Zagreb

Zagreb
	Zagreb main city square
	photo: Ban Jelačić Square
General Information
State Capital:	Zagreb
Vehicle Registration:	ZG
Area code:	01
Homepage:	http://zagreb.hr
Coat of Arms
	Coat of Arms Zagreb coat of arms
Map: Zagreb in Croatia
Politics
Mayor and governor	Milan Bandić (SDP)
Governing Party	SDP
Population
Population:	779 145 (2001.) ; '1.1 million - metro area
Population density:	1.216/km²
Geography
Area:	641 km²
Location:	45°48' - 45°49' n. Br. ; 15°57' - 15°58' ö. L.
Dimensions:	North-South: 16.6 km ; East-West: 28.2 km
Highest Point:	1030 m; (Sljeme)
Lowest Point:	120 m;
Map: Zagreb and its Districts
	Districts of Zagreb

Zagreb (pronounced: [ˈzɑː.greb]) is the largest and capital city of Croatia. Zagreb is the cultural, scientific, economic, political and administrative center of the Republic of Croatia with the houses of Parliament, President and Government of the country. The city's population in 2001 was 779,145 ^[1]. (1 088 841 in the metro area)).^[2]. It is situated between the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountains and the northern bank of the Sava river at an elevation of 120m above sea level, located at 45°48′N 15°58′E / 45.800°N 15.967°E / 45.800; 15.967.

Its favourable geographic position in the southwestern part of the Pannonian Basin, which extends to the Alpine, Dinaric, Adriatic and Pannonic regions, provides an excellent connection for traffic between Central Europe and the Adriatic Sea.

The transport connections, concentration of industry, scientific and research institutions and industrial tradition underlie its leading economic position in Croatia. Zagreb is the seat of the central government, administrative bodies and almost all government ministries.

Population

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Zagreb at night, from Sljeme

Zagreb is the largest city in Croatia and the only one whose metropolitan population exceeds one million people. There are 1,088,841 people in the Zagreb metropolitan area, including the smaller cities of Samobor, Velika Gorica and Zaprešić. The official population is 779,145 from 2001. According to the local police department, which bases its information on the number of the applicants who wish to register to vote in Zagreb, the city had a population of 973,667 ^[3]

The majority of its citizens are Croats with 91.94% (2001 census). The same census has a population of 40,066 residents belonging to ethnic minorities. Ethnic minorities and their composition is the following: 18,811 Serbs (2.41%), 6,204 Bosniaks (0.80%), 3,389 Albanians (0.43%), 3,225 Slovenians (0.41%), 2,000 Jews (0.30%) 1,946 Roma (0.25%), 1,131 Montenegrins (0.17%), 1,315 Macedonians (0.17%), and the rest belong to other minor ethnic communities.^[4]

Climate

The climate of Zagreb is continental, with four separate seasons. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are cold. The average temperature in winter is 1°C (34°F ) and the average temperature in summer is 20°C (68°F). The end of May, particularly, gets very warm, with temperatures rising above 30°C (86°F). Snowfall is common in the winter months, from December to March, and rain and fog are common in autumn (October to December).

Statistics

Zagreb	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rainfall (mm)	52	48	56	68	83	95	79	79	79	93	86	67
Rainfall (inches)	2.1	1.9	2.2	2.7	3.3	3.7	3.1	3.1	3.1	3.7	3.4	2.6
Min. Temp (°C)	-3	-3	1	5	9	13	14	14	11	6	2	-1
Max. Temp (°C)	3	5	11	15	20	23	25	25	22	15	8	3
Min. Temp (°F)	25	27	34	41	48	55	58	57	51	43	35	29
Max. Temp (°F)	37	41	52	58	68	74	78	77	71	59	47	38

Origin of name

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Zagreb City Center

The modern name Zagreb was recorded for the first time in the 11th century (1094). It is derived from Croatian in the ditch/depression, probably referring to its geographic location. Perhaps illuminatingly for Anglophones, the older German name (now less common) is Agram, from am Graben, likewise meaning in/on the ditch/depression, German Graben and Croatian grab both being related to English grave.

