# Zagreb, capital of Croatia



## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

Zagreb, population of the city proper 798 000, metropolitan area 1 288 000, is the capital and the largest city of Croatia. It is the country's main political, cultural and economical centre, as well as an important transport hub. 
The city is first mentioned by name in 1094, when the Hungarian king Ladislaus made the town a seat of the newly established diocese, but the human settlement in Zagreb's urban area can be traced back to the 1st century AD and the Roman city of Andautonia.
In this thread I shall show you the city in detail, beginning with the oldest part of the city - Upper Town ( _Gornji grad_ )


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

*Upper Town - Gornji grad*

Upper Town, also known as Gradec is the oldest part of the city, located on the Grič hill, just above the city centre. The town of Gradec, or Zagreb, was granted a status of the Royal Free City by the king Bela IV of Hungary in 1242. The king had fleed Hungary in the face of advancing Tatars and Zagreb, with its formidable defences, gave the king a refuge and once the Tatars ceased to be a threat to the kingdom, Bela IV signed the Golden Bull/Charter ( _Zlatna bula_ ) , giving the city a number of privileges as a sign of his gratitude.
The city prospered because of its favourable position on the intersection of vital trading routes, and when the Turks occupied the south of Croatia, Zagreb became a _de facto_ capital of Croatia.

*Radićeva street*

Radićeva ulica 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Radićeva ulica 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Radićeva ulica 3 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Radićeva ulica 4 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Trg braće hrvatskog zmaja by Crash_N, on Flickr

I shall begin the tour of the Upper Town here. The Radićeva street connects the Upper Town with the main city square, the Ban Josip Jelačić square. The street was the main shopping and business venue in the first half of the 19th century and features many fine townhouses built by the affluent merchants and bankars. Today, the street is filled with small bars and souvenir shops. The Square of the Croatian Dragon Brotherhood ( last picture ) marks the northen end of the street, and features the staute of St. George the dragon-slayer.


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## fozzy (Nov 13, 2007)

Beautiful city and great photo's


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

*Stone gate ( Kamenita vrata )*


Kamenita vrata 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Kamenita vrata 5 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Kamenita vrata 4 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Kamenita vrata 3 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Kamenita vrata 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr

The Stone Gate is the last remaining gate of the several that used to allow the travelers to enter the walled Upper Town. The gates are essentially a rectangular tower with two entrances, on the northern and the western side of the gates. The gates were among the few buildings to survive the fire that had broken out in 1760, with the modern structure of the gates dating from that year. The shrine of St. Mary of the Stone Gate is situated in the building and is an important destination of pilgrimage. People come to the shrine and light a candle to pray to St. Mary to help cure their dearest from illnesses. The gates were scheduled for demolition in the early 19th century, but were preserved thanks to the efforts of the Jesuitian order of the Croatian Dragon Brotherhood. The headquarters of the order are situated within the premises of the gate.


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

fozzy said:


> Beautiful city and great photo's


Thanks, and feel free to come over and see Zagreb in person.


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## Linguine (Aug 10, 2009)

Nice pics, Zagreb is a beautiful city indeed...:cheers:


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

*The Jesuit square*


Jezuitski trg 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Jezuitski trg 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Jezuitski trg 3 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Klovićevi dvori by Crash_N, on Flickr


Crkva sv. Katarine 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr

The Jesuits were the first of the major Catholic orders that settled in the city, arriving to Zagreb in 1606. They brought Baroque with them and built a large complex of buildings around modern-day Jesuit and St. Catherine squares. They built a grammar school, a church and the monastery. The monastery, situated on the eastern side of the square, has since been converted into an art gallery and renamed Klovićevi dvori ( Palaces of Klović ), and can be seen on the pictures 3 and 4. The northern side of the St. Catherine's church encloses the Jesuit square on the south.


