Zagreb, Croatia — Where to Go
Zagreb Tourist Information
Tourist Information Center (TIC)
Trg Bana Jelačića 11
Tel: (01) 481 4051.
Website: www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr
The Tourist Information Center is located on the main square. The helpful staff speak good English and can provide information about accommodation, events and public transport, plus maps.
Key Attractions in Zagreb, Croatia
Trg Bana Jelačića (Ban Jelacic Square)
This large paved piazza has been Zagreb’s main square since Donji Grad came into being in the 19th century. Pedestrian-only (with the exception of trams) it’s a lively public meeting place rimmed by several elegant pastel-colored Secessionist facades and open-air cafes. The centerpiece is a bronze equestrian statue of its namesake, Ban Jelačića (Croatian viceroy under Austro-Hungary).
Katedrala (Cathedral)
There has been a church on this site since the 12th century, but today’s neogothic facade with twin steeples was erected after the 1880 earthquake. Inside, on the north wall, note a 12th-century inscription in Glagolithic script (a predecessor to Cyrillic).
Kaptol 31, Gornji Grad
Tel: (01) 481 4727.
Markov Trg (St Mark’s Square)
Zagreb’s main square until the 19th century is home to the neoclassical Sabor (parliament) and the baroque Banski Dvori (Ban’s Court Palace). The centerpiece is Crkva Svetog Marka (St Mark’s Church), best known for its eccentric red-white-and-blue tiled roof featuring the coats of arms for Zagreb and the Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia, which was added to this 13th-centueryy building in 1880.
Gornji Grad
Meštrović Atelier
Croatia’s best-known 20th-century sculptor, Ivan Meštrović, lived and worked here intermittently during the 1920s. It is now a charming memorial museum, exhibiting a collection of his sculptures and sketches.
Mletačka 8, Gornji Grad
Tel: (01) 485 1123.
Website: www.mdc.hr
Muzej za Umjetnost i Obrt (Museum of Arts and Crafts)
A walk through the history of Croatian design, with furniture, ceramics, silverware, glassware, textiles and clocks displayed in chronological order, from the baroque period up to the industrial age. The building itself dates from 1880.
Trg Maršala Tita 10, Donji Grad
Tel: (01) 488 2111.
Website: www.muo.hr
Further Distractions
Strossmajerov Šetalište (Strossmayer Promenade)
This romantic footpath offers the finest views over Zagreb. The most amusing way to reach it is by funicular (from Tomiceva, just off Ilica), although it is also quite feasible to walk up. Close to the funicular station stands the 13th-century Kula Lotrscak (Lotrscak Tower), from where the city cannon is fired daily at noon.
Maksimir Park
East of the city center, the 18-hectare (45 acre) Maksimir Park dates back to the late 18th century. A vast expanse of lush green lawns and woods, the English-style landscaping includes artificial lakes and romantic follies. There is also a small zoo.
Zagreb Zoo, Maksimirski perivoj bb
Tel: (01) 230 2198.
Website: www.zoo.hr