There exist different legends about how the name of Zagreb came about. One of them says that a Croatian ban (viceroy) was moving with his army through a deserted region and the soldiers were struck by thirst. In his anger, the ban thrust his sabre into the ground and suddenly water began pouring out. He ordered the soldiers to scrape the soil (zagreb in Croatian) in order to get to the water and that is how Zagreb got its name. The verb zagreb in the sense of digging is also believed to have something to do with the name of the city and this is supported by some scientists, as the city lay behind a water-filled hole (graba). There also exists a theory that Zagreb may mean a place behind a hill (za breg), i.e. behind the Sava river's bank, and then the name just changed into Zagreb. This theory is supported by the fact that Sava had once flowed nearer to the centre of the city. At today's Cvjetni trg in the very centre of Zagreb, pieces of what was once a wooden boat have been unearthed. Some scientists believe that the name Zagreb is not of Slavonic origin, just as the name Croat is believed to be not of that origin. However, if the name does derive from Slavonic origins, then possibly the most acceptable explanation is the city za grebom, i.e. "behind the tomb". The tomb could be the one in Drziceva Avenue or some other still not located tomb near Gric or Kaptol.

History

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St. Mark's Church on St. Mark's Square

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Zagreb cathedral by night

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Petar Preradović Square

Early Zagreb

The history of Zagreb dates as far back as 1094 when the Hungarian King Ladislaus founded a diocese. Alongside the bishop's see the canonical settlement Kaptol developed north of the Cathedral, as did the fortified settlement Gradec on the neighbouring hill. Today the latter is Zagreb's Upper Town (Gornji Grad) and is one of the best preserved urban nuclei in Croatia. Both settlements came under Tatar attack in 1242. As a sign of gratitude for offering him a safe haven from the Tatar the Croatian and Hungarian King Bela IV bestowed Gradec with a Golden Bull, which offered its citizens exemption from county rule and autonomy, as well as its own judicial system. According to legend, Bela left Gradec a cannon, under the condition that it be fired every day so that it did not rust. Since 1st January 1877 the cannon is fired from the Lotrščak Tower on Grič to mark midday. The main square of the Gornji Grad is dominated by the Gothic church of St. Mark's. It was built at the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century and a late Baroque bell tower was added later. Fighting ensued between the Zagreb diocese and the free sovereign Town of Gradec for land and mills. Sometimes also for political reasons. The term Zagreb was used for these two separate boroughs in the 16th century. Zagreb was then seen as the political centre and the capital of Croatia and Slavonia. In 1850 the town was united under its first mayor - Josip Kaufman.

17th and 18th century

It was not until the 17th century and Nikola Frankopan that Zagreb was chosen as the seat of the Croatian viceroys in 1621. At the invitation of the Croatian Parliament the Jesuits came to Zagreb and built the first grammar school, the St. Catherine's Church and monastery. In 1669 they founded an academy where philosophy, theology and law were taught. During the 17th and 18th centuries Zagreb was badly devastated by fire and the plague. In 1776 the royal council (government) moved from Varaždin to Zagreb and during the reign of Joseph II Zagreb became the headquarters of the Varaždin and Karlovac general command. In the 19th century Zagreb was he centre of the Croatian National Revival and saw the erection of important cultural and historic institutions.

19th to early 20th century

In the 19th century Zagreb was he centre of the Croatian National Revival and saw the erection of important cultural and historic institutions.

The first railway line to connect Zagreb with Zidani most and Sisak was opened in 1862 and in 1863 Zagreb received a gasworks. The Zagreb waterworks was opened in 1878 and the first horse-drawn tramcar was used in 1891. The construction of the railway lines enabled the old suburbs to merge gradually into Donji Grad, characterized by a regular block pattern that prevails in Central European cities. This bustling core hosts many imposing buildings, monuments, and parks as well as a multitude of museums, theatres and cinemas.An electric power plant was erected in 1907 and development flourished 1880-1914 after the earthquake in Zagreb when the town received the characteristic layout it has today.

