Situated at the confluence of East and West Europe, the Croatian capital Zagreb has its arms outstretched, reaching out to modernity, while at the same time grasping firmly its glorious past. Croatia is a “new” country, and like the rest of the country, the capital is slowly discovering its newfound identity.
A Little History
Zagreb’s city profile is dominated by its 2000 year history. Split into two halves, the Gornji Grad (upper half) and the Donji Grad (lower half), visitors will find Zagreb is a tale of two cities. The medieval center of Zagreb lies in Gornji, originally two independent towns – Kaptol and Gradec – these merged together in the 18th century to form Zagreb’s historic northern half. And it’s right here that Zagreb’s most stunning attraction, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with its enormous twin spires that soar up into the sky, has towered above Zagreb for centuries.
Treasures and Culture
Nearby, the Croatian National Theatre, established in the 1840’s and removed to its current beautiful location in 1895, is equally unmistakable. This amazing building is comparable with any of its kind in Europe. In terms of its attractiveness and also the quality of its performances – it has played host to numerous fine artists, including Laurence Olivier and Franz Liszt, to name just a couple.
Indeed, for a city with such a low profile, Zagreb has an incredible number of treasures – take the Mimara Musuem, home to more than 3,700 works of art from high profile masters like Rubens, Caravaggio, Velazquez and Renoir.
Zagreb’s commercial hub lies in the Donji, the lower half, where tourists looking for souvenirs should head to the longest and busiest shopping zone in the city, Ilica Street, home to dozens of boutiques and stores selling everything from local handmade goods to designer gear from the likes of Lacoste and Gaultier.
Zagreb is a city of huge potential – its night life is buzzing, its cuisine superb, with sights so spectacular, and a cultural delight that makes for a great tourism base for all Croation visits. Zagreb is one of those unsung jewels you will never forget.
Main attractions: Zagreb Cathedral, Ban Jelačić Square, nd many others. Mamutica, Ilica Street, the Parliament of Croatia, the Archaeological Museum, Mimara Museum, the Croatian Natural History Museum, the Museum of the City of Zagreb, the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts., the Croatian National Theatre, and scores more.
Currency: Euro
Official language: Croatian
Area: 71 km2 (66 sq mi)
Population: 792,875
Electricity:
- Voltage: 220-240 Volts (U.S./Canada are 110-120 Volts)
- Primary Socket Type: Europlug, Schuko
- Multi-voltage appliances (laptops, etc)
- 110-120V electronics: Plug adapter + step-down transformer
- Hair dryers, curling irons, etc.: Plug adapter + voltage converter
Other places to see & things to do: St. Mark's Church, Burza square, Zagrebačka Avenue, Bundek, the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, Dolac Market, Zagreb Arena, the Botanical garden, and so many more.
Images courtesy: Jaime Silva, Glen Scott, Andy Clymer
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