Difference between revisions of "Zagreb" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
 
(70 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
<!-- Infobox begins —>
+
{{Images OK}}{{Submitted}}{{Approved}}{{copyedited}}
 
{{Infobox Settlement
 
{{Infobox Settlement
|official_name         = City of Zagreb
+
|name        =Zagreb
|other_name            = Agram (Old German)
+
|official_name   =City of Zagreb<br/>''Grad Zagreb''
|native_name           = Grad Zagreb
+
|native_name     =
|nickname               =
+
|nickname       =
|settlement_type       =  
+
|settlement_type   =City
|motto                 =  
+
|motto         =
|image_skyline         = Jelacicplac.jpg
+
|image_photo    =
|imagesize             =  
+
|image_skyline   =Jelacicplac.jpg
|image_caption         = [[Ban Jelačić Square]]
+
|imagesize     =
|image_flag             = Zagreb_zastava.gif
+
|image_caption = [[Ban Jelačić Square]]
|flag_size             =
+
|image_flag     =Flag of Zagreb.svg
|image_seal             =  
+
|flag_size       =
|seal_size             =
+
|image_seal     =
|image_shield           =  
+
|seal_size       =
|shield_size           =
+
|image_shield     =Coat of arms of Zagreb.svg
|city_logo             =
+
|shield_size     =
|citylogo_size         =
+
|city_logo       =
|image_map             = Location_Zagreb_in_Croatia.svg.PNG
+
|citylogo_size     =
|mapsize               =  
+
|image_map     =Location_Zagreb_in_Croatia.svg.PNG
|map_caption           = Location of Zagreb within Croatia
+
|mapsize       =
|image_map1             =  
+
|map_caption     =Location of Zagreb within Croatia
|mapsize1               =  
+
|image_map1     =
|map_caption1           =  
+
|mapsize1       =
|image_dot_map         =
+
|map_caption1     =
|dot_mapsize           =
+
|image_dot_map     =
|dot_map_caption       =
+
|dot_mapsize     =
|dot_x = |dot_y =
+
|dot_map_caption   =
|pushpin_map           =
+
|dot_x= |dot_y=
 +
|pushpin_map     =
 
|pushpin_label_position =
 
|pushpin_label_position =
|pushpin_map_caption   =
+
|pushpin_map_caption   =
|pushpin_mapsize       =
+
|pushpin_mapsize     =
|subdivision_type       = [[List of countries|Country]]
+
|coordinates_display  =inline,title
|subdivision_name       = [[Croatia]]
+
|coordinates_region  =HR
|subdivision_type1     = <!--[[Counties of Croatia|County]]—>
+
|subdivision_type   =[[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name1     = <!--[[City of Zagreb]]—>
+
|subdivision_name   =[[Croatia]]
|subdivision_type2     =  
+
|subdivision_type1   =[[Counties of Croatia|County]]
|subdivision_name2     =  
+
|subdivision_name1   =City of Zagreb
|government_footnotes   =
+
|subdivision_type2   =
|government_type       =
+
|subdivision_name2   =
|leader_title           = Mayor
+
|government_footnotes =
|leader_name           = [[Milan Bandić]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Croatia|SDP]])
+
|government_type   =[[Mayor–council government|Mayor-Council]]
|leader_title1          =
+
|leader_title     =[[List of mayors of Zagreb|Mayor]]
|leader_name1          =
+
|leader_name     =[[Milan Bandić]]
|established_title      = [[Roman Catholic Church|RC]] [[diocese]]
+
|leader_title1    =City Council
|established_date       = 1094
+
|leader_name1      ={{Collapsible list
|established_title2     = Free royal city
+
|title  =Eight parties/lists
|established_date2     = 1242
+
|frame_style= border: none; padding: 0;
|established_title3     = Unified
+
|list_style=text-align:left;display:none;
|established_date3     = 1850
+
|1    =• [[Social Democratic Party of Croatia]] (21)
|area_magnitude         =  
+
|2    =• [[Croatian Democratic Union]] (7)
|unit_pref             = Metric
+
|3    =• [[Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats|Croatian People's Party]] (5)
|area_footnotes         =
+
|4    =• Independent list [[Velimir Srića]] (5)
<ref name=census>{{cite web
+
|5    =• Independent list [[Tatjana Holjevac]] (4)
|url=http://www.zagreb.hr/zgstat/o_zagrebu_stat.html
+
|6    =[[Croatian Peasant Party]] (4)
|title=CITY OF ZAGREB 2006
+
|7    =• [[Croatian Party of Pensioners]] (3)
|publisher=City of Zagreb, Statistics Department
+
|8    =• [[Croatian Social Liberal Party]] (2)
|accessdate=2008-01-25
+
}}
}}</ref>
+
|established_title= [[Diocese of Zagreb|RC diocese]]
|area_total_km2           = 641.29
+
|established_date   =1094
|area_land_km2           =
+
|established_title2= [[Golden Bull of 1242|Free royal city]]
|area_water_km2           =
+
|established_date2   =1242
|area_total_sq_mi        =
+
|established_title3   =Unified
|area_land_sq_mi          =
+
|established_date3   =1850
|area_water_sq_mi        =  
+
|parts_type      =Subdivisions
|area_water_percent       =  
+
|parts        =17 districts<br/>70 settlements
|area_urban_km2           =
+
|area_magnitude     =
|area_urban_sq_mi        =  
+
|unit_pref       =Metric
|area_metro_km2           =  
+
|area_footnotes     =<ref name=census>{{cite web|url=http://www.zagreb.hr/zgstat/o_zagrebu_stat.html
|area_metro_sq_mi        =  
+
|title=City of zagreb 2006|publisher=City of Zagreb, Statistics Department|accessdate       =January 25, 2008}}</ref>
|population_as_of              = 2007 estimate
+
|area_total_km2     =641
|population_footnotes           =
+
|area_land_km2     =
<ref name=zg_census/>
+
|area_water_km2     =
|population_note                =  
+
|area_water_percent   =
|population_total              = 784,900
+
|area_urban_km2     =162.22
|population_density_km2        = 1223.9
+
|area_metro_km2     =3719
|population_density_sq_mi      =
+
|population_as_of    =[[2011 Croatian census|2011]]
|population_metro              =  
+
|population_footnotes =<ref name="census-2011-settlements">[http://www.dzs.hr/Hrv/censuses/census2011/htm/H11_Zup11_0000.html Croatian Census 2011 First Results] Retrieved June 16, 2012.</ref><ref name="census-2011-districts">Croatian Census 2011 First Results, [http://www.dzs.hr/Hrv/censuses/census2011/htm/H11_Zup11_1111.html City of Zagreb - Population by districts] Retrieved June 16, 2012.
|population_density_metro_km2  =
+
</ref>
|population_density_metro_sq_mi =
+
|population_note    =
|population_urban               = 1,094,596
+
|population_total    =792875
|population_density_urban_km2   =  
+
|population_density_km2 =auto
|population_density_urban_sq_mi =
+
|population_urban   =686568
|population_blank1_title        = 2001 [[census]]
+
|population_density_urban_km2 =auto
|population_blank1              = 779,145
+
|population_metro      =1110517
|population_density_blank1_km2 = 
+
|population_density_metro_km2 =auto
|population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  
+
|timezone       =[[Central European Time|CET]]
|timezone               = [[Central European Time|CET]]
+
|utc_offset     =+1
|utc_offset             = +1
+
|timezone_DST     =[[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
|timezone_DST           = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
+
|utc_offset_DST   =+2
|utc_offset_DST         = +2
+
|latd=45|latm=49|latNS=N
|latd= 45|latm= 49|lats= 0|latNS= N
+
|longd=15|longm=59|longEW=E
|longd= 15|longm= 59|longs= 0|longEW= E
+
|elevation_footnotes =<ref name=ljetopis> Statistički ljetopis Grada Zagreba 2007.</ref>
|elevation_footnotes   =  
+
|elevation_m     =158
|elevation_m           =  
+
|elevation_ft     =518
|elevation_ft           =  
+
|elevation_max_m  =1035
|postal_code_type       = Postal code
+
|elevation_min_m  =122
|postal_code           = 10000
+
|postal_code_type   =Postal code
|area_code              = 01
+
|postal_code     =HR-10000
|blank_name            = [[Croatian vehicle registration plates|Licence plate]]
+
|area_code_type    =[[Telephone numbers in Croatia|Area code]]
|blank_info            = ZG
+
|area_code      =+385 1
|blank1_name = Lowest point
+
|registration_plate      =[[Vehicle registration plates of Croatia|ZG]]
|blank1_info = 122 m
+
|website       =[http://www.zagreb.hr/default.aspx?id=1979 zagreb.hr]
|blank2_name = Highest point
+
|footnotes       =
|blank2_info = 1,035 m ([[Sljeme]])
+
|latd= 45 |latm= 49 |latNS= N
|website               = [http://www.zagreb.hr/ zagreb.hr]
+
|longd= 15 |longm= 59 |longEW= E
|footnotes             =  
+
}}
|latd = 45 |latm = 49 |latNS = N
 
|longd = 15 |longm = 59 |longEW = E
 
}} <!-- Infobox ends —>
 
  
'''Zagreb''' ({{pronEng|ˈzɑːgrɛb}}) is the [[capital]] and the largest city of [[Croatia]]. Zagreb is the cultural, scientific, economic and governmental center of the [[Croatia|Republic of Croatia]] in the Prigorje region. The city's population in 2006 was 784,900<ref name=zg_census/> (approx. 1.1  million in the [[metropolitan area]]).  
+
'''Zagreb''' is the [[capital]] city, and the cultural, scientific, and governmental center of the [[Croatia|Republic of Croatia]]. It is regarded as the [[economics|economic]] center of the [[Balkans]]. It is situated between the southern slopes of the [[Medvednica Mountain]] and both the northern and southern banks of the [[Sava River]]. The city grew out of the union of two medieval communities, [[Kaptol]], an ecclesiastical settlement, on the east and [[Gradec]], a fortress, on the west.  
  
Its favorable geographic position in the southwestern part of the [[Pannonian plain|Pannonian Basin]], which extends to the [[Alps|Alpine]], [[Dinaric Alps|Dinaric]], [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic]] and [[Pannonian plain|Pannonic]] regions, provides an excellent connection for traffic between [[Central Europe]] and the [[Adriatic Sea]].
+
Croatia first appeared as a [[duchy]] in the seventh century and then as a [[kingdom]] in the tenth century. For the next ten centuries, it remained a distinct state with its own ruler (ban) and [[parliament]], but obeyed the kings and emperors of various neighboring powers, primarily [[Hungary]] and [[Austria]]. [[Zagreb]] served as the cultural and political center of Croatia beginning in 925 during the [[Middle Ages]]. The period from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries was marked by bitter struggles with the [[Ottoman Empire]]. In the twentieth century, Austria attempted Germanization of the Croatian homeland. During the Croatian national revival in the nineteenth century, both the pan-Yugoslav and a Croatian independence movements were centered in Zagreb.
 +
{{toc}}
 +
The city's favorable geographic position in the southwestern part of the [[Pannonian plain|Pannonian Basin]], which extends to the [[Alps|Alpine]], [[Dinaric Alps|Dinaric]], [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic]], and Pannonic regions, provides an excellent hub for traffic between [[Central Europe]] and the Adriatic Sea and the Balkans. This, plus the concentration of industry, scientific, and research institutions, and an industrial tradition, underpin its leading economic position in the nation.
  