Working class quarters emerged between the railway and the Sava, whereas the construction of residential quarters on the hills of the southern slopes of Medvednica was completed between the two World Wars.

1921-1931 the population of Zagreb went up by 70 per cent and it was the largest demographic boom in the history of Zagreb. In 1926 Zagreb had its first radio station in the region and in 1947 saw the first Zagreb Fair.

Modern Zagreb

The area between the railway and the Sava saw much new construction after the Second World War. After the mid-1950s, construction of new residential areas south of the Sava river began, resulting in Novi Zagreb (New Zagreb). The city also expanded westward and eastward, incorporating Dubrava, Podsused, Jarun, and Blato among other settlements.

The cargo railway hub and the international airport Pleso were built south of the Sava river. The largest industrial zone (Žitnjak) in the southeast represents an extension of the industrial zones on the eastern outskirts of the city, between the Sava and Prigorje region.

In 1987 Zagreb hosted the Universiade.

Urbanized lines of settlements connect Zagreb with the centres in its surroundings: Sesvete, Zaprešić, Samobor, Dugo Selo and Velika Gorica. Sesvete is the closest one to become a part of the conurbation and is in fact already included in the City of Zagreb rather than Zagreb county, which excludes the city.

Economy

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Zagreb tallest high-rise Eurotower by night

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Night skyline of Zagreb

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Zagrepčanka

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HOTO Tower on Savska Street

Quality land, favourable transit location and total municipal infrastructure, qualified labour force, scientific, expert, educational, health, financial, banking and other institutions, tradition in performing various services, size and quality of economy present essential potentials in Zagreb developing strategy.

Most important branches of industry are: production of electric machines and devices, chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, food and drink processing, tobacco production and processing. Zagreb is important international trade and business center, and transports crossroad of Central and East Europe.

The city also has a notable services sector, including finance, tourism, and trade.

It had a remarkable per capita GDP of 23,730 USD in 2004 (the EU average was 28,114 USD). However, average income and prices are still somewhat lower than in Western Europe.

In 2005 the average unemployment rate in Zagreb was around 8%, half of the national average.

Zagreb, being a relatively large city situated on the fastest route that connects Central with Southeastern Europe, has great potential for investment and development.

High-rise buildings

There are many future and present high-rise construction projects in the city of Zagreb. The most recent constructions are:

Almeria Tower (near completion)
Center Črnomerec
Neboder (under reconstruction)
Zagrebtower (near completion) and many more

Metropolitan administration

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Croatian National Bank (HNB)

City of Zagreb, as the capital of Croatia, has special status regulated in the Constitution. It says that Zagreb performs self-governing public affairs of the City and the County.

City Administration bodies: City Assembly as representative body, Mayor and City Government as executive body.

Members of the City Assembly are elected on direct elections. Members of the City Assembly elect the Mayor and members of the City Government by majority vote.

City Government has 11 members elected on Mayor’s proposal by the City Assembly by majority vote. Mayor is the head of City Government. Mayor has two deputies.

Organization of city administrative bodies is composed of 12 City Offices, 3 City Bureaus and 3 City Services. They are responsible to the Mayor and the City Government.

Local self-government is organized in 17 City Districts represented by City Districts Councils. Residents of districts elect members of Councils.

City government

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Ilica Street by night

The current Mayor of Zagreb is Milan Bandić (SDP).

The City Assembly is composed of 51 representatives, presided by Tatjana Holjevac (ind. rep.), coming from the following political parties:

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River Sava sunset skyline

Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) 19
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) 7
Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) 6
Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats (HNS) 4
Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU) 3
Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) 3
Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) 1
Democratic Centre (DC) 1
Independent 7

Based on the results of elections held in 2005.

