Travel Eye on Zagreb (Croatia)

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Overview:

Zagreb, the capital city of the Republic of Croatia is an old Central European city. For centuries it has been a focal point of culture and science, and now of commerce and industry as well. It lies on the intersection of important routes between the Adriatic coast and Central Europe.

When the Croatian people achieved their independence in 1991, Zagreb became a capital - a political and administrative centre for the Republic of Croatia. Zagreb is also the hub of the business, academic, cultural, artistic and sporting worlds in Croatia.

Many famed scientists, artists and athletes come from the city, or work in it. Zagreb can offer its visitors the Baroque atmosphere of the Upper Town, picturesque open-air markets, diverse shopping facili­ties, an abundant selection of crafts and a choice vernacular cuisine. Zagreb is a city of green parks and walks, with many places to visit in the beautiful surroundings.

The city will enter into the third millennium with a population of one million. In spite of the rapid development of the economy and transportation, it has retained its charm, and a relaxed feeling that makes it a genuinely human city.

Some remote areas of Croatia, even though safe and welcoming, remain uncleared of landmines. These include the Danube region in eastern Slavonia and Krajina. It is unwise to stray into fields or abandoned villages.

Locality:

Zagreb is situated in northern Croatia, on the Sava River, 170 km from the Adriatic Sea
45° 10' N, 15° 30' E it is 122 m above sea level

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

A walk through the streets of the Upper Town will take us to St. Mark's Church, a symbol of Zagreb, to the best view of Zagreb from under the Lotrscak Tower and to the Stone Gate where we light a candle.

Only in Zagreb the noon is announced by the cannon firing from the Lotrscak Tower and city parks are arranged in the form of a horse shoe.

Zagreb has Maksimir, the oldest public cultivated park in Europe and Archaeological Museum is proud to present the mummy with with the longest Etruscan epitaph, ...

The journey through Zagreb's heritage and tradition will be enriched by the unigue taste of pepper biscuits and a visit to the bidermayer interior of the old Upper Town Zagreb Café.

From Trg Bana Jelacica (named after the Croatian hero and viceroy who defeated the Hungarians in an uprising in 1848 - his monument is in the square) turn right and into the first street on the left to see the twin neo-Gothic spires of St. Stephen's Cathedral, built in 1899.

The baroque Archbishops' Palace is attached to the cathedral. Nearby is the colourful Dolac market, the main market in Zagreb, which is definitely worth visiting. You can have an inexpensive meal in one of the fast-food kiosks close by. Walk along Tkalciceva Ulica towards the upper town and you will come to the 13th century Stone Gate (Kamenita vrata) with a painting of the Virgin Mary which miraculously escaped the great fire of 1731 and is a place of pilgrimage.

Explore the Upper Town which includes Banski Dvori (the Presidential Palace) with its colourful guards, Sabor (the parliament), and St. Mark's Church (with the works of Ivan Mestrovic, Croatia's most famous sculptor) and note its beautifully tiled roof. There are also several museums and galleries nearby.

See Lotrscak Kula (tower) before returning to the hustle and bustle of modern Zagreb either via the pedestrian walkway or the hundred-year-old uspinjaca (funicular railway). The good citizens of Zagreb are reminded of the time at midday when a gun is fired from the Tower (someone told us that there is a similar ceremony in Edinburgh, only that it occurs at 1 o'clock?!).

In the lower town, you can do your shopping in the main shopping street Ilica or visit one of the more prominent museums or galleries, like the Strossmayer Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Ethnographic Museum and the famous Mimara museum (Rooseveltov trg 5) which, with almost 4,000 priceless objects, is one of the finest art galleries in Europe.