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## Troopchina (Oct 7, 2005)

very nice :cheers:


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

*St. Catherine's square*


Trg sv. Katarine 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Crkva sv. Katarine 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Gornjogradska Gimnazija by Crash_N, on Flickr


Trg sv. Katarine 3 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Trg sv. Katarine 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Trg sv. Katarine odozgo by Crash_N, on Flickr

The layout of St. Catherine's square for the most part dates back to the arrival of Jesuits. The square is dominated by the beautiful St. Catherine's church on the eastern end of the square. The church was finished in 1632 and is one of the finest Baroque buildings in Croatia. The exterior of the church is elegant in its simplicity, but the lavishly decorated interior is breathtaking. I haven't taken any pictures yet, but hopefully that will be taken care of soon. On the southern side of the square is the complex of the former grammar school that was later granted a status of Academy. The buildings ( picture no. 3 ) are currently housing the 6th Gimnasium.


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## capricorn2000 (Nov 30, 2006)

awesomely charming!


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

*Lotrščak tower and the Zagreb funicular*


Kula Lotrščak 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Kula Lotrščak 3 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Spomen-ploča Zlatnoj buli Bele IV by Crash_N, on Flickr


Gornja postaja uspinjače by Crash_N, on Flickr


Vidikovac na Gornjem gradu by Crash_N, on Flickr


Kula Lotrščak - stepenice by Crash_N, on Flickr


Kula Lotrščak 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Prilaz uspinjači by Crash_N, on Flickr


Uspinjača odozgo by Crash_N, on Flickr

Lotrščak tower ( or Dverce, as it is sometimes called ) is one of the few remaining parts of the old walls and fortifications that once surrounded the Upper Town, and also the most famous one. The tower, dating from the 13th century, is best known for its famous cannon that fires a blank shot every day at noon. Firing the cannon, introduced in 1877, was popularised by the old legend related to the wars with the Turks. In the 16th century the Turkish army had reached the far bank of Sava and the threat of a prolonged siege was a realistic possibility. To protect the city, the Counsil had ordered cannons from Austria. 
According to the legend, when a test-shot was fired from the Lotrščak tower, it landed right in the middle of sultan's tent, blowing his dinner up. The Turks then retreated and the city was saved. 
The Zagreb funicular, installed in 1890 and comissioned in 1893, has the shortest track lenght in the world, and connects the Upper Town with Tomićeva street and, by extension, Ilica, the main shopping street. The funicular is very popular among the natives and the tourists alike. More pics of the funicular next time.


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

*Zagreb skyline*
Pics taken from the obsevatory at the upper funicular station and from the top of the Lotrščak tower.
1.

Zagreb skyline 3 by Crash_N, on Flickr

2.

Donji grad odozgo 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr

3. View down on the Tomićeva street

Zagreb skyline 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr

4. The building with the copper roof is the Croatian National Theatre. Some of the Zagreb's best skyscrapers are visible in the direct background

Zagreb skyline 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr

5. The Flower square in Lower Town visible from the Strossmayer promenade on the Upper Town

Pogled na Cvijetni trg by Crash_N, on Flickr

6. The modern glass building next to the church spire is a modern development on the Flower square

Donji grad odozgo 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr

7. The big green-roofed building is the Zagreb Octogon, a former department store, also on the Flower square

Okotogon odozgo by Crash_N, on Flickr

8. Tomićeva and Ilica streets from the Lotrščak tower

Pogled na Ilicu by Crash_N, on Flickr

9. View of the Ban Josip Jelačić square with the CBD visible in the background

Pogled na Trg bana J. Jelačića  by Crash_N, on Flickr

10. St. Mary's church and the cathedral from the Strossmayer promenade

Katedrala i Sv. Marije by Crash_N, on Flickr

11. Cathedral again, this time from Lotrščak

Pogled na katedralu by Crash_N, on Flickr

12. Western part of the city

Pogled na zapad by Crash_N, on Flickr

13. View of the Šalata hill. The copper-cladded dome on the left is the observatory of the Catholic Classical Gymnasium. On the right side of the picture is St. Francis' church