City districts

The major city districts ("gradske četvrti" in Croatian):

No.	District	Translation	Area (km²)	Population (2001)	Neighborhoods
1.	Donji Grad	Lower City	3,016	45.108
2.	Gornji Grad - Medveščak	Upper City - Medveščak	10,125	36.384	"August Cesarec", Gornji grad, Gupčeva zvijezda, "Ivan Kukuljević Sakcinski", Kraljevac, Medveščak, Nova Ves, Petrova, Ribnjak, "Stjepan Radić", Šalata, Tuškanac, Voćarska
3.	Trnje		7,365	45.267	Cvjetnica, Cvjetno naselje, Kanal, Marin Držić, Martinovka, Staro Trnje, Trnjanska Savica, Sigečica and Vrbik
4.	Maksimir		14,349	49.750	Bukovac, "Dinko Šimunović", Dobri dol, Dotrščina, "Eugen Kvaternik", Kozjak, Maksimir, Maksimirska naselja, Mašićeva, Remetem, Ružmarinka
5.	Peščenica - Žitnjak		35,295	58.283	Peščenica: Stara Peščenica, Donje Svetice, Folnegovićevo naselje, Borongaj, Volovčica, Ferenščica Žitnjak: Kozari Bok, Kozari putevi, Ivanja Reka, Vukomerec
6.	Novi Zagreb-istok	New Zagreb-East	16,544	65.301	Dugave, Hrelić, Jakuševec, Sloboština, Sopot, Središće, Travno, Utrine, Zapruđe, Buzin, Veliko Polje
7.	Novi Zagreb-zapad	New Zagreb-West	62,594	48.981	Kajzerica, Lučko, Hrašće, Hrvatski Leskovac, Remetinec, Botinec, Lanište, Savski gaj, Siget, Sveta Klara and Trnsko.
8.	Trešnjevka-sjever	Trešnjevka-North	5,828	55.358	"Antun Mihanović", Ciglenica, "Dr. Ante Starčević", Ljubljanica, "Nikola Tesla", Pongračevo, Rudeš, Samoborček, "Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević", Stara Trešnjevka
9.	Trešnjevka-jug	Trešnjevka-South	9,836	67.162	Horvati-Srednjaci, Gajevo, Jarun, Knežija, Prečko, Vrbani
10.	Črnomerec		24,327	38.762	"Ban Keglević", "Bartol Kašić", Gornja Kustošija, Kustošija centar, Jelenovac, Medvedgrad, Sveti Duh, Šestinski dol-Vrhovec
11.	Gornja Dubrava	Upper Dubrava	40,277	61.388	Branovec-Jalševec, Čučerje, Dankovec, Dubec, Dubrava-Središte, Gornja Dubrava, Granešina, Granešinski Novaki, Klaka, Miroševec, Novoselec, Oporovec, Poljanice, Stari Retkovec, Studentski grad, Trnovčica, Zeleni brijeg
12.	Donja Dubrava	Lower Dubrava	10,823	35.944	Čulinec, Donja Dubrava, "Ivan Mažuranić", Novi Retkovec, Resnički Gaj, Poljanice, Stari Retkovec, "30. svibnja 1990.", Trnava
13.	Stenjevec		12,180	41.257	Gajnice, Malešnica, "Matija Gubec", Stenjevec, Špansko, Vrapče-jug
14.	Podsused - Vrapče		36,049	42.360	Gornji Stenjevec, Gornje Vrapče, Perjavica-Borčec, Podsused, Vrapče-centar, Gajnice, Stenjevec
15.	Podsljeme		60,116	17.744	Šestine, Gračani and Markuševec
16.	Sesvete		165,238	59.212	At least 42 villages
17.	Brezovica		127,390	10.884	At least 12 villages

Transport

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Donji Grad Skyline

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Central railway station on King Tomislav Square

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City bus station

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Zagrebačka Avenue

There are three main transit connections:

the western, towards Ljubljana, Slovenia and on to Western Europe;

the eastern, towards Slavonia and on to Southeastern Europe and the Near East; and

the southern, towards Rijeka, Croatia's biggest port in the Kvarner bay and Split in Dalmatia, the second largest Croatian city and also an important port.

