yourself on Marulić Square, dominated by a monument to the Croatian writer who has given this spot his name. The area is also adorned by a masterpiece of artdeco architecture, the Former National and University Library, which is currently housing the State Archives of Croatia.

At Roosevelt Square sit down for a moment and take in the beauty of a former lycée, with its floral patterns in the foreground, another element to add to your initial impressions of Zagreb. Venture a bit further and open the door of the treasury of art that is the Mimara Museum and find yourself face-toface with priceless exhibits which echo faraway worlds.

When you embark on the adventure to explore the treasures of the Mimara Museum, you will become familiar with one of the richest art collections in Europe. As many as 3,750 varied and valuable works of art cover many millennia, dating from the prehistoric period and running right up to the 20th century.

The exhibits in the Mimara Museum were donated to the nation and Zagreb by the collector, painter and restorer, Ante Topić Mimara. Having offered this invaluable collection to Croatia, his homeland, and in particular to Zagreb, Mimara allows Zagreb to share it all in turn with any visiting lover of art.

The neo-Baroque building is the centrepiece and symbol of Marshal Tito Square, where the Well of Life by sculptor Ivan Meštrović is another striking feature. The atmosphere generated by the Croatian National Theatre is not only as a result of its memorable façade and outer beauty – it
derives from the illusion of worlds and destinies changing right before your eyes, created at the hands of inspired artists. This ambience surrounds the Well of Life monument and the nearby Zagreb University building which always seems to be swarming with young people, and happens to be proudly guarded by another of Meštrović’s sculptures, the History of the Croats. Even the nearby Theatre Café exudes its own special atmosphere.

The theatre stage is the place where reality gives over to the world of the imagination and where any number of human stories blend into one. You may not recall who first opened the door to this world for you, but you will remember how you entered, quietly and on tiptoes.

When the soft street lights start to diffuse the darkness, when the frenzy of urban life dies down, the curtain is lifted to reveal the magical world of theatre. The famed masters of the spoken word, sound and movement appearing either in classic masterpieces or avant-garde shows are ready to entertain packed houses with their marvellous performances.

Comedy or tragedy, one-act plays or long-running popular dramas, operas or musicals, classical ballet or modern dance, the contemporary scene or puppet shows for children – the choice is yours and sometimes hard to make. Every theatre has its repertoire, and combined they contribute to the wealth of Zagreb’s cultural life.

The street was first mentioned more than five centuries ago. Ever since, Ilica has grown together with the city of Zagreb. Ilica is dynamic whatever the time of day or night. Just a few steps away from Ilica is the city’s funicular, forever shuttling up and down between just two stops, the shortest link between the Lower Town and Upper Town. At the upper terminus, you will find yourself at the foot of Lotrščak, the 13th-century defence tower. This monument is pretty hard to miss, but even if you fail to see it, you will certainly hear it, however strange this might sound at first. For more than a century, the cannon mounted at the very top of the tower has been fired at noon every day. On Sundays, a leisurely stroll or a short tram ride down Ilica will bring you to an antique fair.

On display you will find little treasures from a grandmother’s chest of drawers, remnants of a bygone ages, keepsakes that will tell you stories of their owners and their destinies. Lined with shop windows and restaurants, cafés and pastry shops, Ilica is comprised of living elements that give the street its own special character.

Taking a walk through a city inevitably means coming face-to-face with its shop windows and its stores. Zagreb has a lot to offer where commerce is concerned. There are an impressive number of Croatian labels and hallmarks, products created in this country that are picked up by visitors to be enjoyed around the world.

These Croatian commodities range from the fashionable to the practical – they could be a cravat or a mechanical pen, the so-called penkala, both original Croatian inventions; the cravat is tied in with Croatia’s renown across Europe from medieval times. Zagreb’s luxuriously presented stores and galleries, gleaming shopping malls and quaint boutiques display both domestic talent and international brand names in their windows for your perusal. Whatever it happens to be, you will be taking a piece of Zagreb home with you. Small family businesses, even in the city centre, are still prevalent – although you will also find all the glamorous international chains you would also see on the streets of London, Paris or Barcelona.