Pogled na Šalatu by Crash_N, on Flickr

14. Medvednica mountain in the background

Pogled na Medvednicu by Crash_N, on Flickr

15. Four-churches-photo. From left to right: St. Francis' church, St. Catherine's church, St. Stephen's cathedral and St. Mary's church

Crkva sv. Katarine odozgo by Crash_N, on Flickr

16. Streets of Upper Town

Gornji grad by Crash_N, on Flickr


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Beautiful, great photos from Zagreb


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

*Strossmayer Promenade*


Strossmayerovo šetalište 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Strossmayerovo šetalište 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Kip A. G. Matoša by Crash_N, on Flickr

The promenade, named after the Croatian bishop and a Maecenas of many Croatian artists and writers during the 19th century, was layed out in the mid-19th century, and is an oasis of silence and tranquility just a stone throw away from the main city square. The staute of the Croatian poet A.G. Matoš, the key figure of the Croatian impressionism and symbolism, is located in the middle of the promenade.


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

*Saints Cyril and Methodius street*


Ćiriliometodska ulica 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Ćirilometodska ulica 3 by Crash_N, on Flickr


Muzej naivne umjetnosti by Crash_N, on Flickr


Zagreb - Stara gradska vijećnica by Crash_N, on Flickr


Spomen-ploča Nikoli Tesli by Crash_N, on Flickr


Museum of Broken Relationships by Crash_N, on Flickr

The street leads from the Lotrščak tower ( and the former Dverce gates ) to the St. Mark's square to the north. The Museum of the Naive Art ( picture no. 3 ) is situated here, as well as the recently established Museum of Broken Relationships. The Old City Hall is located on the northern end of street, just before St. Mark's square. The sessions of the Zagreb City Council are still held here, even though all of the administrative personell and all the other offices have moved to borough of Trnje, couple of miles to the south.
The fifth picture shows the memorial-inscription to Nikola Tesla's proposition to the City Council in 1892 to build a public electric power plant. The plant wasn't built until 1907.


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

*St. Mark's square*

St. Mark's church

Crkva sv. Marka 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr

Crkva sv. Marka 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr

Crkva sv. Marka 3 by Crash_N, on Flickr

Crkva sv. Marka 4 by Crash_N, on Flickr

Croatian Parliament ( Hrvatski Sabor )

Hrvatski Sabor 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr

Hrvatski Sabor 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr

Sabor RH by Crash_N, on Flickr

_Banski dvori_ ( Duke's palace ) - main government buildings

Trg sv. Marka 1 by Crash_N, on Flickr

Trg sv. Marka 2 by Crash_N, on Flickr

Vlada RH by Crash_N, on Flickr

St. Mark's square, dominated by the church of St. Mark, was the main city square of old Gradec and is now the political centre of Croatia, an equivalent of Whitehall in London or Kremlin in Moscow. The square has held the inagurations of most of the Croatian Dukes ( _ban _in singular ), and all the inagurations of Croatian presidents take place here. The church, dating from the early 13th century, underwent several major reconstructions during its history, the latest one being in late 19th century, after the great earthquake in Zagreb in 1880. The eastern side of the square is dominated by the palace of Croatian Parliament ( Sabor ), built in 1910 to replace the previous buildings that could no longer accomodate the large number of representatives. Former palaces of the Croatian Dukes, built on the western side of the square in 1809, are currently housing the Cabinet of the Croatian government.


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## madridhere (Oct 10, 2005)

woow what a city.

Love those roofs of colours.

I love the statue of the bench too.


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## CF221 (Mar 17, 2009)

BEAUTIFUL CITY! You should all be proud of it... It's the kind of city I wouldn't mind living it.. very cozy, historical, and beautiful.


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## Andre_idol (Aug 6, 2008)

Looks beautiful! Many Portuguese people are choosing Croatia for Summer vacations


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## Crash_N (May 19, 2011)

Thank you all for your comments. 
Next page...


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