The transport connections, concentration of industry, scientific and research institutions and industrial tradition underlie its leading economic position in [[Croatia]].
+
==Geography==
Zagreb is the seat of the central government, [[public administration|administrative bodies]] and almost all [[Croatian Government|government ministries]].
 
  
==Geography==
+
[[Image:Zagreb SPOT 1038.jpg|left|thumb|225px|Satellite picture of Zagreb.]]
[[Image:Zagrebacka Manda.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Manda of Zagreb, pencil drawing]]
 
The name ''Zagreb'' likely comes from the common [[Slavic languages|Slavic]] word "zagrabiti" ({{lang-en|to scoop}}). One legend about the origins of the name involves a thirsty woman who scooped water from Lake Manduševac, another tells of a [[History of Croatia|Croatian]] [[Ban (title)|ban]] who thrust his sabre into the ground, and ordered his thirsty troops to scrape the soil to get to the water. The verb ''zagrebati'' is relevant as the city lay behind a water-filled hole (''graba'').
 
  
Zagreb is located between the southern slopes of the [[Medvednica]] mountain and both northern and southern bank of the [[Sava River|Sava]] river at an elevation of approximately 400 feet (122 meters) above sea level.
+
The name ''Zagreb'' most likely derives from the common [[Slavic languages|Slavic]] word "zagrabiti" ({{lang-en|to scoop}}). One legend about the origins of the name involves a thirsty woman who scooped water from [[Lake Manduševac]]. Another tells of a Croatian ban who thrust his saber into the ground and ordered his thirsty troops to scrape the soil to get to the water.  
  
The climate of Zagreb is continental, with four separate seasons. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are cold. The average maximum daytime temperature in January of 37°F (3°C), rising to an average maximum of around 77°F (25°C) in July. The end of May, particularly, gets very warm, with temperatures rising to the mid-80sºF (30°C) and up. Snowfall is common in the winter months, from December to March, and rain and fog are common in autumn (October to December). Mean annual precipitation is 35 inches (885mm).
+
Zagreb is located between the southern slopes of the [[Medvednica]] mountain and both northern and southern banks of the [[Sava River|Sava]] river at an elevation of approximately 400 feet (122 meters) above sea level.
  
Rivers and canals
+
The [[climate]] of Zagreb is continental, with four separate seasons. [[Summer]]s are hot and dry, and [[winter]]s are cold. The average maximum daytime [[temperature]] in January is 37°F (3°C), rising to an average maximum of around 77°F (25°C) in July. The end of May, particularly, gets warm, with temperatures rising to the mid-80sºF (30°C) and up. [[Snow]]fall is common in winter, from December to March, and [[rain]] and [[fog]] are common in autumn (October to December). Mean annual precipitation is 35 inches (885 mm).
Size – land area, size comparison
 
Environmental issues
 
Districts
 
  
Today the the fortified settlement [[Gradec, Zagreb|Gradec]] is Zagreb's Upper Town ([[Gornji Grad - Medveščak|Gornji Grad]]) and is one of the best preserved urban nuclei in [[Croatia]].
+
Zagreb’s old town comprises the upper settlement of [[Gradec, Zagreb|Gradec]], which was fortified in the thirteenth century to defend against the Tatars, and the ecclesiastical settlement of Kaptol, which was fortified in the sixteenth century against [[Ottoman]] Turks. These two towns joined in the 19th century and expanded with a rectilinear layout with numerous open squares, parks, and public buildings. Expansion continued from 1860 through the twentieth century. To the north of Medvednica Hill are [[forest]]s, [[vineyard]]s, old châteaus, and picturesque villages.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
[[Image:staritrgburze.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Burza square in the 1930s.]]
+
[[Image:staritrgburze.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Burza square in the 1930s.]]
[[Image:Trg1880.jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[Ban Jelačić Square]] in 1880.]]
+
[[Image:Trg1880.jpg|right|thumb|225px|[[Ban Jelačić Square]] in 1880.]]
[[Image:staritrg.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Old Ban Jelačić Square.]]
+
[[Image:staritrg.jpg|thumb|225px|right|Old Ban Jelačić Square.]]
[[Image:Katedrala4.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Zagreb Cathedral.]]
+
The wider Zagreb area has been continuously inhabited since the prehistoric period, as witnessed by [[archaeology|archaeological]] findings in the Veternica cave from the [[Paleolithic]] and excavation of the remains of the Roman Andautonia near the present village of [[Ščitarjevo]].
  
Zagreb dates to 1094, when the Hungarian [[Ladislaus I of Hungary|King Ladislaus]] founded a Roman Catholic diocese there. Alongside the bishop's see the canonical settlement [[Kaptol, Zagreb|Kaptol]] developed north of the [[Zagreb Cathedral|Cathedral]], as did the fortified settlement [[Gradec, Zagreb|Gradec]] on the neighbouring hill.
+
The city of Zagreb dates to 1094, when the Hungarian [[Ladislaus I of Hungary|King Ladislaus]] (1040-1095) founded the Zagreb bishopric, a [[Roman Catholic]] diocese there. The bishopric known as the canonical settlement [[Kaptol, Zagreb|Kaptol]] developed north of the [[Zagreb Cathedral|Cathedral]], while the fortified settlement [[Gradec, Zagreb|Gradec]] was established on the neighboring hill.  
Both settlements came under [[Tatar]] attack in 1242. As a sign of gratitude for offering him a safe haven from the [[Tatar]] the Croatian and Hungarian [[Béla IV of Hungary|King Bela IV]] made [[Gradec, Zagreb|Gradec]] a free town, gave it a judicial system, and fortified the town. According to legend, Bela left [[Gradec, Zagreb|Gradec]] a cannon, under the condition that it be fired every day so that it did not rust. Since 1 January 1877 the cannon is fired from the Lotrščak Tower on Grič to mark midday.
 
  
The main square of the [[Gornji Grad - Medveščak|Gornji Grad]] is dominated by the [[Gothic Architecture|Gothic]] [[St. Mark's Church, Zagreb|church of St. Mark]], that was built at the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century and a late [[Baroque]] bell tower was added later.  
+
Both settlements came under attack from the [[Tatar]]s in 1242. As a sign of gratitude for offering him a safe haven from the Tatars, the Croatian and Hungarian [[Béla IV of Hungary|King Bela IV]] (1214-1270) made [[Gradec, Zagreb|Gradec]] a free city, fortified the town and gave it a [[judicial system]]. King Bela IV deeded Gradec a cannon to seal the agreement with the condition that it be fired every day to avert rust. From January 1, 1877, the cannon is fired daily at Noon from the Lotrščak Tower on Grič to mark midday.
  
Fighting ensued between the Zagreb diocese and the free sovereign town of [[Gradec, Zagreb|Gradec]] for land and mills, sometimes also for political reasons. The term Zagreb was used for these two separate boroughs in the 16th century. Zagreb was then seen as the political center and the capital of [[Croatia]] and [[Slavonia]].  
+
The main square of the [[Gornji Grad - Medveščak|Gornji Grad]] is dominated by the [[Gothic Architecture|Gothic]] [[St. Mark's Church, Zagreb|church of St. Mark]], that was built at the end of the fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth century. A late [[Baroque]] bell tower was added later.  
Zagreb was chosen as the seat of the [[History of Croatia|Croatian viceroys]] in 1621. At the invitation of the [[Croatian Parliament]] the [[Jesuits]] came to Zagreb and built the first grammar school, the St. Catherine's Church and monastery. In 1669, Jesuits founded an [[Zagreb University|academy]] where philosophy, theology and law were taught.  
 
  
Fire and the plague devastated Zagreb during the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1776, the royal council (government) moved from [[Varaždin]] to Zagreb and during the reign of [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Joseph II]] (1741-1790), Zagreb became the headquarters of the [[Varaždin]] and [[Karlovac]] general command.<ref name=zageb_17th>{{cite web
+
Fighting ensued between the Zagreb diocese and the free sovereign town of Gradec for land and mills, sometimes also for political reasons. Zagreb was chosen as the seat of the Croatian viceroys in 1621. At the invitation of the [[Croatian Parliament]], the [[Jesuit]]s came to Zagreb and built the first grammar school, the Saint Catherine's Church and [[monastery]]. In 1669, Jesuits founded the Zagreb University where [[philosophy]], [[theology]], and law were taught.  
|url=http://www.hrt.hr/arhiv/hrvati_u_svijetu/upoznajte_hrvatsku/03_glavni_grad_hrvatske/zagreb_eng.html
 
|title=Zagreb 17th and 18th century history
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref>
 
  
 +
[[Fire]] and the [[plague]] devastated Zagreb during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In 1776, the royal council (government) moved from [[Varaždin]] to Zagreb and during the reign of [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Joseph II]] (1741-1790), Zagreb became the headquarters of the Varaždin and [[Karlovac]] general command.
  
In the 19th century, Zagreb was the center of the [[Illyrian movement|Croatian National Revival]] and saw the erection of important cultural and historic institutions. In 1850, the town was united under its first [[mayor]] - [[Janko Kamauf]].<ref name=zageb_early>{{cite web
+
In the nineteenth century, Zagreb was the center of the [[Illyrian movement|Croatian National Revival]] and saw the erection of important cultural and historic institutions. In 1850, the town was united under its first [[mayor]], [[Janko Kamauf]].
|url=http://www.hrt.hr/arhiv/hrvati_u_svijetu/upoznajte_hrvatsku/03_glavni_grad_hrvatske/zagreb_eng.html
 
|title=Early Zagreb history
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref>
 
  
The first [[railway]] line to connect Zagreb with [[Zidani Most]] and [[Sisak]] was opened in 1862, and in 1863 a [[gasworks]] opened there. The Zagreb [[waterworks]] was opened in 1878 and the first horse-drawn [[tram]]car was used in 1891. The construction of the [[railway]] lines enabled the old suburbs to merge gradually into [[Donji Grad]], characterized by a regular block pattern that prevails in [[Central European]] cities. This bustling core hosts many imposing buildings, monuments, and parks as well as a multitude of museums, theaters and cinemas. An [[Power station|electric power plant]] was erected in 1907 and development flourished 1880–1914 after the earthquake in Zagreb when the town received the characteristic layout it has today.  
+
The first [[railway]] line to connect Zagreb with [[Zidani Most]] and [[Sisak]] was opened in 1862, and in 1863, a [[gasworks]] opened there. The Zagreb [[waterworks]] was opened in 1878, and the first horse-drawn [[tram]]car was used in 1891. The construction of railway lines enabled the old suburbs to merge into [[Donji Grad]], a district located in the central part of Zagreb, which was characterized by a regular block pattern that prevails in [[Central Europea]]n cities. An [[Power station|electric power plant]] was erected in 1907.  
  