A motorway tunnel going through the Medvednica Mountains is in the planning stages and will become Zagreb's main northern transit connection.

The railway running along the Sutla river and the Zagorje main road (Zagreb - Maribor - Vienna), as well as traffic connections with the Pannonian region and Hungary (the Zagorje railroad, the roads and railway to Varaždin - Čakovec and Koprivnica) are linked with truck routes.

The southern railway connection to Split operates on a line via the Lika region (renovated in 2004 to allow for a five-hour journey); a faster line along the Una river valley is currently in use only up to the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The railway and the motorway (A3) along the Sava river that runs to Slavonia ( towards Slavonski Brod, Vinkovci, Osijek and Vukovar ) and further to Belgrade are some of the busiest traffic corridors in the country.

Road

The city has a well developed road network with several main arteries up to six lanes wide and a full-profile expressway encircling most of the city. There is some congestion in the city centre and parking is also a problem. This is somewhat alleviated by the construction of new underground multi-story car-parks (Importanne Centre, Importanne Gallery, Langov square, Tuškanac, Kvaternikov square, Klaićeva street and many more).

Two completely new bridges across the river Sava are planned in 2008: Jarun bridge and Bundek bridge (which will probably be renamed to bridge of John Paul II).

Public transportation

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ZET low floor tram at night

Public transportation in the city is organized in two layers: the inner parts of the city are mostly covered by trams and the outer suburbs are linked with buses. The public transportation company, ZET (Zagrebački Električni Tramvaj, Zagreb Electric Tram), is subsidised by the city council.

Currently there is an ambitious programme underway to replace old trams with the new and modern ones built mostly in Zagreb by companies Končar elektroindustrija and, to a lesser extent, by TŽV Gredelj. 70 trams have been purchased, with the final tram expected to be delivered by December 2007, and a deal securing an additional 100 trams is forthcoming.

The funicular Uspinjaca in the historic part of the city is a tourist attraction. Taxis are readily available, but are comparatively expensive. In recent years, the state rail operator HŽ (Hrvatske željeznice, Croatian Railways) has been developing a network of suburban trains in metropolitan Zagreb area. As of 2004, east-west railway connections have been updated.

Metro

A metro system is in the planning stages. Currently, the system is envisioned with five lines; three running west-east, and two running north-south. All lines would go underground in the city centre. The first line is expected to be operational by 2012. The new revised plans also include construction of a Maglev light rail system,with a single line running from the new airport terminal to the city center (Ban Jelačić Square), with a planned opening date of around 2015. The partner in the implementation of the system will be AMT (American Maglev Technology). The same system is planned for the Croatian city of Rijeka.

Air traffic

Zagreb International Airport "Pleso" is located 14 km south of the city of Zagreb. It currently handles 1.8 million passengers a year with 10% annual passenger growth. A new terminal is planned for 2011, with construction beginning in 2008.

Culture

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Zagreb City Library

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Croatian National and University Library (NSB)

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Art Pavilion on King Tomislav Square

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The Regent Esplanade Hotel

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Zagreb University

University

The University of Zagreb (1669) is the oldest and biggest university in South-Eastern Europe. Ever since its foundation, the University has been continually growing and developing and now consits of 29 faculties, three art academies and the Centre for Croatian Studies. With its comprehensive programmes and over 50,000 full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students the University is the strongest teaching institution in Croatia. It offers a wide range of academic degree courses leading to Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees in the following fields: Arts, Biomedicine, Biotechnology, Engineering, Humanities, Natural and Social Sciences. it is also a strongly research-oriented institution, contributing with over 50 percent to the total research output of the country.

