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Sunday 22 December 2013

Advent in Zagreb 2013

Advent in Zagreb is specific time. Center of city is colorful , with a lot of Christmas decorations, specially on the main square and streets and squares around. Main happenings are on Ban Jelačić Square, Zrinjevac and on Bogovićeva Street. Most of big pre-christmas and New Year concerts are on Ban Jelačić Square, which can take over 50.000 visitors. Some of city residents don't like big tent on this main square, since it is kind of killing "Mittel Europa" look of this part of Zagreb. But, on the other hand, everybody can buy some sausages and hot wine there.





Older people for sure much more adore Zrinjevac, part of Lenuci Horseshoe, which on advent time has two roles. First one is to be a part of Advent street fair, with a good offers of hand made things and domestic food and spices. It is some kind of custom in Zagreb to check if there's anything interesting there. Second role of Zrinjevac is about music. Cause, it is place where in beatufull pavilion some classic music concerts are done. It is not unusual to see people dancing in front of musicians.






Most important part of street fair is Bogovićeva street. It is either starting or finishing point of walks in city center. Wooden houses with all kind of offers, food, clothes, spices, drinks. Good start of walk if you are hungry, or good finish if you get hungry. Probably most famous are debrecen sausages, usually taken with mustard.

All in all, Zagreb in december is classical Middle Europe city. With life concentrated in the center of the city, a lot of decorations, lights, and happy people. Christmas and New Year are doing good on Zagreb's night mood.




Written by:Danko Radaljac

Saturday 23 November 2013

Zagreb Main Train Station

Zagreb Main Train Station is gate of Zagreb. If you are coming from south of Croatia, or east or west Europe, Main Train Station is probable first destination in Zagreb. And it is situated in the center of the city, so when you come by train, as soon as you are out of Station, you'll see almost the best that Zagreb can offer. King Tomislav's Square, The Lenuci Horseshoe, leading to Ban Jelačić Square, is probably most known part of Zagreb for all strangers and tourists.

Old building, Austrian style, dominate on King Tomislav's Square. Close to Station is one more important building, nowdays Hotel Regent Esplanade, with beautifull park between Station and Hotel. All main tram routes are passing thru King Tomislav's Square, with tram station just 50 metres from Station. Trams from here are going to all parts of city - New Zagreb, Dubrava, Črnomerec, Borongaj... You can go to almost all important Zagreb's blocks. And even if you just want to go to airport, bus terminals to Velika Gorica, where Zagreb airport is situtated, are just 200 meters from Main Station.
Main Train Station is connection to Europe. There are everyday train lines from and to München, Split and Belgrade. Zagreb was a station on line of famous Orient Express, so it is possible to go by trin from Zagreb to paris and Istanbul. So, it is not an exaggeration to say, Main Station is gate to Europe. In summer time, a lot of mostly young tourists are using trains to come to Croatia's capital, so in summer of 2013th, Zagreb was big touristic surprise. It had the biggest rise of tourists in all Croatia. Mixture of the middle Europe, with small admixture of the Orient and Mediterranean is like magnet for tourists who wants to see something new in this parts of the World.

Since Main Station is in center of Zagreb, it has its own night life. A lot of people passing by, non-stop shops close to it, few hotels and hotels in the streets sourrunding King Tomislav's Square are guarantee that you can't be bored in this part of Zagreb. Statue of King Tomislav itself is place where a lot of youngs are coming for evening fun. So it is a nice place to start discovering night life of Croatian capital.
Written by:Danko Radaljac

Tuesday 17 September 2013

Announcement: Zagy Foundraising



It's hard to be an artist today. You need money. So, we are here to announce found raising party for Hrvoje Zalaukar, who is preparing his own photography exhibition in Canvas gallery.  On 26th September there's "Zagy Foundraising" party at the Attack club Medika in the center of Zagreb. Don't be bitch, come and pay 20 kunas for entrance, help artist to do good thing and enjoy yourself.  You'll be able to see performances of Das Univerzitas Kunst Muzik (EU), DJ King Pigeon (USA) and Mnogi drugi (CRO). Good time is  insured, giving 20 kunas just for that, and doing something good in our life is just plus.






And who is Hrvoje Zalaukar, also known as Zagy? He is just finishing Design on Zagreb University, and already had a lot of work in photography. Since everybody works for money at the end, he can say he done photos for three banks in Croatia, for some domestic actors, and even for Croatian Red Cross. He was involved in making some music spots for Croatian musicians, including for Kim Verson, winner of one tv-talent contest show. Also, he was contributor to some magazines. It must be said, he has done some work for Playboy magazine, so it is OK to envy at this part of his working life. But, his primary love is photography, so he prepared this night party to raise funds for exhibition.  
Check him on:

Website

Facebook

Party is, as we said, on 26th September, Thursday night, starting at 10 PM. It is in centre of Zagreb, near to Medika is one of the best Kebap shops in city, so you can even eat something if you get tired because of dancing on music. It is known that atmosphere in Medika is OK, so pay 20 kunas for exhibition fund and enjoy in music and good company. Take good with you, too, of course. See you there.