Before [[World War I]] (1914-1918), the city expanded and neighborhoods like [[Stara Peščenica]] in the east and [[Črnomerec]] in the west were created. After the war, working-class quarters emerged between the railway and the [[Sava]], whereas the construction of residential quarters on the hills of the southern slopes of [[Medvednica]] was completed between the two [[World Wars]].
+
Before [[World War I]] (1914-1918), the city expanded and neighborhoods like [[Stara Peščenica]] in the east and [[Črnomerec]] in the west were created. After the war, working-class quarters emerged between the railway and the [[Sava]], whereas the construction of residential quarters on the hills of the southern slopes of [[Medvednica]] was completed between the two World Wars.
  
In October 1918, the Croatian Diet, meeting in Zagreb, cut ties with Austria-Hungary and proclaimed the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia).  
+
In October 1918, the Croatian Diet, meeting in Zagreb, cut ties with [[Austria-Hungary]] and proclaimed the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]]).  
In the 1920s the population of Zagreb went up by 70 percent — the largest demographic boom in the history of Zagreb. In 1926, the first [[radio station]] in the region began broadcasting out of Zagreb, and in 1947 the Zagreb Fair was opened.<ref name=zageb_19to20>{{cite web
+
In the 1920s, the population of Zagreb rose by 70 percent—the largest demographic boom in the history of Zagreb. In 1926, the first [[radio]] station in the region began broadcasting out of Zagreb, and in 1947, the Zagreb Fair was opened.
|url=http://www.hrt.hr/arhiv/hrvati_u_svijetu/upoznajte_hrvatsku/03_glavni_grad_hrvatske/zagreb_eng.html
 
|title=Zagreb 19th to 20th century history
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref>
 
In [[World War II]] (1939-1945), Zagreb became capital of the Nazi puppet [[Independent State of Croatia]], with the Croatian radical right Ustaše in power. Following the pattern of other fascist regimes in Europe, the Ustashi enacted racial laws, formed eight concentration camps targeting minority Serbs, Romas and Jewish populations.
 
  
Yugoslav Partisans under [[Josip Broz Tito]] (1892-1980) freed the city in May 1945, and after World War II, Croatia belonged to the six-part Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. Under the new communist system, privately owned factories and estates were nationalized, and the economy was based on a type of planned market socialism. In Zagreb, the area between the railway and the [[Sava]] river underwent a construction boom. After the mid-1950s, construction of new residential areas south of the [[Sava]] river began, resulting in [[Novi Zagreb]] (New Zagreb). The city also expanded westward and eastward, incorporating [[Dubrava, Zagreb|Dubrava]], Podsused, [[Jarun]], Blato, and other settlements.
+
In [[World War II]] (1939-1945), Zagreb became capital of the Nazi puppet [[Independent State of Croatia]], with the Croatian radical right Ustaše in power. The Ustaše enacted racial laws, formed eight [[concentration camp]]s targeting minority Serbs, [[Roma]]s and [[Jew]]ish populations.
  
The cargo railway hub and the international airport [[Pleso]] were built south of the [[Sava (river)|Sava]] river. The largest [[industrial zone]] (Žitnjak) in the southeast represents an extension of the industrial zones on the eastern outskirts of the city, between the river [[Sava]] and Prigorje region.
+
Yugoslav Partisans under [[Josip Broz Tito]] (1892-1980) freed the city in May 1945, and after World War II, Croatia belonged to the six-part Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. Privately owned factories and estates were nationalized, and the economy was based on a type of planned market [[socialism]]. In Zagreb, the area between the railway and the [[Sava River]] underwent a construction boom. After the mid-1950s, construction of new residential areas south of the Sava began, resulting in [[Novi Zagreb]] (New Zagreb). The city also expanded westward and eastward, incorporating [[Dubrava, Zagreb|Dubrava]], Podsused, [[Jarun]], Blato, and other settlements.
  
In 1987 Zagreb hosted the [[Universiade]].<ref name=zageb_mod>{{cite web
+
During the 1991-1995 [[Croatian War of Independence]], the city was the scene of some sporadic fighting surrounding its [[JNA]] [[army barracks]], but escaped major damage. In May 1995, it was targeted by Serb rocket artillery in the [[Zagreb rocket attack]] that killed seven civilians.
|url=http://www.hrt.hr/arhiv/hrvati_u_svijetu/upoznajte_hrvatsku/03_glavni_grad_hrvatske/zagreb_eng.html
 
|title=Zagreb modern history
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref>
 
  
In 1991, it became the capital of the country following secession from [[Second Yugoslavia]]. During the 1991-1995 [[Croatian War of Independence]], it was a scene of some sporadic fighting surrounding its [[JNA]] [[army barracks]], but escaped major damage. In May 1995, it was targeted by Serb rocket artillery in the [[Zagreb rocket attack]] that killed seven civilians.
+
==Government==
  
 +
[[Croatia]] is a parliamentary [[democracy]] in which the president, who is chief of state, is elected by popular vote for a five-year term, and is eligible for a second term. The prime minister is head of government, who, as leader of the majority party, is appointed by the president and approved by the assembly. The unicameral assembly, or ''Sabor,'' comprises 153 members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms.
  
 +
The city of Zagreb, as the capital of [[Croatia]], has special status and is the administrative center of Zagreb city and Zagreb county. Croatia has 20 counties ''(županijas)''. Zagreb city administration comprises the directly elected 51-member city assembly, as well as the 11-member executive body, elected by the assembly. The mayor is the head of city government and has two deputies.
  
{{Panorama simple
+
The city administrative bodies comprises 12 city offices, three city bureaus and three city services. They are responsible to the mayor and the city government. Local government is organized in 17 [[city district]]s represented by City District Councils.
|image      = Image:Zagreb panorama2.jpg
 
|fullwidth  = 16830
 
|fullheight = 1210
 
|caption    = 360-degree [[Panorama|panoramic]] picture of Zagreb.
 
|height    = 200
 
}}
 
  
==Government==
+
== Economy ==
[[Image:HNB2.jpg|right|thumb|right|250px|Croatian National Bank ([[Croatian National Bank|HNB]])]]
 
Croatia is a parliamentary democracy in which the president is chief of state, and is elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term). The prime minister is head of government, who, as leader of the majority party, is appointed by the president and approved by the Assembly. The unicameral Assembly, or ''Sabor'', comprises 153 members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms.
 
  
The city of Zagreb, as the capital of [[Croatia]], has special status, and is the administrative centre of Zagreb city and Zagreb county. [[Croatia]] has 20 counties (''županijas''). Zagreb city administration comprises the directly elected 51-member city assembly, as well as the 11-member executive body, elected by the assembly. The mayor is the head of city government and has two deputies.
+
[[Image:Zrtava fasizma.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Trg Žrtava Fašizma (Victims of Fascism Square)]]
  
The city administrative bodies comprises 12 city offices, three city bureaus and three city services. They are responsible to the mayor and the city government. Local government is organized in 17 [[city district]]s represented by City District Councils.
+
Once one of the wealthiest of the Yugoslav republics, Croatia's economy suffered during the 1991-95 [[war]] as output collapsed and the country missed the early waves of investment in [[Central Europe|Central]] and [[Eastern Europe]] that followed the fall of the [[Berlin Wall]]. Since 2000, Croatia's economic fortunes have begun to improve, led by a rebound in [[tourism]] and credit-driven consumer spending. A high [[unemployment]] rate (of 11.8 percent in 2007), a growing trade deficit, and uneven regional development pose challenges.
  
== Economy ==
+
Zagreb is Croatia’s main industrial center, an international trade and business center, as well as a transport crossroad of [[Central Europe|Central]] and [[East Europe]]. Companies in Zagreb created 52 percent of total turnover and 60 percent of total profit of Croatia in 2006 as well as 37 percent of Croatian exports.<ref>{{hr icon}} ''Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Zagreb Chamber of Commerce,'' [http://www.zg.hgk.hr/pg006.html Economic Profile of Zagreb Chamber of Commerce.] Retrieved October 2, 2008. </ref>
[[Image:Zrtava fasizma.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Trg Žrtava Fašizma (Victims of Fascism Square)]]
 
[[Image:Esplanade25.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Hotel Esplanade/Regent]]
 
[[Image:Ljubljanska.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Zagrebačka Avenue.]]
 
Once one of the wealthiest of the Yugoslav republics, Croatia's economy suffered during the 1991-95 war as output collapsed and the country missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since 2000, Croatia's economic fortunes have begun to improve, led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. A high unemployment rate, a growing trade deficit, and uneven regional development pose challenges.
 
  
Zagreb is Croatia’s main industrial centre, an international trade and business center, as well as a transport crossroad of [[Central Europe|Central]] and [[East Europe]]. Companies in Zagreb create 52 percent of total turnover and 60 percent of total profit of Croatia in 2006 as well as 37 percent of Croatian exports.<ref>{{hr icon}} {{cite web
+
The city of Zagreb has the highest nominal [[GDP]] per capita in Croatia of US$14,480, compared to the 2004 Croatian average of US$8024.<ref name=zagreb_stat> ''Croatian Bureau of Statistics''. February 22, 2007. [http://www.dzs.hr/Eng/Publication/2007/12-1-2_1e2007.htm Gross Domestic Product for Republic of Croatia and Counties, 2004.] Retrieved October 2, 2008. </ref> In 2006, the average [[unemployment]] rate in Zagreb was around 8.6 percent, compared with a national rate of around 11 percent.
|url=http://www.zg.hgk.hr/pg006.html
 
|title=Economic Profile of Zagreb Chamber of Commerce
 
|publisher=Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Zagreb Chamber of Commerce
 
|accessdate=2008-01-25
 
}}</ref> The city of Zagreb has the highest nominal [[GDP]] per capita in Croatia of US$14,480, compared to the 2004 Croatian average of US$8024.<ref name=zagreb_stat>
 
{{Citation
 
  |title=Gross Domestic Product for Republic of Croatia and Counties, 2004
 
  |journal=First Release
 
  |issue=12.1.2.
 
  |publisher=Croatian Bureau of Statistics
 
  |date=2007-02-22
 
  |year=XLIV
 
  |url=http://www.dzs.hr/Eng/Publication/2007/12-1-2_1e2007.htm
 
  | issn = 1334-0565
 
  |accessdate=2008-01-25
 
}}</ref> In 2006 the average [[unemployment]] rate in Zagreb was around 8.6 percent.
 
