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

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

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

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 14^th century, and was an important water source for the citizens of Zagreb til the end of the 19^th 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

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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.