Museums

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Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU)

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Mimara museum at night

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Croatian National Theatre (HNK) at night

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Vatroslav Lisinski Concert hall

Zagreb's numerous museums reflect the history, art and culture not only of Zagreb and Croatia, but also of Europe and the world. Around thirty collections in museums and galleries comprise more than 3.6 million various exhibits, excluding church and private collections.

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Archeological Mueseum

The Archaeological Museum (19 Nikola Šubić Zrinski Square) possesses over 400,000 objects, not all of them exhibited. These holdings include evidence of Croatian presence in the area as well as rare samples which have made the museum world renowned. The most famous are the Egyptian collection, the Zagreb mummy and bandages with the oldest Etruscan inscription in the world (Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis), as well as the numismatic collection. A part of the museum is set aside for the collection of stone monuments dating back predominantly to the Roman period.

The Croatian Museum of Natural Sciences (1 Demetrova Street) holds the world's most extensive collection of Neanderthal remains found at one site - the remains, stone weapons and tools of prehistoric Krapina man. The Technical Museum (18 Savska Street) maintains the oldest preserved machine in the area, dating from 1830, which still operates. Also there are some operational Tesla inventions, a few old aircraft, and a real underground mine. Valuable historical collections are found in the Croatian Historical Museum, the Museum of the City of Zagreb, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Ethnographic Museum, the Croatian School Museum, the Croatian Hunting Museum, the Croatian Sports Museum, the Croatian Post and Telecommunications Museum, the HAZU (Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts) Glyptotheque (collection of monuments), and the HAZU Graphics Cabinet.

Many visitors find the Mimara Museum (5 Roosevelt Square), housing the donation by Wiltrud and Ante Topić Mimara, very attractive. Of the total of 3,700 varied works of art, more than 1,500 exhibits constitute permanent holdings, dating from the prehistoric period up to the 20th century. The HAZU Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters (11 Zrinski Square) offers permanent holdings presenting European paintings from the 14th to 19th centuries, and the Ivan Meštrović Studio, (8 Mletačka Street) with sculptures, drawings, lithography portfolios and other items, was a donation of this great artist to his homeland.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (2 Catherine's Square) follows and presents contemporary trends in fine arts. The Museum and Gallery Centre (4 Jesuit Square) introduces on various occasions the Croatian and foreign cultural and artistic heritage. The Art Pavilion (22 King Tomislav Square) by Viennese architects Hellmer and Fellmer who were the most famous designers of theatres in Central Europe is a neo-classical exhibition complex and one of the landmarks of the city centre. The exhibitions are also held in the impressive Meštrović building on Hrvatskih Velikana Square — the Home of Croatian Fine Artists. The Museum of Naïve Art (3 Ćirilo metodska Street) houses more than one thousand works by a hundred and odd authors of Croatian naïve art. The World Centre "Wonder of Croatian Naïve Art" (12 Ban Jelačić Square) exhibits masterpieces of Croatian naïve art as well as the works of a new generation of artists. The Modern Gallery (1 Hebrangova Street) comprises all relevant fine artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Other cultural sites and events

The city offers rich cultural and artistic enjoyment. There are about 20 permanent or seasonal theatres and stages. The Croatian National Theatre, built in 1895, is the most impressive building among them. The most renowned concert hall is named "Vatroslav Lisinski", after the composer of the first Croatian opera. It was built in 1973 and is visited by 760,000 people each year. The great hall has 1847 seats over 2,360 m², while the smaller one can seat 304 people on 360 m².

Zagreb hosts many domestic and international events. Animafest, the World Festival of Animated Films, takes place every even-numbered year, and the Music Bienniale, the international festival of avant-garde music, every odd-numbered year. The Festival of the Zagreb Philharmonic and the famous flowers exhibition Floraart (end of May or beginning of June), the Old-timer Rally, the Week of Contemporary Dance, as well as Eurokaz, the international festival of contemporary theatre (in June) represent annual events. In the summer, theatre performances and concerts, mostly in the Upper Town, are organized either indoors or outdoors. The stage on Opatovina hosts the Zagreb Histrionic Summer.