  
 
About 34 percent of companies in Croatia have headquarters in Zagreb, and 38.4 percent of Croatian workforce works in Zagreb, including almost all banks, utility and public transport companies.
 
About 34 percent of companies in Croatia have headquarters in Zagreb, and 38.4 percent of Croatian workforce works in Zagreb, including almost all banks, utility and public transport companies.
  
Local reserves of petroleum and natural gas are the basis of the city's [[Chemical industry|chemical]] industry. Other products include heavy machinery, rolling stock, electric machinery, [[pharmaceutical]]s, cement, newsprint, footwear, [[Textile industry|textile]]s, [[Food industry|food and drink]] processing.
+
Local reserves of [[petroleum]] and [[natural gas]] are the basis of the city's [[chemical]] industry. Other products include heavy machinery, rolling stock, electric machinery, [[pharmaceutical]]s, [[cement]], newsprint, footwear, [[textile]]s, as well as [[Food industry|food and drink]] processing.  
 
 
Zagreb is an important tourist center, not only in terms of passengers travelling from Western and Central Europe to the Adriatic Sea, but also as a travel destination itself. Since the end of the [[History of modern Croatia|war]], it has attracted around half a million visitors annually, mainly from [[Austria]], [[Germany]] and [[Italy]]. However, the city has even greater potential as many tourists who visit Croatia skip Zagreb in order to visit the beaches along the Croatian [[Adriatic]] coast and old historic [[Renaissance]] cities such as [[Dubrovnik]], [[Split]], and [[Zadar]].
 
 
 
Zagreb is an important hub of roads and rail lines from [[Europe]] to the [[Adriatic Sea]] and the [[Balkans]]. The city has an [[avenue]] network with several main arteries up to ten lanes wide and [[Zagreb bypass]], a congested four-lane [[highway]] encircling most of the city. There is much [[congestion]] in the city center during the [[rush hour]] and a daytime parking problem. As of 2007, Zagreb has seven road traffic bridges across the [[Sava|river Sava]].
 
  
[[Public transportation]] in the city is organized in two layers: the inner parts of the city are mostly covered by [[tram]]s and the outer suburbs are linked with [[bus]]es.  The [[funicular]] (''uspinjača'') in the historic part of the city is a tourist attraction. [[Taxicab|Taxis]] are readily available with the prices somewhat higher than in other cities of the region.
+
Zagreb is an important [[tourism|tourist]] center, not only in terms of passengers traveling from Western and Central Europe to the [[Adriatic Sea]], but also as a travel destination itself. Since the end of the [[war]] (1991-1995), it has attracted approximately half a million visitors annually, mainly from [[Austria]], [[Germany]] and [[Italy]]. However, the city has even greater potential as many tourists who visit Croatia skip Zagreb in order to visit the beaches along the Croatian Adriatic coast and old historic [[Renaissance]] cities such as [[Dubrovnik]], [[Split]], and [[Zadar]].
  
As of 1992, the state rail operator HŽ (''Hrvatske željeznice'', Croatian Railways) has been developing a network of suburban trains in metropolitan Zagreb area.
+
Zagreb is an important hub of [[road]]s and rail lines from [[Europe]] to the [[Adriatic Sea]] and the [[Balkans]]. The city has an [[avenue]] network with several main arteries up to 10 lanes wide, and the [[Zagreb bypass]], a congested four-lane [[highway]] encircling most of the city. There is much [[congestion]] in the city center during the [[rush hour]] and a daytime parking problem. As of 2007, Zagreb had seven road traffic bridges across the [[Sava|river Sava]]. [[Public transport]] in the inner parts of the city is covered by [[tram]]s, and the outer suburbs are linked with [[bus]]es.  
  
Zagreb Airport {{airport codes|ZAG|LDZA}}, known as 'Pleso Airport' is the main Croatian international airport, a 20km drive southeast of Zagreb in the suburb of [[Pleso]]. Zagreb also has a second, smaller airport, [[Lučko]] {{airport codes|2=LDZL}}. It is home to sports airplanes and a Croatian special police unit, as well as being a military helicopter airbase.
+
Zagreb Airport is the main Croatian international airport, and is located in the suburb of [[Pleso]], a 20 km drive southeast of Zagreb, while [[Lučko]] is a second, smaller airport, which is home to sports airplanes, a Croatian special police unit, and a military helicopter airbase.
  
 
== Demographics ==
 
== Demographics ==
[[Image:Panorama view of Zagreb.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Zagreb - night view of the city lights]]
+
[[Image:Panorama view of Zagreb.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Zagreb - night view of the city lights]]
[[Image:klasicnagimnazija.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Classical Gymnasium in Zagreb]].]]
+
Zagreb is the only [[Croatia]]n city whose metropolitan [[population]] exceeds one million people. There were 1,088,841 people in the Zagreb metropolitan area in 2006, which included the smaller cities of [[Samobor]], [[Velika Gorica]] and [[Zaprešić]]. A total of 784,900 lived in the city proper in 2006, according to government estimates.<ref name=zg_census>{{hr_icon}} ''City of Zagreb, City Institute for Urban Planning, Statistics Department,'' October 26, 2007, [http://www.zagreb.hr/UserDocsImages/Vitalna%20statistika%20u%202006..doc Vital Statistics in 2006.] Retrieved October 2, 2008.</ref>  
Zagreb is the only Croatian city whose metropolitan population exceeds one million people. There were 1,088,841 people in the Zagreb metropolitan area in 2006, which includes the smaller cities of [[Samobor]], [[Velika Gorica]] and [[Zaprešić]]. A total of 784,900 live in the city proper in 2006, according to government estimates.<ref name=zg_census>{{hr_icon}}{{Citation
 
  |last=
 
  |first=
 
  | author-link =
 
  | last2 =
 
  | first2 =
 
  | author2-link =
 
  |title=Vital Statistics in 2006
 
  |journal=First Release
 
  |volume=
 
  |issue=
 
  |publisher=City of Zagreb, City Institute for Urban Planning, Statistics Department
 
  |pages=
 
  |date=2007-10-26
 
  |year=
 
  |url=http://www.zagreb.hr/UserDocsImages/Vitalna%20statistika%20u%202006..doc
 
  | issn =
 
  |accessdate=2008-08-29
 
  |doi=
 
  |id=}}</ref> The majority of its citizens are [[Croats]] making up 91.94% of the city's population (2001 census). The same census records 40,066 residents belonging to [[ethnic minorities]]. Such ethnic minorities comprise: 18,811 [[Serbs]] (2.41 percent), 6204 [[Bosniaks]] (0.80 percent),  4030 [[Muslims by nationality]] (0.52 percent), 3389 [[Albanians]] (0.43 percent), 3225 [[Slovenes]] (0.41 percent), 1946 [[Roma People|Roma]] (0.25 percent), 1131 [[Montenegrins]] (0.17 percent), 1,315 [[Macedonians (ethnic group)|Macedonians]] (0.17 percent), together with other smaller minor ethnic communities.<ref name=zageb_ethnic>{{cite web
 
|url=http://www.dzs.hr/Eng/censuses/Census2001/Popis/E01_02_02/E01_02_02_zup22.html
 
|title=Zagreb ethnic minorities (Census 2001)
 
|accessdate=2007-01-20}}</ref>
 
 
 
Languages spoken include Croatian 96.1 percent, Serbian 1 percent, other and undesignated 2.9 percent (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German).
 
 
 
The [[Archdiocese of Zagreb]] is a [[metropolitan see]] of the [[Catholic Church in Croatia]], serving as its religious center. The city is also the [[Episcopal see]] of the Metropolitan of Zagreb, Ljubljana and all of Italy of the [[Serbian Orthodox Church]], and [[Islam in Croatia|Islamic religious organization of Croatia]] has the see in Zagreb. The 2001 census shows that Roman Catholics make up 87.8 percent of the population, Orthodox 4.4 percent, other Christian 0.4 percent, Muslim 1.3 percent, other and unspecified 0.9 percent, none 5.2 percent.
 
 
 
The University of Zagreb (founded in 1669) is one of the the oldest universities in southeastern Europe, and is one of five public higher education institution and nine private professional higher education schools. Zagreb is the home of the oldest [[secondary school]] in Croatia and the southeastern part of Europe - the Zagreb Classical Gymnasium (Klasična gimnazija). It was founded by the [[Society of Jesus]] in 1607 and has operated continuously ever since. The school was bombed on [[May 2]] [[1995]] during the bombing of Zagreb in the [[Croatian war of independence]].
 
 
 
==Of interest==
 
The historical part of the city to the north of [[Ban Jelačić Square]] is composed of the [[Gradec, Zagreb|Gornji Grad]] and [[Kaptol, Zagreb|Kaptol]], a medieval urban complex of churches, palaces, museums, galleries and government buildings that are popular with tourists on sightseeing tours. The historic district can be reached on foot, starting from Jelačić Square, the center of Zagreb, or by a [[funicular]] on nearby Tomićeva Street.
 
 
 
===Museums===
 
Zagreb's numerous [[museum]]s reflect the history, art and culture not only of Zagreb and Croatia, but also of Europe and the world. Around thirty collections in museums and galleries comprise more than 3.6 million various exhibits, excluding church and private collections.
 
 
 
'''Archeological Museum'''
 
 
 
The [[Archaeology|Archaeological]] Museum (19 Nikola Šubić Zrinski Square) collections, today consisting of nearly 400,000 varied artifacts and monuments, have been gathered over the years from many different sources. These holdings include evidence of Croatian presence in the area.<ref name=zageb_archeo> {{cite web
 
|url=http://www.amz.hr/eng/page.asp?id=muzej&sub=2&url=povijest
 
|title=The History and Activities of the Archeological Museum
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref> The most famous are the Egyptian collection, the [[Zagreb mummy]] and bandages with the oldest [[Old Italic alphabet|Etruscan]] inscription in the world (''[[Liber Linteus]] Zagrabiensis''), as well as the [[coin collecting|numismatic]] collection.
 
 
 
'''Croatian Natural History Museum'''
 
 
 
The Croatian Natural History Museum (1 Demetrova Street) holds one of the world's most important collection of [[Neanderthal]] remains found at one site. <ref name=zageb_nat> {{cite web
 
|url=http://www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr/?id=94&l=e&nav=nav5&solo=270
 
|title=Croatian Natural History Museum
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref> These are the remains, stone weapons and tools of prehistoric ''[[Krapina]] man''. The holdings of the Croatian Natural History Museum comprise more than 250,000 specimens distributed among various different collections.
 
