Sightseeing in Zagreb - what to see. Complete travel guide

Zagreb is a capital of Croatia and an important economic and scientific center. Travellers call Zagreb “the city of museums”. Indeed, the number of cultural sights and exhibitions centers is really stunning. Moreover, the majority of them are unique on the country scale.

For convenience the city is divided into three regions. Gornji grad is considered the historical center of the city. Quarters and streets of this region were built yet during the medieval period. The majority of excursions take place here. Donji grad is the trading district of Zagreb. The largest markets and trading centers are located on the streets and squares of this district. Here often take place fair trades and various entertaining events. The modern part of Zagreb is called Novi Zagreb and its streets and squares have been built approximately 50 years ago. High buildings, office centers and entertainment complexes will be also very interesting to the visitors of this wonderful city.

Archeological Museum occupies the first place among the cultural facilities of the city. The exposition of this museum exceeds 400 thousand of items. The museum features collections of archeological findings gathered in different parts of Croatia within last three centuries. If you like walking on ancient castles, then do not forget to visit Tower of Lotrscak that was built in the 13th century. The tower was used as a protective facility and was located near the southern city gates. Botanic garden is a magnificent piece of nature located near Zagreb University. It has founded by the workers of the university and here take place important studies. A part of the garden is devoted to excursions. Art connoisseurs will enjoy visiting Ivan Meshtrovic Gallery and Strossmayer Gallery that exhibit large private collections of pictures and tapestries. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

In the city, many beautiful old churches were preserved. One of the most picturesque is the St. Mark’s Church. The miniature church of the 13th century has been one of the main symbols of the city for more than 700 years. The coat of arms of Zagreb has been laid out on its roof with the help of colored tiles. Within the walls of the church are hidden unique artistic treasures - beautiful frescos, created by famous European masters. The church is quite small, but the beauty of its design has no equal in the city.

An original symbol of the city is the old funicular; it connects the Lower and Upper City. This funicular which was opened in 1893, is the shortest and steepest in the world; its length is only 66 meters. The slope of the cabin during the ascent is 52 degrees, which is a true world record. Everyone who loves unusual activities can ride on this funicular. Its cabins are designed for 28 passengers.

An excellent place for a family excursion will be the Ethnographic Museum. It is located in a spectacular building of the early 19th century. Since its inception, this building has been used for various exhibitions and cultural events. Later, it was decided to convert it into a museum. Today its unique collection has about 80,000 exhibits, but only a small part - about 3,000 - is represented in the halls of the museum. The collection of the museum is very diverse. Its halls feature ancient national costumes, works of art, weapons, kitchen utensils and even luxury jewelry that used to belong to the wealthiest inhabitants of Croatia.

Another great place to explore the culture of the city is the Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters. This is an incredibly interesting art museum in which the works of famous Croatian painters from the 18th to the 20th centuries are presented. The gallery also occupies an outstanding historical building in the Neo-Renaissance style, which is of great architectural value.

An important historical place in Zagreb is Capol Square, around which you can see the surviving defensive buildings from the Middle Ages. Around the square there are several ancient towers, as well as part of the fortification wall. The erection of these fortifications began in 1478. Today in the famous historical square, entertaining events are often held for tourists.