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 at No 4.