 
 
'''Museum of Technology '''
 
 
 
The Museum of Technology (18 Savska Street) was founded in 1954 and it maintains the oldest preserved machine in the area, dating from 1830, which is still operational. The museum exhibits numerous historic aircraft, cars, machinery and equipment. There are some distinct sections in the museum: the Planetarium, the Apisarium, the Mine (model of mines for coal, iron and non-ferrous metals, about 300 m long), and the [[Nikola Tesla]] study.<ref name=zageb_tech> {{cite web
 
|url=http://www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr/?id=94&l=e&nav=nav5&solo=291
 
|title=Tehnical Museum
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref>
 
 
 
'''Museum of the City of Zagreb'''
 
 
 
The Museum of the City of Zagreb (20 Opatička Street) was established in 1907 by the Association of the Braća Hrvatskog Zmaja. It is located in a restored monumental complex (Popov toranj, the Observatory, Zakmardi Granary) of the former Convent of the Poor Clares, of 1650.<ref name=zageb_citymus> {{cite web
 
|url=http://www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr/?id=94&l=e&nav=nav5&solo=272
 
|title=Museum of the City of Zagreb
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref> The Museum deals with topics from the cultural, artistic, economic and political history of the city spanning from Roman finds to the modern period. The holdings comprise 75,000 items arranged systematically into collections of artistic and mundane objects characteristic of the city and its history.
 
 
 
'''Arts and Crafts Museum'''
 
 
 
The Arts and Crafts Museum (10 Marshal Tito Square) was founded in 1880 with the intention of preserving the works of art and craft against the new predominance of industrial products. With its 160,000 exhibits, the Arts and Crafts Museum is a national-level museum for artistic production and the history of material culture in Croatia.<ref name=zageb_artsandcrafts> {{cite web
 
|url=http://www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr/?id=94&l=e&nav=nav5&solo=278
 
|title=Arts and Crafts Museum
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref>
 
 
 
'''Ethnographic Museum'''
 
 
 
The [[Ethnography|Ethnographic]] Museum (14 Ivan Mažuranić Square) was founded in 1919. It lies in the fine Secession building of the one-time Trades Hall of 1903. The ample holdings of about 80,000 items cover the ethnographic heritage of Croatia, classified in the three cultural zones: the Pannonian, Dinaric and Adriatic.<ref name=zageb_ethnographic> {{cite web
 
|url=http://www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr/?id=94&l=e&nav=nav5&solo=263
 
|title=Ethnographic Museum
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref>
 
 
 
'''Mimara Museum'''
 
 
 
[[Image:Mimara2.jpg|right|thumb|270px|[[Mimara Museum]] at night]]
 
{{main|Mimara Museum}}
 
The museum called the "Art Collection of Ante and Wiltrud Topić Mimara" or, for short, the [[Mimara]] Museum (5 Roosevelt Square), was founded with a donation from Ante "Mimara" Topić and opened to the public in 1987. It is located in a late 19th century neo-Renaissance palace.<ref name=zageb_mim> {{cite web
 
|url=http://www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr/?id=94&l=e&nav=nav5&solo=275
 
|title=Mimara Museum
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref>
 
The holdings comprise 3,750 works of art of various techniques and materials, and different cultures and civilisations.
 
 
 
'''Croatian Naïve Art Museum'''
 
 
 
The Croatian Naïve Art Museum (works by Croatian primitivists at 3 Ćirilometodska Street) is considered to be the first museum of naïve art in the world. {{Fact|date=February 2008}} The museum keeps works of Croatian naïve expression of the 20th century. It is located in the 18th century Raffay Palace in the [[Gornji Grad - Medveščak|Gornji Grad]].
 
The museum holdings consist of 1500 works of art - paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints, mainly by Croatians but also by other well-known world artists.<ref name=zagreb_naïve> {{cite web
 
|url=http://www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr/?id=94&l=e&nav=nav5&solo=267
 
|title=Croatian Naïve Art Museum
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref> From time to time, the museum organizes topics and retrospective exhibitions by naïve artists, expert meetings and educational workshops and playrooms.
 
 
 
'''Museum of Contemporary Art'''
 
 
 
The Museum of Contemporary Art was founded in 1954 and a rich collection of Croatian and foreign contemporary visual art has been collected throughout the decades. The Museum (2 St. Catherine's Square) is located in a space within the Kulmer Palace in the [[Gornji Grad - Medveščak|Gornji Grad]]. A new Museum building in Novi Zagreb has been under construction since 2003.<ref name=zagreb_contemporary> {{cite web
 
|url=http://www.msu.hr/msuinfo_e.htm
 
|title=The Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref> The Museum's permanent art collection will be presented to the public when it moves into its new building planned for 2007.
 
 
 
'''Other museums and galleries'''
 
 
 
Valuable historical collections are also found in the Croatian [[School]] Museum, the Croatian [[Hunting]] Museum, the Croatian [[Sports]] Museum, the Croatian Post and [[Telecommunications]] Museum, the HAZU ([[Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts]]) Glyptotheque (collection of monuments), and the HAZU Graphics Cabinet.
 
 
 
The [[Josip Juraj Strossmayer|Strossmayer's]] Old Masters Gallery (11 Zrinski Square) offers permanent holdings presenting European paintings from the 14th to 19th centuries,<ref name=zageb_stross> {{cite web
 
|url=http://www.mdc.hr/strossmayer/eng/povijest.html
 
|title=About Strossmayer's Old Masters Gallery
 
|accessdate=2006-07-02
 
}}</ref> and the [[Ivan Mestrovic|Ivan Meštrović]] Studio, (8 Mletačka Street) with sculptures, drawings, lithography portfolios and other items, was a donation of this great artist to his homeland The Museum and Gallery Center (4 Jesuit Square) introduces on various occasions the Croatian and foreign cultural and artistic heritage. The [[Art Pavilion]] (22 King Tomislav Square) by Viennese architects Hellmer and Fellmer who were the most famous designers of theaters in Central Europe is a neo-classical exhibition complex and one of the landmarks of the downtown. The exhibitions are also held in the impressive [[Ivan Mestrovic|Meštrović]] building on Zrtava Fašizma Square &mdash; the Home of Croatian [[Fine Art]]ists. The World Center "Wonder of Croatian Naïve Art" (12 [[Ban Jelačić Square]]) exhibits masterpieces of Croatian naïve art as well as the works of a new generation of artists. The Modern Gallery (1 Hebrangova Street) comprises all relevant fine artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
 
 
 
=== Other cultural sites and events ===
 
 
 
[[Image:HNK Zagreb.jpg|right|thumb|270px|[[Croatian National Theater]] (HNK)]]
 
[[Image:Koncertna dvorana Vatroslav Lisinski.jpg|left|thumb|200px|[[Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall]] ]]
 
There are about 20 permanent or seasonal theaters and stages. The [[Croatian National Theater in Zagreb]] was built in 1895 and opened by emperor [[Franz Joseph I of Austria]]. The most renowned [[concert hall]] is named "[[Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall|Vatroslav Lisinski]]", after the composer of the first Croatian opera was built in 1973.
 
 
 
''[[Animafest]]'', the World Festival of [[Animated Film]]s, takes place every even-numbered year, and the ''[[Music Bienniale]]'', the international festival of [[avant-garde music]], every odd-numbered year. It also hosts the annual ''[[ZagrebDox]]'' [[documentary film]] festival. The ''Festival of the Zagreb [[orchestra|Philharmonic]]'' and the flowers exhibition ''[[Floraart]]'' (end of May or beginning of June), the ''[[vintage car|Old-timer]] [[rallying|Rally]]'' annual events. In the summer, theater performances and concerts, mostly in the Upper Town, are organized either indoors or outdoors. The stage on Opatovina hosts the ''[[Zagreb Histrionic Summer]]'' theater events.
 
 
 
Zagreb is also the host of ''[[Zagrebfest]]'', the oldest Croatian [[pop music|pop-music]] [[music festival|festival]], as well as of several traditional international sports events and tournaments. The ''Day of the City of Zagreb'' on the [[November 16]] is celebrated every year with special festivities, especially on the [[Jarun]] lake near the southwestern part of the city.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
== Surroundings ==
 
 
 
The wider Zagreb area has been continuously inhabited since the prehistoric period, as witnessed by archaeological findings in the Veternica cave from the [[Paleolithic]] and excavation of the remains of the Roman Andautonia near the present village of [[Ščitarjevo]].
 
 
 
The picturesque former villages on the slopes of Medvednica, [[Šestine]], [[Gračani]] and [[Remete]], maintain their rich [[tradition]]s, including folk costumes, Šestine [[umbrella]]s, and [[gingerbread]] products.
 
 
 
The [[Medvednica]] Mountain (''Zagrebačka gora''), with its highest peak [[Sljeme]] (1,033 m), provides a panoramic view of metropolitan Zagreb, the Sava and the [[Kupa]] valleys, and the region of [[Hrvatsko Zagorje]]. In mid-January 2005, Sljeme held its first World Ski Championship tournament.
 
 
 
From the summit, weather permitting, the vista reaches as far as [[Velebit]] Range along Croatia's rocky northern coast, as well as the snow-capped peaks of the towering [[Julian Alps]] in neighbouring [[Slovenia]]. There are several lodging villages, offering accommodation and restaurants for hikers. Skiers visit Sljeme, which has four ski-runs, three ski-lifts and a chairlift.
 
 
 
Old [[Medvedgrad]], the recently restored medieval [[burg]] built in the 13th century, represents a special attraction of Medvednica hill.  It overlooks the western part of the city and also has the ''Shrine of the Homeland'', a memorial with an eternal flame, where Croatia pays reverence to all its heroes fallen for [[homeland]] in its history, customarily on national holidays.  Travel agencies organize guided excursions to the surroundings as well as sightseeing in Zagreb itself.
 
 
 
=== Souvenirs and gastronomy ===
 
 
 
Numerous shops, boutiques, store houses and shopping centers offer a variety of quality clothing. Zagreb's offerings include [[crystal]], [[china]] and [[Pottery|ceramics]], [[wickerwork|wicker]] or [[straw]] baskets, and top-quality Croatian [[wine]]s and [[gastronomy|gastronomic]] products.
 
 
 
Notable Zagreb souvenirs are the [[necktie|tie]] or ''cravat'', an accessory named after Croats who wore characteristic scarves around their necks in the [[Thirty Years' War]] in the 17th century and the [[ball-point pen]], a tool developed from the inventions by [[Slavoljub Eduard Penkala]], an inventor and a citizen of Zagreb.
 
 
 
Many Zagreb restaurants offer various specialities of national and international cuisine. Domestic products which deserve to be tasted include turkey, [[duck]] or [[goose]] with ''[[mlinci]]'' (a kind of [[pasta]]), ''štrukli'' (cottage cheese [[strudel]]), ''sir i vrhnje'' ([[cottage cheese]] with cream), ''kremšnite'' ([[custard]] slices in flaky pastry), and ''orehnjača'' (traditional [[walnut#Nuts|walnut]] roll).
 