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Oktogon Pt. 2 - Pluto

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Not many citizens of Zagreb, let alone tourists, know that a monument to a dog was, literally, for years hidden from the public eye within one of the courtyards in Oktogon. The monument was built to honour Pluto, the dog who came one day to the construction site, completely emaciated. The workers, and especially the architect Josip Vancaš, took to the dog immediately, fed him and gave him water. Soon the dog became the construction site's watch dog, which, apparently was not just a title, because looters came to the site to steal clay used to make pottery from the creek in Ilica. During one of these skirmishes, at the very end of construction, the legend says, Pluto lost his life. Mr Vancaš and the workers, grief- stricken, decided to put up a monument to honour the memory of Pluto forever. Fortunately, the monument was recently relocated to a more appropriate and visible place, on a building in Bogovićeva street, where every passer-by can see it and read about it.

 Written by: Gordana Mijatovic




Oktogon

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 Oktogon is the passage within the building of the former First Croatian Savings Bank which connects the longest street in Zagreb's center, Ilica, with the Peter Preradović's square, popularly called the Flower square, after the florists who have their stands there. The building was finished in 1890 (although the sign on the south entrance says it was built in 1889), and the passage,, which at its center has a three-level hall with a stained-glass dome, was named after its octagonal shape.

 Written by: Gordana Mijatovic








Friday 9 August 2013

Manduševac Pt. 2


There are a lot of legends explaining the name Manduševac. One of them says that a knight asked a young woman named Manda to grab him some water. But the name Manduševac, which etimologically connects the name Manda and a noun 'ševac' which tranlates into 'lover' led historians and linguists to search further. The documents from the Zagreb diocese they discovered reveal the real truth. The incident described happened in 1291, when a knight returning from the latest Crusade passed by the spring, where he met a bautiful girl named Manda. When they surrendered to their passion, the angry mob swarmed them and burned Manda at the stake. The knight kept his head thanks to his status, but was chained and thrown into a dungeon for the rest of his life. After that, when passing by the spring, people would tell the story about Manda who was there grabbed by her 'ševac', and this is how the names Zagreb and Manduševac actually came to be.

 Written by: Gordana Mijatovic


Monday 29 July 2013

Manduševac

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Manduševac, now a fountain on the Governor Josip Jelačić's square, was once a fresh water spring on the former town market Harmica. This spring is first mentioned in the 14th century, and was an important water source for the citizens of Zagreb til the end of the 19th century. Water from Manduševac was often attributed both healing and magical properties and was especially appreciated by bishops from Kaptol diocese, one of the two settlements (the other was called Gradec and was populated by commoners) which were in 1850 united with the surrounding settlements to form the town which would later become Zagreb.
 Written by: Gordana Mijatovic

                                    Click on photo for larger size


Wednesday 1 May 2013

Tower of Lotršćak

Most famous tower in Zagreb has "killer name" for people from Europe - Lotršćak. It is old part of Zagreb's fortifications, although last shape got it in 19th century. This name has from 17th century, since tha it was known as Tower of Dverce.

Tower of Lotršćak


Most important thing to know about Lotršćak today is that it is home of "Grički top", cannon that fires every day at noon, usualy scaring tourists around city center. Nowdays it is place where usually young people are going, and just by this tower there's big city festival all summer. From the platou of tower there's a beutifull sight on old city center of Zagreb.

Monday 1 April 2013

Zagreb Underground

Most of the Zagreb's sights is relatively easy to find with just using Google. But, as any other big city, Zagreb has a lot to show which is not available with usual searching. Croatian's capital has to offer some things you can't see on normal tourist guides. Just one example: Banksy is famous person from London, with his graffiti. Though Zagreb doesn't have anyone so famous, graffiti in some parts of this city are extraordinary.
On picture under the text you can see how one of four bridges over river Sava looks like beneath the road. It is place near Zagreb's famosu underground club "Močvara" (translation: Swamp). Place to visit for alternative people.


Under the bridge over river Sava

Friday 29 March 2013

Welcome, visitor

Zagreb: Night is site dedicated to showing beautiful places in the capital of Croatia in night vision. Posts will be refreshed daily, with focus on cultural and touristic sights. Right now, we are in prepares for some serious work and we will be online daily from 10th of April.
If you are interested in visiting Zagreb, this place will be great to see where to go and what to visit.



Zagreb cathedral