Zagreb is also the host of Zagrebfest, the oldest Croatian pop-music festival, as well as of several traditional international sports events and tournaments. The Day of the City of Zagreb on the (16th of November) is celebrated every year with special festivities, especially on the Jarun lake near the southwestern part of the city. Entertainment can be found in many discotheques, night clubs, and casinos.

On Mount Sljeme there is also the 169 m TV Tower with a restaurant planned for the 75 m high pod.

Surroundings

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Medvednica forest

The wider Zagreb area has been continuously inhabited since the prehistoric period, witnessed by the archaeological findings in the Veternica cave from the Paleolithic and the excavation of the remains of the destroyed Roman town of Andautonia near the present village of Ščitarjevo.

The picturesque former villages on the slopes of Medvednica, Šestine, Gračani and Remete, maintain their rich traditions, including folk costumes, Šestine umbrellas, and gingerbread products.

The Medvednica Mountain (Zagrebačka gora), with its highest peak Sljeme (1,033 m), provides a panoramic view of metropolitan Zagreb, the Sava and the Kupa valleys, and the region of Hrvatsko Zagorje. In mid-January 2005, Sljeme held its first World Ski Championship tournament.

From the summit, weather permitting, the vista reaches as far as Velebit Range along Croatia's rocky northern coast, as well as the snow-capped peaks of the towering Julian Alps in neighbouring Slovenia. There are several lodging villages, offering accommodation and restaurants for hikers. Skiers visit Sljeme, which has four ski-runs, three ski-lifts and a chairlift.

Old Medvedgrad, the recently restored medieval burg built in the 13th century, represents a special attraction of Medvednica hill. It overlooks the western part of the city and also has the Shrine of the Homeland, a memorial with an eternal flame, where Croatia pays reverence to all its heroes fallen for homeland in its history, customarily on national holidays.

Travel agencies organize guided excursions to the surroundings as well as sightseeing in Zagreb itself.

Tourism

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Sheraton Zagreb Hotel

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Hotel Antunović by night

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Ban Jelačić Square at night

Zagreb is an important tourist centre, not only in terms of passengers travelling from Western and Central Europe to the Adriatic Sea, but also as a travel destination itself. Since the end of the war, it has attracted around half a million visitors annually, mainly from Austria, Germany and Italy. However, the city has greater even potential as many tourists that visit Croatia skip Zagreb in order to visit the beaches along the Croatian Adriatic coast and old historic Renaissance cities such as Dubrovnik, Split, and Zadar.

Zagreb celebrated its 900th birthday in 1994 not only as a city with numerous cultural and historical monuments, museums and galleries, but also as a vibrant destination with a variety of modern shops, quality restaurants and sports/recreational facilities. It is a major centre of congress tourism, hosting a number of business events and trade fairs that are amongst those of the longest tradition in Europe. Being an important junction point, Zagreb has road, air, railway and bus connections with other European metropolises and all bigger cities and tourist resorts in Croatia.

The historical part of the city to the north of Ban Jelačić Square is comprised of the Upper Town and Kaptol, a medieval urban complex of churches, palaces, museums, galleries and government buildings that are exceptionally popular with tourists on sightseeing tours. The old town's streets and squares can be reached on foot, starting from Jelačić Square, the central part and the heart of Zagreb, or by a funicular on nearby Tomićeva Street. Tkalčićeva ulica is a winding street in the old town that features many very popular cafés and is a popular place for people-watching, particularly among the younger generations.

Souvenirs and gastronomy

Numerous shops, boutiques, store houses and shopping centres offer a variety of quality clothing. Zagreb's offerings include crystal, china and ceramics, wicker or straw baskets, and top-quality Croatian wines and gastronomic products.