 
 
== Recreation and sports ==
 
=== Sport centers ===
 
 
 
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Zrinjevac112.JPG|right|thumb|270px|A look at the Zrinjevac park in the [[Donji Grad|downtown]]]] —>
 
There are several sports and recreational centers in Zagreb. Recreational Sports Center Jarun, situated on [[Jarun Lake]] in the southwest of the city, has fine shingle beaches, a world-class [[regatta]] course, a [[jogging]] lane around the lake, several restaurants, many night clubs and a [[discotheque]]. Its sports and recreation opportunities include swimming, sunbathing, waterskiing, angling and other water sports, but also [[beach volleyball]], football, basketball, handball, table tennis, and [[minigolf]].
 
 
 
[[Dom Sportova]], a sport center in northern [[Trešnjevka]] features six halls. The largest two can accommodate 12,000 and 4,000 people, respectively. This center is used for basketball, handball, volleyball, hockey, gymnastics, tennis, and many others. It is also used for concerts.
 
 
 
[[Zagreb Arena]] is going to be finished by the end of 2008. The construction started in July 2007. It will have 16,300 seats and it will be used for many sports and events.
 
 
 
The [[Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall]] seats 5,400 people. Alongside the hall is the {{convert|94|m|ft|sp=us|adj=on}} high glass [[Cibona Tower]].
 
 
 
[[Mladost (sports society)|Sports Park Mladost]], situated on the embankment of the Sava river, has an [[Olympic-size swimming pool]], smaller indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sunbathing terrace, 16 [[tennis]] courts as well as [[basketball]], [[volleyball]], [[team handball|handball]], [[soccer|football]] and [[field hockey]] courts. A volleyball sports hall is within the park.
 
 
 
[[Sports and Recreational Center Šalata]], located in [[Šalata]], only a couple hundred meters from the [[Jelačić Square]], is most attractive for tennis players. It comprises a big tennis court and eight smaller ones, two of which are covered by the so-called "balloon", and another two equipped with lights. The center also has swimming pools, basketball courts, football fields, a gym and fitness center, and a four-lane [[bowling]] alley. Outdoor ice skating is a popular winter recreation. There are also several fine restaurants within and near the center.
 
 
 
[[Maksimir Tennis Center]], located in [[Ravnice]] east of [[Donji Grad|downtown]], consists of two sports blocks. The first comprises a tennis center situated in a large tennis hall with four courts. There are 22 outdoor tennis courts with lights. The other block offers multipurpose sports facilities: apart from tennis courts, there are handball, basketball and [[indoor soccer|indoor football]] grounds, as well as track and field facilities, a [[bocce|bocci ball]] alley and [[table tennis]] opportunities.
 
  
Recreational swimmers can enjoy a smaller-size indoor swimming pool in Daničićeva Street, and a newly opened indoor Olympic-size pool at [[Utrine, Zagreb|Utrine]] sports center in Novi Zagreb. Skaters can skate in the skating rink on Trg Sportova (Sports Square) and on the lake Jarun Skaters' park. [[Hippodrome]] Zagreb offers recreational [[horseback riding]] opportunities, while horse races are held every weekend during the warmer part of the year.
+
Most citizens are [[Croats]], making up 91.94 percent of the city's population (2001 census). The same census records 40,066 residents belonging to [[ethnic minorities]]. These comprise: [[Serbs]] (2.41 percent), [[Bosniaks]] (0.80 percent), [[Muslims by nationality]] (0.52 percent), [[Albanians]] (0.43 percent), [[Slovenes]] (0.41 percent), [[Roma People|Roma]] (0.25 percent), [[Montenegrins]] (0.17 percent), [[Macedonians (ethnic group)|Macedonians]] (0.17 percent), together with other smaller minor ethnic communities.<ref name=zageb_ethnic>''Republic of Croatia—Central Bureau of Statistics,'' [http://www.dzs.hr/Eng/censuses/Census2001/Popis/E01_02_02/E01_02_02_zup22.html Population by Ethnicity, by Towns/Municipalities, Census 2001.] Retrieved October 2, 2008.</ref>
  
The 40,000-seat [[Maksimir Stadium]], currently under renovation, is located in [[Maksimir]] in the northeastern part of the city. Upon renovation, it will seat 55,000 spectators, and sport a fully retractable roof. The stadium is part of the immense Svetice recreational and sports complex (ŠRC Svetice), south of the [[Maksimir Park]]. The complex covers an area of {{convert|276440|m2|acre|0|sp=us|abbr=on}}. It is part of a significant Green Zone, which passes from Medvednica Mountains in the north toward the south. ŠRC Svetice, together with Maksimir Park, creates an ideal connection of areas which are assigned to sport, recreation and leisure.
+
[[Language]]s spoken include Croatian 96.1 percent, Serbian 1 percent, other and undesignated 2.9 percent (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German).  
  
The latest larger recreational facility is [[Bundek]], a group of two small lakes near the Sava in [[Novi Zagreb]], surrounded by a partly forested park. The location had been used prior to the 1970s, but then went to neglect until 2006 when it was renovated.
+
The [[Archdiocese of Zagreb]] is a [[metropolitan see]] of the [[Catholic Church]] in Croatia, serving as its religious center. The city is also the [[Episcopal see]] of the Metropolitan of Zagreb, and Islamic religious organization of Croatia has the see in Zagreb. The 2001 census shows that [[Roman Catholic]]s make up 87.8 percent of the population, Orthodox 4.4 percent, other [[Christian]] 0.4 percent, [[Muslim]] 1.3 percent, other and unspecified 0.9 percent, none 5.2 percent.  
  
 +
The University of Zagreb, founded in 1669, is one of five public higher [[education]] institutions and nine private professional higher education schools in the city. The Zagreb Classical Gymnasium (Klasična gimnazija) was founded by the [[Society of Jesus]] in 1607. The school was bombed on May 2, 1995.
  
 +
==Society and culture==
  
== Gallery ==
+
[[Image:HNK Zagreb.jpg|right|thumb|225px|[[Croatian National Theater]] (HNK)]]
  
<gallery>
+
Zagreb hosts [[Zagrebfest]], the oldest Croatian [[pop music|pop-music]] festival, as well as of several traditional international sports events and tournaments. The ''Day of the City of Zagreb'' on November 16, is celebrated every year with special festivities, especially on the [[Jarun]] lake near the southwestern section of the city.
Image:Zagreb trg bana Jelačića.jpg|Ban [[Josip Jelačić]] main square 
 
Image:Ban Jelacic Denkmal Zagreb.jpg|Statue of ban [[Josip Jelačić]]
 
Image:Manduševac1.jpg|Zdenac Manduševac on the ''Jelačić plac''
 
  
Image:King Tomislav.jpg|Statue of King [[Tomislav]]
+
The Recreational Sports Center Jarun, situated on [[Jarun Lake]], has shingle beaches, a world-class [[regatta]] course, a [[jogging]] lane around the lake, several restaurants, night clubs and a [[discotheque]]. [[Dom Sportova]], a sport center in northern [[Trešnjevka]], used for [[basketball]], [[handball]], [[volleyball]], [[hockey]], [[gymnastics]], and [[tennis]], features six halls—the largest two can accommodate 12,000 and 4,000 people, respectively.
<!-- Unsourced image removed: Image:ZagrebHZ.jpg|[[Croatian Railways]] building —>
 
Image:Zdenac života (Meštrović) 1.jpg|Zdenac života of [[Ivan Meštrović]] in front of HNK
 
Image:Zageb_Croatian National Theater.jpg|[[Croatian National Theater in Zagreb|Croatian National Theater]] (HNK)
 
  
Image:Muzej_Mimara.jpg|Mimara museum
+
Sports Park Mladost, situated on the embankment of the [[Sava River]], has an [[Olympic-size swimming pool]], smaller indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sunbathing terrace, 16 [[tennis]] courts as well as [[basketball]], [[volleyball]], [[team handball|handball]], [[soccer|football]] and [[field hockey]] courts. A volleyball sports hall is within the park.
Image:Leksikografski_Zavod_Miroslav_Krleža.jpg|Lexicographic institute 'Miroslav Krleža'
 
Image:Uspinjaca.jpg|Funicular (''Uspinjača'')
 
<!-- Unsourced image removed: Image:Tkalca2.jpg|Tkalčićeva street in the historic part of Zagreb -->
 
Image:View from th Upper Town (Zargeb).jpg|Zagreb Cathedral (View from [[Gornji Grad - Medveščak|Gornji Grad]])
 
Image:Zagreb skyline.jpg|The [[River Sava]]
 
Image:Zagreb sa Šalate.jpg|Zagreb viewed from [[Šalata]] neighborhood on a warm day
 
Image:Mblcnm.jpg|[[Neboder]]
 
Image:15830b9.jpg|[[Neboder]] as seen from the upper town
 
Image:Zagreb at night.jpg|Zagreb at night
 
</gallery>
 
  
[[Image:PetarPreradovicSquare.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Petar Preradović square, known among residents as "Cvjetni trg" (Flower Square)]]
+
The [[Sports and Recreational Center Šalata]] has a big tennis court and eight smaller ones, as well as swimming pools, basketball courts, football fields, a gym and fitness center, and a four-lane [[bowling]] alley.
[[Image:Zagreb SPOT 1038.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Satellite shoot of Zagreb]]
 
  
 +
===Places of interest===
 +
[[Gradec, Zagreb|Gornji Grad]] and [[Kaptol, Zagreb|Kaptol]], a medieval urban complex of churches, palaces, museums, galleries and government buildings, is popular with tourists. [[Animafest]], the World Festival of Animated Films, takes place in Zagreb every even-numbered year, and the [[Music Bienniale]], the international festival of [[avant-garde music]], every odd-numbered year. The city also hosts the annual [[ZagrebDox]] [[documentary film]] festival. There are about 20 permanent or seasonal theaters and stages in the city. Buildings and sites of interest include:
 +
* Zagreb Cathedral on [[Kaptol (Zagreb)|Kaptol]], which is arguably the most famous building in Zagreb. Construction began in 1093, Tatars destroyed it in 1242, it was fortified at the end of the 15th century, and damaged by [[earthquake]] in 1880.
 +
* Saint Mark’s Church, which was built as early as the 13th century, and radically reconstructed in the second half of the 14th century.
 +
* The Town Hall, at the corner of Saint Mark's Square, was the seat of the city administration in medieval times. The building has gone through a number of alterations, and today is still used for meetings of the Zagreb City Council.
 +
* The [[Josip Juraj Strossmayer|Strossmayer's]] Old Masters Gallery, which holds European paintings from the fourteenth to nineteenth centuries.
 +
* The Archaeological Museum, which has nearly 400,000 artifacts and monuments, including the [[Zagreb mummy]] and bandages with the oldest [[Old Italic alphabet|Etruscan]] inscription in the world ''([[Liber Linteus]] Zagrabiensis)''.
 +
* The Croatian Natural History Museum, which holds the remains, stone weapons, and tools of prehistoric [[Neanderthal]]  ''[[Krapina]] man''.
 +
* The Ethnographic Museum, which holds about 80,000 items covering the [[ethnography|ethnographic]] heritage of Croatia, classified in the three cultural zones: the Pannonian, Dinaric and Adriatic.
 +
* Old Medvedgrad, which is a restored medieval village built in the thirteenth century, and represents a special attraction of Medvednica hill.
  
