Zagreb is the capital city of the Republic
of Croatia. Zagreb is an old Central European
city with the unique flavor. For centuries
it has been a focal point for culture
and science, as well as for commerce and
industry. It lies at the intersection
of important routes between the Adriatic
coast and Central Europe. Zagreb is divided
into three parts: the thousand-year old
Gornji grad (upper town) which contains
the Presidential Palace, the historic
church of St. Mark's, Sabor - the Croatian
Parliament, aristocratic palaces, museums
and galleries which are all set in cobbled
streets lit by gas lamps; the 19th century
Donji grad (down town) with its shops,
restaurants, famous cafes, theatres, parks;
and the modern post-war (WWII) Novi Zagreb
(new Zagreb) which is full of high-rise
buildings from the prosperous period of
development originating from the state
socialism, and as a such this part could
be very interesting for visitors to see
and analyze the achievements of socialist
urban planning and architecture. However,
although on periphery Novi Zagreb can
offer nice walk near Lake Bundek, shopping
in the new Avenue Mall, or offer a program
in newly opened Gallery of Modern Arts,
or visit to specialized exhibitions in
the complex of buildings that create famous
Zagreb’s fair.
Trg Bana Jelacica
(Ban Jelacic Square)
This large paved piazza has been Zagreb’s
main square since Donji Grad came into
being in the 19th century. Pedestrian-only
(with the exception of trams) it’s a lively
public meeting place rimmed by several
elegant pastel-colored Secessionist facades
and open-air cafes. The centerpiece is
a bronze statue of its namesake, Ban and
Baron Josip Jelacic upon a horse. The
square was named after the Croatian hero
and viceroy (Ban) who defeated the Hungarians
in an uprising in 1848, and thus defended
Croatian national identity and the statehood.
Katedrala (Cathedral)
From the Jelacic monument go right and
turn into the first street on the left
to see the twin neo-Gothic spires of St.
Stephen's Cathedral. There has been a
church on this site since the 12th century,
but today’s neo-Gothic façade with
twin steeples was erected after the 1880
earthquake. Inside, on the north wall,
note from the 12th-centruy inscription
in Glagolithic script (a predecessor to
Cyrillic). The baroque Archbishops' Palace
is attached to the cathedral.
Markov Trg (St Mark’s
Square)
Explore the Upper Town which includes
Banski Dvori (the Presidential Palace)
with its colorful guards, Sabor (the House
of Parliament), and St. Mark's Church
(with the works of Ivan Mestrovic, Croatia's
most famous sculptor) with 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).
Down Town
In the Down town Zagreb, you can do your
shopping in the main shopping street Ilica
or visit one of the most prominent museums
and galleries, like the Strossmayer Gallery,
the Gallery of Modern Art, the Ethnographic
Museum and the famous Mimara museum which,
with almost 4,000 priceless objects, which
is one of the finest art galleries in
Europe.