When they are going window-shopping or moving in sync with the afternoon rhythm of the city, the citizens of Zagreb follow their instincts which take them to the heart of town, to Ban Josip Jelačić Square, Ilica and, around Flower Square, to the streets of Gajeva or Bogovićeva. Here, without the bustle of city-centre traffic, locals stop at their favourite spots and meet people they have bumped into for years. These are the places where people treat themselves to an afternoon drink, meet with friends and acquaintances or just sit and watch the endless stream of passers-by flowing through the streets of Zagreb. These daily rituals are part of this city’s personality and something that the first-time visitor picks up on pretty quickly.

Petar Preradović Square, as it is given to those looking at city maps or reading street signs, is Flower Square to those who call Zagreb home. This is the place where you have your afternoon cup of coffee, where you rest your feet during a shopping spree, where you can buy your flowers late at night or just delight in their scents and colours as you walk past. The whole square is a big terrace and it is hard to know where one café starts and the other ends. Whichever you choose, you will be surrounded by bright flowers and the songs of passing street performers. Its permanent inhabitant, for more than a century now, is Petar Preradović, the great revival poet of the 19th century and an connoisseur of the human soul. If your intention is to keep a low profile and pass unnoticed through town on a Saturday, you will be well advised to avoid Flower Square. If, on the other hand, you are eager to see somebody, anybody, this is precisely where you want to be headed for, your path lined with bright colours and wonderful scents. Petar Preradović is one of those squares where words are not needed to describe its charm and beauty.

Unlike those who seek company to fill their moments of leisure with entertainment and gossip, there are also the solitary types who find the daily papers to be their best coffee-break companions. Newspaper holders and fancy table lamps have always been symbols of the most romantic meeting spots in Zagreb.

New generations will come, but as youngsters they surely wonder how anybody in their right mind could ever look for better company than their computer or a more fulfilling world than the captivating one of the internet. And as they ponder on this, a very special virtual meeting happens online, e-mail addresses are exchanged and then, a convenient time will be set for something more than just a virtual chance encounter – which is when the café comes into play. And this will be a new beginning, the beginning of a story of yet another coffeehouse.

Here you can savour the sweet fragrances of fruit which grow in long-established rural orchards, and you can smell the sea at the fishmongers’ stalls around the recently renovated Ribarnica. Shopping for food at the Dolac is a ritual for many citizens of Zagreb and visitors in the know. The Dolac is not just a place where you go to buy fresh goods, it is where friends and acquaintances meet, especially on Saturdays. The usual business, politics and other topics are replaced by lighter subjects, more appropriately suited to the leisurely weekend that lies ahead: that day’s best buys at the Dolac; the time-tested recipes which will supply the Sunday dinner table; a recommendation for a good restaurant, or a destination for a day out which must not be missed. An integral part of the Saturday ritual is to sit over a coffee on the terrace overlooked by Kerempuh, the vagabond of lore in statue form, and talk over old times.

Only a few steps away from the main city square, the downtown bustle disappears as if by magic. If you want to experience Zagreb at its most relaxed, you should head to Tkalčićeva Street, lined with cafés, bars and restaurants, a beloved meeting place of the citizens of Zagreb and any visitor just passing through.

Here it is as if time has stood still. What used to be a stream called Medveščak was converted into a street; and these days a different kind of change is taking place in this locality. Glimpses of ramshackle old houses unchanged for decades peek through the colourful parasols of the many café terraces; brash new businesses and galleries stand beside age-old establishments. One thing hasn’t changed,

though: the statue of Marija Jurić Zagorka, the popular writer and faithful chronicler of Zagreb, who stands halfway down, still observing the constant to-and-fro of her fellow citizens. Whether it’s a run-of-the-mill modern-day business, or a specialist boutique displaying old customs and crafts, the overall array of restaurants, cafés, galleries and little shops gives Tkalčićeva a nostalgic atmosphere – it feels as if it has been here forever.