Zagreb - Croatia

Zagreb (pronounced: ['za..greb]) is the capital city of Croatia. The city's population was 973.667 in 2005. It is situated between the southern slopes of Medvednica mountain and the northern bank of the Sava river, it is 120 m above sea level, located at 45°48'N 15°58'E. 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 traffic position, concentration of industry, scientific and research institutions and industrial tradition underlie its leading economic position. Zagreb seats central state administrative bodies and almost all government ministries.

Population Zagreb is the largest city in Croatia and the only one whose metropolitan area exceeds one million people. There are 1,088,841 people in the Zagreb metropolitan area, which includes the smaller cities of Samobor, Velika Gorica and Zaprešic. The official population is 779,145 from 2001. According to preliminary police department data, Zagreb had 973.667 in the city, and over 1.2 million in metro. This is due to the large amount of people moving in from the rural areas and other cities in Croatia. In 2005 alone, Zagreb received over 80.000 new residents. 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%), 1,946 Roma (0.25%), 1,131 Montenegrins (0.17%), 1,315 Macedonians (0.17%), and the rest belong to other minor ethnic communities.

Name 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. See also: Names of European cities in different languages There exist different legends about how the name of Zagreb came about. One of them says that a Croatian ban (head of a region - Vice-Roy) 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 all of a sudden water started 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 were found very deep down. Some scientists believe that the name Zagreb is not of Slavonic origin, just as the name Croat is not of that origin. They believe that Croats have an Iranian background. 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 Street or some other still not located tomb near Gric or Kaptol.

History While the human habitats were present at the wider city area since the Neolithic (including the well-preserved Roman town of Andautonia), it was in 1094 that the Hungarian King Ladislaus founded a bishopric on the Kaptol hill. An independent secular community developed on a neighbouring hill Gradec (Gric). The settlements suffered greatly under the Mongol invasion of 1242, but when they abruptly left, King Bela IV declared Gradec a royal autonomous city in order to attract foreign artisans. During the 14th and 15th centuries, the two communities actively tried to best each other - economically and politically. The bishopric would excommunicate Gradec which might respond by burning Kaptol. They only worked together for the occasional large commercial venture - such as the three yearly fairs each lasting two weeks. These two mediaeval hills, Gradec and Kaptol, finally merged into one community, Zagreb, in the early 17th century. They now form the cultural centre of the modern city (the economic and traffic centre has shifted southwards since). The bishopric of Kaptol has since become the Archbishopric of Zagreb. The construction of the railway embankment (1860) enabled the old suburbs to merge gradually into Donji Grad which is 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. 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. The area between the railway and the Sava saw much new construction after the Second World War. After the mid-1950s the construction of new residential areas south of the Sava river was begun resulting in the so-called Novi Zagreb (New Zagreb). The city also expanded towards the west and the east incorporating Dubrava, Podsused, Jarun, Blato etc. The cargo railway hub and the international airport Pleso were built south of the Sava river. The biggest industrial zone (Žitnjak) in the southeast represents an extension of the industrial zones on the eastern outskirts of the city, between the Sava and the Prigorje region. Urbanized lines of settlements connect Zagreb with the centres in its surroundings: Sesvete, Zaprešic, 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 the Zagreb county (which excludes the city).

Economy Cibona Tower ZagrepcankaMuch of the Croatian industry is concentrated in Zagreb, including metal processing, electrical appliances, textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals (Pliva), printing and leather industries, wood processing, paper etc. The city had a remarkable per capita GDP of 23 730 USD in 2004. 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.

City government The City of Zagreb has the status of a county within Croatia. The city government is led by the Mayor who is elected by the City Assembly. The current Mayor of Zagreb is Milan Bandic (SDP). The City Assembly is composed of 51 representatives, presided by Tatjana Holjevac (ind. rep.), coming from the following political parties: Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) 19 Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) 7 Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) 6 Croatian People's Party (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.

Transport Central railway station ZET low floor tram Tunnel at Slavonska-Ljubljanska Slavonska-Držiceva avenue interchangeThere 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 the cities 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 - Cakovec and Koprivnica) are linked with the 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 run to Slavonia and further to Belgrade are some of the busiest traffic lines in the country.

The city has a well developed road network with several of the main lines up to four tracks 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. The problem is somewhat alleviated by the construction of the new underground multi-story car-parks (Importanne Centre, Importanne Gallery, Langov square) 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 transport company, ZET (Zagrebacki Elektricni 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 Koncar 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 coming. 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, railway connections running from east to the west of the city have been updated. A light rail 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 center. First line should be operational by 2012. Zagreb Airport currently handles 1.6 million passengers a year. A new terminal is planned for 2008, with construction beginning in April 2006.