 +
==Looking to the future==
 +
Zagreb has a rich heritage that will continue to attract increasing numbers of tourists. As the nation’s main industrial center, an international trade and business center, as well as a transport crossroad of [[Central Europe|Central]] and [[Eastern Europe]], Zagreb is well placed to continue as Croatia’s economic power house, especially as the troubled years of the break-up of [[Yugoslavia]] recede further into history.
 +
<center>
 +
{|
 +
|+
 +
|-
 +
| valign="top"|
 +
[[Image:Crkva sv Marka 0803.JPG|thumb|225px|Saint Mark's Church]]
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
</center>
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}
+
<references/>
*http://www.dzs.hr/Eng/censuses/Census2001/Popis/E01_03_10/E01_03_10.html
 
  
==Further reading==
+
==References==
* ''Zagreb''. 2007. Cityspots. Peterborough: Thomas Cook. ISBN 9781841577777  
+
* Blau, Eve, Ivan Rupnik, and Ivan Rogić Nehajev. 2007. ''Project Zagreb: Transition as Condition, Strategy, Practice''. Barcelona: Actar D. ISBN 9788496540576.
* Hawkesworth, Celia. 2008. ''Zagreb: a cultural history''. Cityscapes. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195327984
+
* CitySpots. 2007. ''Zagreb''. Peterborough: Thomas Cook. ISBN 9781841577777.
* Milčec, Zvonimir. 2007. Zagreb revisited. Zagreb: Ambrozija. ISBN 9789532016710
+
* Hawkesworth, Celia. 2008. ''Zagreb: A Cultural History''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195327984.
* Nazor, Ante. 2005. ''Zagreb. Cultural and historical heritage'', no. 3. Zagreb: Turisticka naklada d.o.o. ISBN 9789532152203
+
* Milčec, Zvonimir. 2007. ''Zagreb Revisited.'' Zagreb: Ambrozija. ISBN 9789532016710.
 +
* Nazor, Ante. 2005. ''Zagreb. Cultural and Historical Heritage.'' Zagreb: Turisticka naklada d.o.o. ISBN 9789532152203.
 +
* ''Republic of Croatia, Bureau of Statistics''. [http://www.dzs.hr/Eng/censuses/Census2001/Popis/E01_03_10/E01_03_10.html Population by Ethnicity.] Retrieved September 23, 2008.
 +
* ''World Fact Book''. 2008. Croatia.
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
{{commons|Zagreb}}
+
All links retrieved June 13, 2023.
* Encyclopaedia Britannica [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/172803/Dubrovnik#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=Dubrovnik%20—%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia.htm Dubrovnik] Retrieved September 17, 2008.
+
 
* World Fact Book 2008 [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/hr.html Croatia] Retrieved September 17, 2008.
+
* [http://www.zagreb-airport.hr/ Zagreb International airport]  
*  Photo galleries [http://www.fivestars.hr/photo_gallery/zagreb_ivo_pervan/ Moments in time - Zagreb] Retrieved September 19, 2008.
 
* [http://vlmp.museophile.org/croatia.html Museums in Croatia] Retrieved September 19, 2008.
 
* [http://www.croatia-official.com/Zagreb-picture-gallery.html Zagreb picture gallery] Croatia-official.com, retrieved September 19, 2008.
 
* [http://www.pictures-croatia.com/zagreb/ Zagreb pictures] Retrieved September 19, 2008.
 
* [http://www.zv.hr/index_en.html Zagreb Fair] Retrieved September 19, 2008.
 
* [http://www.zagreb-airport.hr/en/index.aspx Zagreb International airport] Retrieved September 19, 2008.
 
* Project Zagreb, ISBN 978-84-96540-57-6
 
  
 
[[Category:Geography]]
 
[[Category:Geography]]
 
[[Category:Cities]]
 
[[Category:Cities]]
 +
[[Category:Europe]]
  
{{credit|Zagreb|239028720|}}
+
{{credit2|Zagreb|239028720|History_of_Croatia|245300650}}

Latest revision as of 05:19, 13 June 2023

Zagreb
—  City  —
City of Zagreb
Grad Zagreb
Ban Jelačić Square
Ban Jelačić Square
Flag of Zagreb
Flag
Coat of arms of Zagreb
Coat of arms
Location of Zagreb within Croatia
Location of Zagreb within Croatia
Coordinates: 45°49′N 15°59′E
Country Croatia
County City of Zagreb
RC diocese 1094
Free royal city 1242
Unified 1850
Subdivisions 17 districts
70 settlements
Government
 - Type Mayor-Council
 - Mayor Milan Bandić
 - City Council
Area [1]
 - City 641 km² (247.5 sq mi)
 - Urban 162.22 km² (62.6 sq mi)
 - Metro 3,719 km² (1,435.9 sq mi)
Elevation [2] 158 m (518 ft)
Highest elevation 1,035 m (3,396 ft)
Lowest elevation 122 m (400 ft)
Population (2011)[3][4]
 - City 792,875
 - Density 1,236.9/km² (3,203.6/sq mi)
 - Urban 686,568
 - Urban Density 4,232.3/km² (10,961.7/sq mi)
 - Metro 1,110,517
 - Metro Density 298.6/km² (773.4/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code HR-10000
Area code(s) +385 1
Website: zagreb.hr

Zagreb is the capital city, and the cultural, scientific, and governmental center of the Republic of Croatia. It is regarded as the economic center of the Balkans. It is situated between the southern slopes of the Medvednica Mountain and both the northern and southern banks of the Sava River. The city grew out of the union of two medieval communities, Kaptol, an ecclesiastical settlement, on the east and Gradec, a fortress, on the west.

Croatia first appeared as a duchy in the seventh century and then as a kingdom in the tenth century. For the next ten centuries, it remained a distinct state with its own ruler (ban) and parliament, but obeyed the kings and emperors of various neighboring powers, primarily Hungary and Austria. Zagreb served as the cultural and political center of Croatia beginning in 925 during the Middle Ages. The period from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries was marked by bitter struggles with the Ottoman Empire. In the twentieth century, Austria attempted Germanization of the Croatian homeland. During the Croatian national revival in the nineteenth century, both the pan-Yugoslav and a Croatian independence movements were centered in Zagreb.

The city's favorable geographic position in the southwestern part of the Pannonian Basin, which extends to the Alpine, Dinaric, Adriatic, and Pannonic regions, provides an excellent hub for traffic between Central Europe and the Adriatic Sea and the Balkans. This, plus the concentration of industry, scientific, and research institutions, and an industrial tradition, underpin its leading economic position in the nation.

Geography

Satellite picture of Zagreb.

The name Zagreb most likely derives from the common Slavic word "zagrabiti" (English: to scoop). One legend about the origins of the name involves a thirsty woman who scooped water from Lake Manduševac. Another tells of a Croatian ban who thrust his saber into the ground and ordered his thirsty troops to scrape the soil to get to the water.

Zagreb is located between the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain and both northern and southern banks of the Sava river at an elevation of approximately 400 feet (122 meters) above sea level.

The climate of Zagreb is continental, with four separate seasons. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are cold. The average maximum daytime temperature in January is 37°F (3°C), rising to an average maximum of around 77°F (25°C) in July. The end of May, particularly, gets warm, with temperatures rising to the mid-80sºF (30°C) and up. Snowfall is common in winter, from December to March, and rain and fog are common in autumn (October to December). Mean annual precipitation is 35 inches (885 mm).

Zagreb’s old town comprises the upper settlement of Gradec, which was fortified in the thirteenth century to defend against the Tatars, and the ecclesiastical settlement of Kaptol, which was fortified in the sixteenth century against Ottoman Turks. These two towns joined in the 19th century and expanded with a rectilinear layout with numerous open squares, parks, and public buildings. Expansion continued from 1860 through the twentieth century. To the north of Medvednica Hill are forests, vineyards, old châteaus, and picturesque villages.

History

Burza square in the 1930s.
Ban Jelačić Square in 1880.
Old Ban Jelačić Square.

The wider Zagreb area has been continuously inhabited since the prehistoric period, as witnessed by archaeological findings in the Veternica cave from the Paleolithic and excavation of the remains of the Roman Andautonia near the present village of Ščitarjevo.

The city of Zagreb dates to 1094, when the Hungarian King Ladislaus (1040-1095) founded the Zagreb bishopric, a Roman Catholic diocese there. The bishopric known as the canonical settlement Kaptol developed north of the Cathedral, while the fortified settlement Gradec was established on the neighboring hill.

Both settlements came under attack from the Tatars in 1242. As a sign of gratitude for offering him a safe haven from the Tatars, the Croatian and Hungarian King Bela IV (1214-1270) made Gradec a free city, fortified the town and gave it a judicial system. King Bela IV deeded Gradec a cannon to seal the agreement with the condition that it be fired every day to avert rust. From January 1, 1877, the cannon is fired daily at Noon from the Lotrščak Tower on Grič to mark midday.

The main square of the Gornji Grad is dominated by the Gothic church of St. Mark, that was built at the end of the fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth century. A late Baroque bell tower was added later.

Fighting ensued between the Zagreb diocese and the free sovereign town of Gradec for land and mills, sometimes also for political reasons. Zagreb was chosen as the seat of the Croatian viceroys in 1621. At the invitation of the Croatian Parliament, the Jesuits came to Zagreb and built the first grammar school, the Saint Catherine's Church and monastery. In 1669, Jesuits founded the Zagreb University where philosophy, theology, and law were taught.

Fire and the plague devastated Zagreb during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In 1776, the royal council (government) moved from Varaždin to Zagreb and during the reign of Joseph II (1741-1790), Zagreb became the headquarters of the Varaždin and Karlovac general command.

In the nineteenth century, Zagreb was the center of the Croatian National Revival and saw the erection of important cultural and historic institutions. In 1850, the town was united under its first mayor, Janko Kamauf.

The first railway line to connect Zagreb with Zidani Most and Sisak was opened in 1862, and in 1863, a gasworks opened there. The Zagreb waterworks was opened in 1878, and the first horse-drawn tramcar was used in 1891. The construction of railway lines enabled the old suburbs to merge into Donji Grad, a district located in the central part of Zagreb, which was characterized by a regular block pattern that prevails in Central European cities. An electric power plant was erected in 1907.

Before World War I (1914-1918), the city expanded and neighborhoods like Stara Peščenica in the east and Črnomerec in the west were created. After the war, working-class quarters emerged between the railway and the Sava, whereas the construction of residential quarters on the hills of the southern slopes of Medvednica was completed between the two World Wars.

