Dive into the anecdotes of the Jesuit Square

True Upper Town feel shines through every detail of the Jesuit square. Photo by M. Vrdoljak/TZGZ 

After all, this is a perfect spot to rest for a short while during your sightseeing - notice the big stone benches hidden under the deep shade of the linden trees. The trees are not the only refuge from the summer heat. Why don’t you dive into the refreshing fountain? Oh, please, don’t listen to me, I’m just kidding. Although there’s some truth to each joke... there is a vintage photo of local kids using the fountain as a swimming pool - it sure looks fun:

Please remember - I was only joking when I suggested diving in like these kids. Instead, you could toss a coin and make a wish - that’s still allowed.

Fisherman - that’s the name of the sculpture decorating the fountain. You will find the name is a good fit only when you take a better look. The man strangling a snake hides some fishing nets in the back. The original name was Struggle. The statue went through quite a struggle when its author Simeon Roksandić sent it to Great Britain for an exhibition over a century ago. The sculptor received an unfortunate notice: the ship, that was carrying Struggle, sank. He immediately cast another one, when he discovered the news was wrong and ended up with two of the kind. One is here in Zagreb, and the other one is in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.

The Fishermen didn’t visit only the two capitals of the neighboring countries. It traveled far North on the silver screen, featured in the famous movie Fiddler on the Roof. Did you know it was filmed here in Croatia? For the most part, its main setting was the charming village of Lekenik, less than an hour's drive from Zagreb. A few scenes were shot in the city and this square came into play. I watched the Behind the Scenes documentary and was stunned by the ingenuity of the film crew. They needed a snowy setting, but it was a mild winter. No worries, they brought tons of marble dust and covered the entire square, from the road to the gas lamps!

That’s not the only time this square was featured in a blockbuster movie. If you prefer action comedies over musicals, how about Jackie Chan’s Armour of God? Its legendary car chase starts right off the Jesuit square.

Behind the scenes

A crazy car chase starts at Jezuitski trg

You have probably already noticed the massive wooden entrance to Klovićevi dvori, the host to some of the best art exhibitions that have ever taken place in Zagreb. When you’re in Zagreb, check out their program, they will most probably have a great exhibition. After all, any excuse is a good excuse to check out the interior of what used to be the Jesuit monastery.

That brings us to the very name of the square. It carries the name of the Jesuit priests. Just next to their monastery, there is a 1600s church, most famous for its gorgeous baroque interior. St. Catherine church was built by the Jesuits, and so was the nearby gymnasium. It was the first gymnasium in Zagreb, the first university of Zagreb, and it has been active since the early 1600s. The Jesuits are connected to the history of the newly refurbished yellow building on the northwest side of the square, too. It’s another gymnasium, a bit younger. Its roots and connection with education also go back to the era of the Jesuits’ enlightenment.

St Catherine is the patron saint of theologists, philosophers, and teachers - it’s no wonder the Jesuits, founding fathers of the University of Zagreb, chose her.

People sometimes don't notice this square during their sightseeing walks. So strange, when in fact, if you’re looking at the Upper Town from far away, you can see the square is the source of the recognizable shape of the entire Upper Town. 

Look for the most massive buildings in the Upper Town. The first plan: the old Jesuit academy. The tiny church tower nearby: St Catherine Church. The huge complex on the right side: the Jesuit monastery. Photo by J. Duval/TZGZ 

We spent just a few minutes here, and we’ve already found so many stories and memories. Bear that in mind when you’re walking the streets of Zagreb. Each street and each square hides so many anecdotes. All you have to do is dive in. 

Bonus fun fact: first skate rink in town was in the atrium of the nowadays art gallery back in 1800s. This, of course, is a more recent photo by M. Vrdoljak/TZGZ.

Author: Iva Silla