Sights in Zagreb
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Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Kaptol is dominated by the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, formerly known as St Stephen's, whose twin spires soar over the city. Built on the site of an earlier Romanesque cathedral, which had been destroyed by the Tartar invasion in 1242, construction of this cathedral began in the second half of the 13th century following the prototype of the church of St Urban in Troyes, France.
Although the cathedral's original Gothic structure has been transformed many times over, the sacristy still contains a cycle of frescoes that date from the second half of the 13th century.
As the furthest outpost of Christianity in the 15th century, the cathedral was surr…
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Museum Mimara
Housed in a neo-Renaissance former school building (1883), the Museum Mimara displays a diverse collection showing the loving hand of Ante Topić Mimara, a private collector who donated over 3750 priceless objects to his native Zagreb, even though he spent much of his life in Salzburg, Austria.
The collection spans a wide range of periods and regions. There is an archaeological collection with 200 items from Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Greece, Rome and early-medieval Europe; exhibits of ancient Far Eastern artworks; a glass, textile and furniture collection that spans centuries; and 1000 European art objects.
In painting, Italian artists Raphael, Veronese, Caravaggio and C…
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Mirogoj
A 10-minute ride north of the city centre on bus 106 from the cathedral takes you to Mirogoj at the base of Mt Medvednica - it's one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Europe. One wag commented that the people here are better housed in death than they ever were in life.
The cemetery was designed in 1876 by one of Croatia's finest architects Herman Bollé, who also created numerous buildings around Zagreb. In Mirogoj he built a majestic arcade topped by a string of cupolas, which looks like a fortress from the outside but is calm and graceful on the inside. The cemetery is lush and green and the paths are interspersed with sculpture and artfully designed tombs. Highlights …
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Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters
The Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters is a fine art museum exhibiting the collection donated to the city by the illustrious Bishop Strossmayer in 1884. The original collection was extended by subsequent donations from private collectors.
Housed on the 2nd floor of the 19th-century neo-Renaissance Croatian Academy of Arts & Sciences, the museum includes Italian masters from the 14th to 18th centuries such as G Bellini, Veronese and Tiepolo; Dutch and Flemish painters such as J Brueghel the Younger; and French artists Proudhon and Carpeaux; as well as classic Croatian artists Medulić and Benković. The interior courtyard contains the Baška Slab (Bašćanska Ploča), a stone ta…
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Lotrščak Tower
The Lotrščak Tower was built in the middle of the 13th century in order to protect the southern city gate. For the last hundred years a cannon has been fired every day at noon commemorating an event from Zagreb's history.
According to legend, a cannon was fired at noon one day at the Turks camped across the Sava River. On its way across the river, the cannonball happened to hit a rooster. The rooster was blown to bits and, the story goes, that's why the Turks became so demoralised they failed to attack the city. A less fanciful explanation is that the cannon shot allows churches to synchronise their clocks. The tower may be climbed for a sweeping 360-degree view of the …
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Medvedgrad
The medieval fortress of Medvedgrad, on the southern side of Mt Medvednica just above Zagreb, is the most important medieval monument in Zagreb. Built from 1249 to 1254, it was erected to protect the city from Tartar invasions and is itself well protected by high rocks. The fortress was owned by a succession of aristocratic families but fell into ruin as a result of an earthquake and general neglect.
Restoration began in 1979, but was pursued with greater enthusiasm in 1993 and 1994 when the country was looking to honour monuments from its past. Today you can see the rebuilt thick walls and towers, a small chapel with frescoes and the Shrine of the Homeland, which pays ho…
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Trg Josip Jelačića
Zagreb's main orientation point and the spiritual if not the geographic heart of the city is Trg Josip Jelačića. Ban Jelačić was the 19th-century ban (viceroy or governor) who led Croatian troops into an unsuccessful battle with Hungary in the hope of winning more autonomy for his people. The statue of Jelačić in the centre stood in the square from 1866 until 1947, when Tito ordered its removal because it was too closely linked with Croatian nationalism.
One of the first acts of the new government in 1990 was to dig the statue out of storage and return it to the square. Most of the buildings date from the 19th century but note the reliefs by sculptor Ivan Meštrović …
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St Mark's Church
One of Zagreb's most emblematic buildings is the colourful St Mark's Church, with its unique tiled roof constructed in 1880. The tiles on the left side depict the medieval coat of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia, while the emblem of Zagreb is on the right side. The 13th-century church was named for the annual St Mark's fair, which was held in Gradec at the time, and it retains a 13th-century Romanesque window on the southern side.
The Gothic portal composed of 15 figures in shallow niches was sculpted in the 14th century. The present bell tower replaces an earlier one that was destroyed by an earthquake in 1502. The interior contains sculptures by Meštrović.
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Ethnographic Museum
The Ethnographic Museum is worth a visit. Housed in a domed building dating from 1903, the museum contains some 70,000 items cataloguing the ethnographic heritage of Croatia. Only about 2750 exhibits are on display, including ceramics, jewellery, musical instruments, tools and weapons, as well as Croatian folk costumes, gold-embroidered scarves from Slavonia and lace from the island of Pag.
Thanks to donations from the Croatian explorers Mirko and Stevo Seljan, there are also exhibits from South America, the Congo, Ethiopia, China, Japan, New Guinea and Australia.
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Stone Gate
Don't miss the Stone Gate - the eastern gate to medieval Gradec Town (Gornji Gradec), now a shrine. According to legend, a great fire in 1731 destroyed every part of the wooden gate except for the painting of the Virgin and Child by an unknown 17th-century artist. People believe that the painting possesses magical powers and come regularly to pray before it and leave flowers.
