It's fair to say you should stop by the Fair
But before you head back to the 21st century, why not take a look around? It's all so exciting! The Soviet Union exhibits its legendary spacecraft, Sputnik. The US is showing Apollo, Mercury, and hypersonic planes. The Space Race is on, and its fruits are on display right here in Zagreb! The area is so lively. So many people are walking around, and they're all wearing their best outfits - after all, it's not every day you go to the Fair. Music plays from speakers everywhere. I know you could keep exploring forever, but it's time to return. You're back in the 21st century. You can recognise some of the remarkable buildings, although they're all worn out. The speakers are still here, in each meadow, but they're not playing music. No one would listen to it anymore. Hey, where is everyone?
Photo description: Sometimes, these two farmers from the Russian Pavilion are the only people you meet on the fairgrounds.
Recently, the City of Zagreb announced a reconstruction of the Zagreb Fair. The residents are thrilled to learn that. It's about time for the Fair to get a well-deserved makeover. But that means you will have to hurry if you want to visit it in its current shape: a mere memory of times gone by. A trace of past grandiosity. A poetic backdrop for the most beautiful art photography. A collection of surprising details that make you imagine the past. It can feel like a small town abandoned at some point. Until you notice that people actually use it, and it seems to contain a strange layer of city life that makes it lively and cosy after all. If you don't visit soon, you might miss out on this one-of-a-kind atmospheric experience.
The Zagreb Fair at this location opened 70 years ago and is a descendant of a long history of fairs dating back to Medieval times. Its official name in Croatian is Zagrebački velesajam - The Zagreb Grand Fair. And grand it was!
Photo description: The iconic Chinese Pavilion is a temporary school for artistic youth.
What do I mean when I say people still use it? It can feel so empty during the day, but when evening comes, the fairgrounds suddenly fill up with people. A lot of the pavilions host all sorts of sports and other activities. There's everything… there's gym, tennis, badminton, gymnastics, martial arts, fencing, aerial silks, rock-climbing, carting, pole-dancing, acting… to name just a few. You might hear bands playing from Glazbena kuća (The House of Music). Even if it is decayed, the fair is very much alive and a part of everyday city life. It brings people with different interests and hobbies to the same space, just as it once brought different nations to Zagreb's south bank of the river Sava.
Photo description: Look at all the trophies in the windows!
Photo description: A Mediterranean corner at the Fair? Yes, you can find it here, but it's just a set for a popular TV show.
The School of Applied Arts and Design is currently using some spaces at the Zagreb Fair - the iconic Chinese Pavilion. Some productions use it as a movie set. After all, that's nothing new. Orson Welles' The Process was shot in Zagreb, and there are some scenes in the Mašinogradnja Pavilion. Some pavilions stand out more than others, and they are a part of the city's cultural heritage. The upcoming renovation should pay special attention to those, perhaps giving them a new purpose. But it would be a shame to miss the chance to visit the area now, when they are still surrounded by large open spaces that allow you to observe them, and allow them to speak directly to your imagination. The pavilions' curious shapes and styles often showcased the era's architectural achievements, with different nations presenting their own designs.
Photo description: The Italian Pavilion stands on upside-down pyramids. Impressive!
Photo description: The Vitić Pavilion might be even more impressive. Look at that gravity-defying structure!
When I was a kid, visiting the Fair was a family event. These days, when you visit Zagreb in December, you will enjoy the joyful Christmas markets all around downtown Zagreb. Back when I was a kid, guess where we went for the winter market? That’s right, at the Zagreb Fair! I don't think anyone grew up when the fair was still that active, who won't be reading this text, thinking about how they collected colourful brochures, eating a supergreasy lepinja snacks, and maybe the embarrassment when their name was all over the speakers because they happened to get lost while their parents stopped to chat with acquaintances. This area holds a ton of nostalgia, and keeps transforming into new forms of it. Even if I'm glad the fair is getting a makeover, I am already melancholic if it means it will lose its current feel.
Photo description: How about this playful info point?
The events here were huge and they were often international. Some events still take place there, but nothing can fill the entire grounds anymore. One of the most popular fairs happens each November – Interliber, the Croatian book fair. It's not even very international, mostly national publishers. It exhibits in three pavilions with all sorts of editions. If you happen to be in Zagreb around that time (this year, it's 10 - 15 November), stop by the Fair to see how much Croatian people love their books. It's the most local thing to do in November. There will be editions in other languages, too, and lots of discounts at libraries around the city. And huge crowds at the Fair. Just like back in the day.
Speaking of books, I'm currently part of a team working on a guidebook, The New Shore, that will guide you through the so-called Novi Zagreb area. It will be published by the end of the year, but I already know it'll be outdated soon. Because it will preserve the Fair's memory as it is today. In the future, when the Fair gets its makeover, I hope that book, this article, and similar musings will serve as small remembrances of the contemplative spirit a place can have only when it's not at its best.
Photo description: Some parts of the buildings damaged in the 2020 earthquake can be found on the fairgrounds. Downtown Zagreb shines after the renovations. So will the Fair.
Header image credit: Iva Silla
Author: Iva Silla