10 Zagreb curiosities
Hopefully, you will enjoy this list, but please note that it is not comprehensive. Instead, consider it a spark to ignite your motivation to explore more of the unique details and history of Zagreb.
1 - Lamp-lighters and cannon-strikers wanted!
A city with its own cannon striker and a lamp lighter? Yes, that's Zagreb. The old town has more than 200 romantic gas lamps. Each evening and morning, during a stroll through the old city, you might bump into the lamp lighter performing his unique job. And then, there's the cannon striker - a person whose job is to fire the cannon of Zagreb each day at midday. The lamp lighter covers a large area. That's why it's hard to find him. But it's pretty easy to see the cannon striker perform - he's punctual, and he shoots from the Lotrščak tower every day.
2 - Not just one. Not even two. Four medieval towns!
Join any walking tour, pick up any booklet about Zagreb, and the first thing you're going to find out is that the city started from two small medieval towns. That is true, but did you know that nowadays Zagreb contains four medieval forts? Yes, there are three on the slopes of Mount Medvednica, and two of those are territorially a part of the city of Zagreb. As you approach the city, you may notice the impressive fortress of Medvedgrad on Mount Medvednica. Susedgrad is quite ruinous, but a walk to Susegrad is an excellent excuse to visit the western part of the city.
3 - A hiking trail in the narrow city center
Zagreb is in close relation with the mountain that guards it. If you love forest hikes, search no more. Just go to Dubravkin put trail in the heart of the city, only a 15-minute walk from the central square. From there, look for the typical marks of mountain trails: white dots surrounded by a red circle. You will find Trail 12. Keep following the markings and in around 2,5 hours, you will reach the fortress of Medvedgrad up in the woods. There are several mountain trails to choose from on Mount Medvednica. But it's a true rarity to find a trail that starts in the centre of a capital city.
4 - The oldest park forest in this part of Europe
If mountain hikes are too much for you, but you do enjoy nature, there are so many alternatives. More than 20 parks in Zagreb are of such importance that they are protected by law. Among them is the gorgeous Park Maksimir. Established in 1794, it is the first park-forest in Southeastern Europe.
5 - One of the largest buildings in Europe
Mamutica (she-mammoth) is by far the largest building in Zagreb, housing around 5,000 people. There aren't many housing complexes with more residents. If you're imagining it as a cold, heartless concrete cube, think again! Mamutica is a beloved community space.
6 - Some of the worst public transport disasters in the history of the region
So far, this list has been nothing but positive. Now it's time to break that cycle with darker thoughts. It so happened that some of the most disturbing public transport crashes happened in Zagreb. The tram crash that killed almost 20 passengers in 1954 is an unprecedented tragedy in the city public transport. Many families from Germany and the UK still painfully remember the collision of two planes that were supposed to bring their loved ones home. The crash happened near Zagreb in the seventies. At the time, people working in the fields witnessed a dreadful sight of suitcases and plane parts falling from the sky. The worst and most incredible incident of all was the tragic train crash that happened right at the Zagreb central station in 1974. More than 150 died when the train entered the city at full speed!
7 - The city where 5% of people were witches
Just one more tragic peculiarity, but this one has become a part of the city's spirit and has transformed from sad to mystical. At a certain point, at the beginning of the 1700s, roughly 5% of residents were certified witches. The dreadful statistics refer to the fact that around 200 women were executed as witches in the horrific witch trials in the days when the city had a population of around 4000. The history was harsh and scary. Through storytelling, the witches have become heroines and grown into an inseparable part of the city's lore and imagination.
8 - Five protected species of mammals and one Zagrebian whale
It's hard to find a capital with such a diverse nature. A river, several lakes, an old oak forest, the mountain, so many parks... Do you know that 100 bird species live in the Maksimir Park alone? The city's biodiversity is incredible. So, if you hear some activity in the attic at night, don't be surprised. It might be a new family of bats that moved in and started its colony. All you can do is leave them be, as five species of bats are endangered and under protection. Consider it a privilege they chose to share their home with you. Over millions of years, the diverse nature has replaced what used to be just one sea. And that is how a whale fossil was found in Zagreb. The scientific name of the species is the whale of Zagreb - Mesocetus Agrami.
9 - The Zagreb meridian
Did you know that the 16th meridian east passes through Zagreb? The locals are well aware of this, and they take great pride in it. It deserves an article of its own - stay tuned for that.
10 - Literature beats the heroes
When we stroll around cities, we often wonder who earned a statue and why. When you walk around Zagreb, the answer will most likely be - a writer, or even a book character. Sure, there are several historical leaders, a few saints, some contemporary abstract monuments, too. However, the city truly appreciates its writers and has dedicated a significant portion of its public space to honour them.
Photo caption: The statue of August Šenoa, one of Zagreb's favourite writers. Photo by J. Duval / Zagreb Tourist Board
Bonus curiosity: Z comes last
Well, not in the Croatian alphabet, it doesn't. There is another similar letter that comes just after Z, and that's Ž. However, Zagreb is the only capital in the world that ends in Z. This never occurred to me until some 10 years ago, when two charming visitors told me they were collecting capital cities by their capital letters. They had to come to Zagreb if they wanted the whole alphabet, as it was the only capital that started with a Z. I didn't have the heart to tell them that, according to the Croatian alphabet, their collection would remain incomplete.
Header image credit: Marko Vrdoljak
Author: Iva Silla