A Welcome to Zagreb As you set out to take a tour round Zagreb, determined to see its highlights, you’ll find that you’ll end up rather enjoying it. Sitting at one of its Viennese- style cafés, strolling leisurely around its streets and promenading through its parks, it’s like you’re starting out on a love affair with this city and its people. And pretty soon you’ll know that this is love in its early stage, the kind that only grows stronger in time. 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... B 1 Zagreb, the town and the people The streets and monuments of Zagreb proudly testify to its thousands of years of history. But their greatest value is not measured by mere history alone, but by the special moments these historic attractions give us as we stand back to enjoy their beauty. While these sights await their next admirer, we in turn become richer for having befriended a place whose special features have put it on the roster of key European cities of art and culture, and whose character is earning a place in our heart. 2 3 If cities had hearts... 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 issues of vital importance. With their hands full somebody but haven’t specified exactly where. of groceries just bought at the main market Don’t worry, you’re bound to find them. When in nearby, they have stopped to have a coffee with Zagreb, do as any local would do – join the throng friends and catch up on gossip and talk over of people who also have a chance encounter, old times. A huge equestrian statue of Ban (or without prior arrangement or fixed meeting point. viceroy) Josip Jelačić dominates the square. Both Just bear in mind that all streets lead to Ban the Ban and his monument hold important places Josip Jelačić Square. The old clock has served as a in the stormy history of Croatia. beloved meeting point for generations of citizens. At Manduševac Fountain, legend goes hand For many a year, people have been meeting under in hand with reality – a coin thrown into this the clock to discuss politics, football and other wishing well might earn you happiness. 4 5 The parks of Zagreb The central square of Zagreb, Ban Josip Jelačić, is the starting point for the string of urban greenery that curves in the shape of a horseshoe, Lenuzzi’s horseshoe, to be precise, named after the horticulturalist who designed and landscaped it. Starting in the centre of the city, the row of green spaces leads down to the main train station, continuing to the Botanical Gardens and ending with Marulić and Marshal Tito squares. A stroll through the open spaces is a real pleasure and a tonic for the eyes; art lovers will find real gems among the monuments, galleries and museums nestled within the flowers and greenery. 6 7 Zagreb’s time machine 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 Just around the corner from the central square is one of the most romantic places in Zagreb, world of art and artists. You can feel Zrinjevac Park. Your first impression will be of a yourself interacting – don’t you wish you green and floral promenade – this is where art lovers flock in droves. could trade places , even if it’s just for a Your attention is soon drawn to the pretty tiny moment? 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. 8 9 A must see How many times must you have passed In the park, you are surrounded by the busts of through this square without stopping, eminent Croatian personalities, with pride of place going to Bishop Strossmayer’s monument, and how many more times could you still created by the equally famous Croatian sculptor, pass it and remain unaware of its beauty Ivan Meštrović. The palace housing the Gallery of Modern Arts, and everything it has to offer? Yet the temple of Croatian 19th and 20th century art, however beautiful its façades may be, accommodates another precious collection in the Department of Prints and Drawings of the however inviting the park, Strossmayer Croatian Academy of Science and Arts. Square is much more than just a The Strossmayer Gallery, housed in the building of the Croatian Academy of Science and Arts, peaceful space of superficial beauty. 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. 10 11 Another word 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 for welcome legendary landmark which is the epitome of Zagreb’s hospitality industry: the Esplanade Hotel. In your experience, it is quite possible that railway stations are rather gloomy and unattractive places – but Zagreb’s might just make you change your mind. Or at least concede that what you find here is an exception. 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, 12 13 Man and nature A place to take a short break or make a final stop, a place to learn more about nature or find a shaded, seculed spot in which to take out your book and read – the Botanical Gardens are all of this and more. Despite their central location, they exude an atmosphere which is far removed from the hectic rhythm of city life. The Botanical Gardens, with its refurbished symmetrical forms and straight lines more in Garden Pavilion, contains as many as ten keeping with a park of French style. thousand plants from all four corners of the Having crossed the road from the Botanical globe, each of them special, beautiful and Gardens, you find yourself on Marulić Square, interesting in their own way. dominated by a monument to the Croatian One section of the Botanical Gardens has been writer who has given this spot his name. The landscaped in the style of what Croatians area is also adorned by a masterpiece of art- term an English park, that is to say with little deco architecture, the Former National and winding paths and free-standing groups of trees University Library, which is currently housing and shrubs. Another section features the strict the State Archives of Croatia. 14 15 A gift to art lovers At Roosevelt Square sit down for a moment and take in the beauty of a When you embark on the adventure to explore the former lycée, with its floral patterns in treasures of the Mimara Museum, you will become familiar with one of the richest art collections the foreground, another element to add in Europe.