In October 1918, the Croatian Diet, meeting in Zagreb, cut ties with Austria-Hungary and proclaimed the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia). In the 1920s, the population of Zagreb rose by 70 percent—the largest demographic boom in the history of Zagreb. In 1926, the first radio station in the region began broadcasting out of Zagreb, and in 1947, the Zagreb Fair was opened.

In World War II (1939-1945), Zagreb became capital of the Nazi puppet Independent State of Croatia, with the Croatian radical right Ustaše in power. The Ustaše enacted racial laws, formed eight concentration camps targeting minority Serbs, Romas and Jewish populations.

Yugoslav Partisans under Josip Broz Tito (1892-1980) freed the city in May 1945, and after World War II, Croatia belonged to the six-part Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. Privately owned factories and estates were nationalized, and the economy was based on a type of planned market socialism. In Zagreb, the area between the railway and the Sava River underwent a construction boom. After the mid-1950s, construction of new residential areas south of the Sava began, resulting in Novi Zagreb (New Zagreb). The city also expanded westward and eastward, incorporating Dubrava, Podsused, Jarun, Blato, and other settlements.

During the 1991-1995 Croatian War of Independence, the city was the scene of some sporadic fighting surrounding its JNA army barracks, but escaped major damage. In May 1995, it was targeted by Serb rocket artillery in the Zagreb rocket attack that killed seven civilians.

Government

Croatia is a parliamentary democracy in which the president, who is chief of state, is elected by popular vote for a five-year term, and is eligible for a second term. The prime minister is head of government, who, as leader of the majority party, is appointed by the president and approved by the assembly. The unicameral assembly, or Sabor, comprises 153 members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms.

The city of Zagreb, as the capital of Croatia, has special status and is the administrative center of Zagreb city and Zagreb county. Croatia has 20 counties (županijas). Zagreb city administration comprises the directly elected 51-member city assembly, as well as the 11-member executive body, elected by the assembly. The mayor is the head of city government and has two deputies.

The city administrative bodies comprises 12 city offices, three city bureaus and three city services. They are responsible to the mayor and the city government. Local government is organized in 17 city districts represented by City District Councils.

Economy

Trg Žrtava Fašizma (Victims of Fascism Square)

Once one of the wealthiest of the Yugoslav republics, Croatia's economy suffered during the 1991-95 war as output collapsed and the country missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since 2000, Croatia's economic fortunes have begun to improve, led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. A high unemployment rate (of 11.8 percent in 2007), a growing trade deficit, and uneven regional development pose challenges.

Zagreb is Croatia’s main industrial center, an international trade and business center, as well as a transport crossroad of Central and East Europe. Companies in Zagreb created 52 percent of total turnover and 60 percent of total profit of Croatia in 2006 as well as 37 percent of Croatian exports.[5]

The city of Zagreb has the highest nominal GDP per capita in Croatia of US$14,480, compared to the 2004 Croatian average of US$8024.[6] In 2006, the average unemployment rate in Zagreb was around 8.6 percent, compared with a national rate of around 11 percent.

About 34 percent of companies in Croatia have headquarters in Zagreb, and 38.4 percent of Croatian workforce works in Zagreb, including almost all banks, utility and public transport companies.

Local reserves of petroleum and natural gas are the basis of the city's chemical industry. Other products include heavy machinery, rolling stock, electric machinery, pharmaceuticals, cement, newsprint, footwear, textiles, as well as food and drink processing.

Zagreb is an important tourist center, not only in terms of passengers traveling from Western and Central Europe to the Adriatic Sea, but also as a travel destination itself. Since the end of the war (1991-1995), it has attracted approximately half a million visitors annually, mainly from Austria, Germany and Italy. However, the city has even greater potential as many tourists who visit Croatia skip Zagreb in order to visit the beaches along the Croatian Adriatic coast and old historic Renaissance cities such as Dubrovnik, Split, and Zadar.

Zagreb is an important hub of roads and rail lines from Europe to the Adriatic Sea and the Balkans. The city has an avenue network with several main arteries up to 10 lanes wide, and the Zagreb bypass, a congested four-lane highway encircling most of the city. There is much congestion in the city center during the rush hour and a daytime parking problem. As of 2007, Zagreb had seven road traffic bridges across the river Sava. Public transport in the inner parts of the city is covered by trams, and the outer suburbs are linked with buses.

Zagreb Airport is the main Croatian international airport, and is located in the suburb of Pleso, a 20 km drive southeast of Zagreb, while Lučko is a second, smaller airport, which is home to sports airplanes, a Croatian special police unit, and a military helicopter airbase.

Demographics

Zagreb - night view of the city lights

Zagreb is the only Croatian city whose metropolitan population exceeds one million people. There were 1,088,841 people in the Zagreb metropolitan area in 2006, which included the smaller cities of Samobor, Velika Gorica and Zaprešić. A total of 784,900 lived in the city proper in 2006, according to government estimates.[7]

Most citizens are Croats, making up 91.94 percent of the city's population (2001 census). The same census records 40,066 residents belonging to ethnic minorities. These comprise: Serbs (2.41 percent), Bosniaks (0.80 percent), Muslims by nationality (0.52 percent), Albanians (0.43 percent), Slovenes (0.41 percent), Roma (0.25 percent), Montenegrins (0.17 percent), Macedonians (0.17 percent), together with other smaller minor ethnic communities.[8]

Languages spoken include Croatian 96.1 percent, Serbian 1 percent, other and undesignated 2.9 percent (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German).

The Archdiocese of Zagreb is a metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Croatia, serving as its religious center. The city is also the Episcopal see of the Metropolitan of Zagreb, and Islamic religious organization of Croatia has the see in Zagreb. The 2001 census shows that Roman Catholics make up 87.8 percent of the population, Orthodox 4.4 percent, other Christian 0.4 percent, Muslim 1.3 percent, other and unspecified 0.9 percent, none 5.2 percent.

The University of Zagreb, founded in 1669, is one of five public higher education institutions and nine private professional higher education schools in the city. The Zagreb Classical Gymnasium (Klasična gimnazija) was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1607. The school was bombed on May 2, 1995.

Society and culture

Croatian National Theater (HNK)

Zagreb hosts Zagrebfest, the oldest Croatian pop-music festival, as well as of several traditional international sports events and tournaments. The Day of the City of Zagreb on November 16, is celebrated every year with special festivities, especially on the Jarun lake near the southwestern section of the city.

The Recreational Sports Center Jarun, situated on Jarun Lake, has shingle beaches, a world-class regatta course, a jogging lane around the lake, several restaurants, night clubs and a discotheque. Dom Sportova, a sport center in northern Trešnjevka, used for basketball, handball, volleyball, hockey, gymnastics, and tennis, features six halls—the largest two can accommodate 12,000 and 4,000 people, respectively.

Sports Park Mladost, situated on the embankment of the Sava River, has an Olympic-size swimming pool, smaller indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sunbathing terrace, 16 tennis courts as well as basketball, volleyball, handball, football and field hockey courts. A volleyball sports hall is within the park.

The Sports and Recreational Center Šalata has a big tennis court and eight smaller ones, as well as swimming pools, basketball courts, football fields, a gym and fitness center, and a four-lane bowling alley.

Places of interest

Gornji Grad and Kaptol, a medieval urban complex of churches, palaces, museums, galleries and government buildings, is popular with tourists. Animafest, the World Festival of Animated Films, takes place in Zagreb every even-numbered year, and the Music Bienniale, the international festival of avant-garde music, every odd-numbered year. The city also hosts the annual ZagrebDox documentary film festival. There are about 20 permanent or seasonal theaters and stages in the city. Buildings and sites of interest include:

  • Zagreb Cathedral on Kaptol, which is arguably the most famous building in Zagreb. Construction began in 1093, Tatars destroyed it in 1242, it was fortified at the end of the 15th century, and damaged by earthquake in 1880.
  • Saint Mark’s Church, which was built as early as the 13th century, and radically reconstructed in the second half of the 14th century.
  • The Town Hall, at the corner of Saint Mark's Square, was the seat of the city administration in medieval times. The building has gone through a number of alterations, and today is still used for meetings of the Zagreb City Council.
  • The Strossmayer's Old Masters Gallery, which holds European paintings from the fourteenth to nineteenth centuries.
  • The Archaeological Museum, which has nearly 400,000 artifacts and monuments, including the Zagreb mummy and bandages with the oldest Etruscan inscription in the world (Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis).
  • The Croatian Natural History Museum, which holds the remains, stone weapons, and tools of prehistoric Neanderthal Krapina man.
  • The Ethnographic Museum, which holds about 80,000 items covering the ethnographic heritage of Croatia, classified in the three cultural zones: the Pannonian, Dinaric and Adriatic.
  • Old Medvedgrad, which is a restored medieval village built in the thirteenth century, and represents a special attraction of Medvednica hill.

Looking to the future

Zagreb has a rich heritage that will continue to attract increasing numbers of tourists. As the nation’s main industrial center, an international trade and business center, as well as a transport crossroad of Central and Eastern Europe, Zagreb is well placed to continue as Croatia’s economic power house, especially as the troubled years of the break-up of Yugoslavia recede further into history.

Saint Mark's Church

Notes

  1. City of zagreb 2006. City of Zagreb, Statistics Department. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
  2. Statistički ljetopis Grada Zagreba 2007.
  3. Croatian Census 2011 First Results Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  4. Croatian Census 2011 First Results, City of Zagreb - Population by districts Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  5. (Croatian) Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Zagreb Chamber of Commerce, Economic Profile of Zagreb Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved October 2, 2008.
  6. Croatian Bureau of Statistics. February 22, 2007. Gross Domestic Product for Republic of Croatia and Counties, 2004. Retrieved October 2, 2008.
  7. (Croatian) City of Zagreb, City Institute for Urban Planning, Statistics Department, October 26, 2007, Vital Statistics in 2006. Retrieved October 2, 2008.
  8. Republic of Croatia—Central Bureau of Statistics, Population by Ethnicity, by Towns/Municipalities, Census 2001. Retrieved October 2, 2008.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Blau, Eve, Ivan Rupnik, and Ivan Rogić Nehajev. 2007. Project Zagreb: Transition as Condition, Strategy, Practice. Barcelona: Actar D. ISBN 9788496540576.
  • CitySpots. 2007. Zagreb. Peterborough: Thomas Cook. ISBN 9781841577777.
  • Hawkesworth, Celia. 2008. Zagreb: A Cultural History. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195327984.
  • Milčec, Zvonimir. 2007. Zagreb Revisited. Zagreb: Ambrozija. ISBN 9789532016710.
  • Nazor, Ante. 2005. Zagreb. Cultural and Historical Heritage. Zagreb: Turisticka naklada d.o.o. ISBN 9789532152203.
  • Republic of Croatia, Bureau of Statistics. Population by Ethnicity. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
  • World Fact Book. 2008. Croatia.

External links

All links retrieved June 13, 2023.

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.