Zagreb souvenirs:

the tie or cravat, an accessory named after Croats who wore characteristic scarves around their necks in the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century
the ball-point pen, a tool developed from the inventions by Slavoljub Eduard Penkala, who was a citizen of Zagreb

Many Zagreb restaurants offer various specialities of national and international cuisine. Domestic products which deserve to be tasted include turkey, duck or goose with mlinci (a kind of pasta), štrukli (cottage cheese strudel), sir i vrhnje (cottage cheese with cream), kremšnite (custard slices in flaky pastry), and orahnjača (traditional nut roll).

As Zagreb is relatively close to the sea, restaurants offer fresh seafood. There are many fast-food restaurants and stands in Zagreb, so those who prefer this type of food will not be disappointed.

Recreation and sports

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Marshal Tito Square by night

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Bundek lake

A look at the Zrinjevac park near the city centre

There are several sports and recreational centres in Zagreb. Recreational Sports Centre Jarun, situated on Lake Jarun to the southwest of the city, has fine shingle beaches, a world-class regatta course, a jogging lane around the lake, several restaurants, many night clubs and a discotheque. Its sports and recreation opportunities include swimming, sunbathing, waterskiing, angling and other water sports, but also beach volleyball, football, basketball, handball, table tennis, and miniature golf.

Dom Sportova (Home of sports) features six halls. The largest two can accommodate 4,000 and 12,000 people. This center is used for basketball, handball, volleyball, hockey, gymnastics, tennis, and many others. It is also used for concerts.

The Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall seats 5,400. Alongside it is the 94 m glass Cibona Tower.

Sports Park Mladost, situated along the embankment of the Sava river, has an Olympic-size swimming pool, smaller indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sunbathing terrace, 16 tennis courts as well as basketball, volleyball, handball, football and field hockey courts. A volleyball sports hall is within the park. Sports and Recreational Centre Šalata, only a couple hundred metres from the city centre, is most attractive for tennis players. It comprises a big tennis court and eight smaller ones, two of which are covered by the so-called "balloon", and another two equipped with lights. The Centre also has swimming pools, basketball courts, football fields, a gym and fitness centre, and a four-lane bowling alley. Outdoor ice skating is a popular winter recreation at Šalata. There are also several fine restaurants within and near the Centre.

Tennis Centre Maksimir, in the part of the city called Ravnice to the east of the centre, consists of two sports blocks. The first comprises a tennis centre situated in a large tennis hall with four courts. There are 22 outdoor tennis courts with lights. The other block offers multipurpose sports facilities: apart from tennis courts, there are handball, basketball, indoor football grounds, as well as track and field facilities, a bocci ball alley and table tennis opportunities.

Recreational swimmers can enjoy a smaller-size indoor swimming pool in Daničićeva Street, and a newly opened indoor olympic-sized pool at Utrine sports centre in Novi Zagreb. Skaters can skate in the skating rink on Trg Sportova (Sports Square) and on the lake Jarun Skaters' park. Hippodrome Zagreb offers recreational horseback riding opportunities, while horse races are held every weekend during the warmer part of the year.

The 40,000 seat Maksimir Stadium, currently under renovation, is located in the eastern part of the city. When completed, it will seat 55,000 spectators, and sport a fully retractable roof. It will finally serve Zagreb somewhat more appropriately. The stadium is part of the immense Svetice recreational and sports complex, south of the heavily wooded Maksimir Park. The complex covers an area of 276,440 m² just outside the built-up urban space that forms the city's eastern boundary. It is part of a significant Green Zone, which passes from Medvednica Mountains in the north towards the south. SRC Svetice, together with Maksimir Park, creates an ideal connection of areas which are assigned to sport, recreation and leisure.

The latest larger recreational facility is Bundek, a group of two small lakes near the Sava in Novi Zagreb, surrounded by a partly forested park. The location had been used prior to the 1970s, but then went to neglect until 2006 when it was renovated.

There is a number of smaller sports centres and playgrounds as well as gyms and fitness centres throughout the city.