On the western façade of the Stone Gate you'll see a statue of Dora, the heroine of an 18th-century historical novel who lived with her father next to the Stone Gate.
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Jarun Lake
Jarun Lake is a popular getaway for residents any time of year but especially in the summer when the clear waters are ideal for swimming. Although part of the lake is marked off for boating competitions, there is more than enough space to enjoy a leisurely swim.
Take tram 5 or 17 to Jarun and follow signs to the jezero (lake). When you come to the lake you can head left to Malo Jezero for swimming and canoe or pedal-boat rental, or right to Veliko Jezero, where there's a pebble beach and windsurfing.
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Maksimir Park
Maksimir Park is a peaceful wooded enclave covering 18 hectares; it is easily accessible by trams 4, 7, 11 and 12. Opened to the public in 1794, it was the first public promenade in southeastern Europe and is landscaped like an English garden-style park with alleys, lawns and artificial lakes. The most photographed structure in the park is the exquisite Bellevue Pavilion, which was constructed in 1843, but there is also the Echo Pavilion and a house built to resemble a rustic Swiss cottage.
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Meštrović Atelier
Highly interesting for its insights into Croatia's most recognised artist is Meštrović Atelier. From 1922 to 1942, Meštrović lived and worked in this 17th-century house, which now presents an excellent collection of some 100 sculptures, drawings, lithographs and furniture from the first four decades of his artistic life. The museum reflects the artist's preoccupations with philosophical and religious themes as well as nudes, portraits and self-portraits.
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Banski Dvori
Banski Dvori (Ban's Palace) was once the seat of Croatian viceroys and is now the presidential palace. The building is composed of two baroque mansions and houses courts, archives and other government offices. In October 1991 the palace was bombed by the federal army, in what some believe to have been an assassination attempt on President Franjo Tudjman. From April to September there is a guard-changing ceremony every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at noon.
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City Museum
Don't miss the City Museum in the 17th-century Convent of St Clair, which is built along the eastern wall of the town. Since 1907 the convent has housed a historical museum presenting the history of Zagreb in documents, artwork and crafts, plus interactive exhibits that fascinate kids. Most interesting is a scale model of old Gradec. Summaries of the exhibits are posted in English and German in each room and evocative music accompanies your visit.
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Arts & Crafts Museum
The Arts & Crafts Museum was built between 1882 and 1892. The museum exhibits furniture, textiles, metal, ceramic and glass dating from the Middle Ages to contemporary times. You can see Gothic and baroque sculptures from northern Croatia as well as paintings, prints, bells, stoves, rings, clocks, bound books, toys, photos and industrial designs. The museum also contains an important library and there are frequent temporary exhibitions.
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Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum displays artefacts from prehistoric to medieval times, including Egyptian mummies, with ambient sounds and light to provoke pondering. The coin collection is one of the most important in Europe, containing some 260,000 coins, medals, medallions and decorations. The courtyard has a collection of Roman monuments dating from the 5th to 4th century BC and functions as an open-air café in summer.
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Galerija Klovićevi Dvori
The Galerija Klovićevi Dvori is housed in a former Jesuit monastery and is the city's most prestigious space for exhibiting modern Croatian and international art, which is presented in a series of changing exhibitions. Some of the more noted exhibitions have included Picasso and The Hague School. By the way, if you're looking for an unusual, arty souvenir, try the gallery's gift shop.
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Muzej Grada Zagreba
The City Museum is housed in the 17th-century Convent of St Clair along the eastern wall of the town. Since 1907 it has housed a historical museum presenting the history of Zagreb in documents, artwork and crafts plus interactive exhibits that fascinate kids. Most interesting is a scale model of Gradec. Summaries of the exhibits are posted in English.
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Jesuit Church of St Catherine
The fine baroque Jesuit Church of St Catherine was built between 1620 and 1632. Although battered by fire and earthquake, the façade still gleams and the interior contains a fine altar dating from 1762. The interior stucco work dates from 1720 and there are 18th-century medallions depicting the life of St Catherine on the ceiling of the nave.
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Croatian Artists' Centre
The Croatian Artists' Centre is one of the few architectural works by Ivan Meštrović. The centre was built as an exhibition pavilion and then transformed into a mosque before finally becoming a showplace for contemporary Croatian artists. It may be slightly out of the way but the unusual architecture makes it worth the walk.
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Sabor
The eastern side of Markov trg is taken up by the Croatian Sabor, built in 1910 on the site of baroque 17th- and 18th-century townhouses. The neoclassical style seems incongruous here but the secession of Croatia from the Austro-Hungarian Empire was proclaimed from its balcony in 1918 and it is still the centre of Croatian politics.
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Croatian Museum of Naïve Art
There are over 1000 works, mainly paintings and drawings, at the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art. The most important artists in Croatia's long tradition of naïve art, including Generalić, Mraz, Virius and Smaljić are represented here, as well as international artists working in the same style.
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Croatian Natural History Museum
Try to fit in a visit to the Croatian Natural History Museum, which houses a collection of prehistoric tools and bones excavated from the Krapina cave as well as exhibits showing the evolution of animal and plant life in Croatia. Temporary exhibits often focus on specific regions, such as the island of Mljet.
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Gallery of Modern Art
The Gallery of Modern Art has, after a long renovation, finally opened with a glorious display of Croatian artists of the last 200 years including such 19th- and 20th-century Croatian masters as Bukovac, Mihanović and Račić. It's an excellent overview of the vibrant Croatian arts scene.
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