Surroundings Night skyline featuring Zagrepcanka, HOTO Tower, Cibona Tower and hotel Westin Sava river The wider Zagreb area has been constantly inhabited ever since the prehistoric period, witnessed by the archaeological findings in the Veternica cave from the Paleolithic and the excavation of the remains of a destroyed Roman town of Andautonia near the present village of Šcitarjevo. Picturesque ex-villages on the slopes of Medvednica: Šestine, Gracani and Remete are arranged around the city like beads of a necklace, and maintain their rich tradition even today: folk costumes, Šestine umbrellas, gingerbread products, etc. The Medvednica Mountain (Zagrebacka gora), with its highest peak Sljeme (1,033 m), provides a panoramic view of metropolitan Zagreb, the Sava and the Kupa valleys, the region of Hrvatsko Zagorje. In mid-January 2005, Sljeme held its first World Ski Championship tournament, which ended up being a momentous event. From the summit (weather permitting), the vista reaches as far as Velebit Range along Croatia's rocky northern coast, and 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. The old Medvedgrad, a medieval burg built in the 13th century and recently restored, represents a special attraction of the Medvednica hill. It overlooks the western part of the city and also has the Shrine of the Homeland, a memorial place with eternal flame, where Croatia pays reverence to all its heroes fallen for homeland in its history, customarily on the national holidays. Travel agencies organize guided excursions to the surroundings as well as the sightseeing of Zagreb.

Tourism Bogoviceva Street near the Zagreb city centreZagreb 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 tourist destination. Since the end of the war it attracts around half a million visitors annually (mainly from Austria, Germany and Italy. However, the city has an even bigger 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, Šibenik, Zadar and others. 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 that hosts a number of business events and trade fairs that are amongst those of 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 Jelacic 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 Ban Josip Jelacic Square, the central part and the heart of Zagreb, or by a funicular on nearby Tomiceva Street.

Museums Zagreb TV TowerZagreb'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. The Archaeological Museum (19 Nikola Šubic Zrinski Square) possesses over 400,000 objects, not all of them being exhibited. The holdings include evidence of Croatian presence in this area as well as rare samples which have made the museum known to the whole world. 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 the remains of Neanderthal man 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 this area, dating from 1830 which still operates. Also there are some operational Tesla´s inventions, a few old aircraft, and a real mine under the ground. 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. Mimara museum with Westin and Cibona Tower Art pavilion on King Tomislav squareMany visitors find the Mimara Museum (5 Roosevelt Square), housing the donation by Wiltrud and Ante Topic 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. Some of the most famous exhibits include works by Lorenzetti, Raffaello, Giorgione, Veronese, Caravaggio, Canaletto, 60 paintings by the Dutch masters Rembrandt, Van Goyen, Ruisdael, 50 works by the Flemish masters Van der Weyden, Bosch, Rubens, Van Dyck, more than 30 by the Spanish masters Velasquez, Murillo, Goya, some 20 paintings by the German masters Holbein, Liebermann, Leibl, some 30 paintings by the English painters Gainsborough, Turner, Bonington and more than 120 paintings by the French masters Georges de la Tour, Boucher, Chardin, Delacroix, Corot, Manet, Renoir, Degas. The HAZU Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters (11 Zrinski Square) offers permanent holdings presenting European paintings from the 14th to the 19th centuries, and the Ivan Meštrovic Studio, (8 Mletacka 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 Downtown. The exhibitions are also held in the impressive Meštrovic's building on Hrvatskih Velikana Square — the Home of the Croatian Fine Artists. The Museum of Naďve Art (3 Cirilometodska Street) houses more than one thousand works by a hundred and odd authors of the Croatian naďve art. The World Centre "Wonder of Croatian Naďve Art" (12 Ban Jelacic Square) exhibits masterpieces of Croatian naďve art as well as works of 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 Croatian National Theatre Croatian University LibraryThe 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 it´s wisited by 760.000 people each year. The big hall has 1847 seats over 2.360sqm, and the smaller one can seat 304 people on 360sqm. Zagreb hosts many domestic and international events. Animafest, the World Festival of Animated Films, takes place each even year, and the Music Bienniale, the international festival of avant-garde music, every odd 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 the 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 (16th of November) is celebrated every year with special festivities, esp. on the Jarun lake near the southwestern part of the city. Entertainment can be found in many discotheques, night clubs, casinos, etc. On Mount Sljeme there is also a 169m tall TV Tower with a planned restaurant in 75m high pod.

Souvenirs and gastronomy Zagreb rush-hourNumerous shops, boutiques, store houses and shopping centres offer a variety of good quality clothes. Zagreb's offerings include crystal, china and ceramics, nice wicker or straw baskets, top-quality Croatian wines and gastronomic products. Some of the peculiar Zagreb souvenirs include: 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 traditional nut cake. 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 Jarun lakeThere 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 two halls. The larger one can accommodate 12,000 people. This center is used for basketball, handball, volleyball, hockey, gymanstics, tennis, and many others. It's also used for concerts. The Dražen Petrovic Basketball Hall has 6,000 seats. By its side is the 104m 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. Maksimir stadiumSports and Recreational Centre Šalata, only a couple hundred metres from the city center, is most attractive for tennis players. It comprises a big tennis court and eight smaller ones, two of which are roofed over with the so-called "balloon", and another two equipped with lights. The Centre also has swimming pools, basketball and football playgrounds, 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 Daniciceva 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 warmer part of the year (spring, summer, autumn). Planned look for the Maksimir stadiumThe unfinished 35,000 seat Maksimir Stadium is located in the eastern part of the city. When completed, it will hold 60,000 spectators, and finally serve Zagreb somewhat more approrpiately. 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 m˛ just outside the built-up urban space, which forms the cities eastern boundary. It is a 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. There is a number of smaller sports centres and playgrounds as well as gyms and fitness centres throughout the city.