Part of Croatian language history

I was passing by this interesting sculpture the other day. I have a feeling that it is rather neglected in a comparison to other Zagreb's monuments. It is situated at the crossroad of the longest Zagreb's street Ilica and Mesnićka street not far away from the Zagreb's main square. 

It is Andrija Kačić Miošić, famous Croatian poet and  Franciscan monk, who lived in 18. century. He played an important role in setting a Stokavian dialect as a standard Croatian language.

Bar light

I took a photo of this chandelier in a Lobby bar and restaurant. I found it funny to have a chandelier in a shape of martini glasses. It is situated in the Eurotower. Didn't try the food, too expensive if you ask me, but visually very interesting place.

Another lovely view

I'm a bit late with this post, but it's been crazy end of week for me. And no internet connection for some time.

So today for all the fans of architecture and romantic views... another shot of Strossmayer square and the green park. 

Have a nice and sunny weekend!

Flower power!

Floraart 2010  – 45th International Garden and Flower Exhibition – going on every year in the end of May or the beginning of June. This year you will be able to see beautiful flowers and plants from all over the world if you came to the lake Bundek from 26. 5. till 31. 5.
For that reason we will have this nice ''garden'' on the main Zagreb's square.

Gaz

Do you remember this guy? 

It's Gaz - my new favorite graffiti artist. Apparently, he also participated in project Museum of street art. How do you like it?

World without banks

A beautiful building of the Croatian National Bank – what a contrast! I've always admired the beautiful modern-with-classical-elements architecture of a CNB, that was constructed by Viktor Kovačić, a very well known Croatian architect. This building was originally Stock Exchange Palace, but it was relocated recently that I wrote you about before.
Passing by it, I cannot help but wonder, what would the world be like without banks?

P.S. I'm going away for a few days so I'll put shorter/simpler posts next two days. Pozdrav! ;)

Major rethink in progress!

The project ''Muzej ulične umjetnosti'' (Museum of street art) went on very well! I love the outcome and the new graffiti on the wall! Here you can see a one work I picked up today which I find very interesting. And funny too, it matches the title of my last post from Braninirova street – Work in progress – I find the objectives from both titles much needed in today's world.

Time for a good play

I was passing by this theatre the other day. It is the Theater Komedija (Eng. Comedy), that began with it's work in 1950. and perform several types of drama and music plays. I must say I've seen there many good and funny plays. One of the most popular musical play is Jalta, Jalta that was performed 534 times since 1971. Here you can see a part of it with an ensemble performing unforgettable song Neka cijeli ovaj svijet with a strong antiwar message. 

Simple beauty

I took this photo at the Zagreb's Botanical Garden. The tree is called the Dove Tree (Davidia involucrata) or the Handkerchief Tree and is a sort of Chinese tree with funny and yet lovely flowers that look like white leafs. Somehow this tree is incredibly photogenic, all the photos I took were beautiful.

Traditional Jewelry - always in style

This is a Croatian Traditional Jewelry. It is produced by a craftsman Hrvoje Marušić that lives and works in Zagreb, but does traditional jewelry from all parts of Croatia. He is the main person for the reconstructions and repairs of an originally pieces as well as production of replica for national costumes and theaters. At this photo you can see almost perfect replicas of traditional pendants, cufflinks, buttons, buckles and earrings. When in Zagreb, look for him at the nearest fair.

Wish you all nice weekend!

Rooster, chicken or hen

It is the St. Mark's Fair (Markov sajam) going on a Jelačić's square till Sunday. There you can find and see all sorts of old crafts and trades and also buy different products from craftsman. Candlemaker, carpenter, skinner, glazier, blacksmith, butcher or baker will gladly show you what they know and make. Although this is a seventh Mark's fair, it originally dates from the middle ages  when it was held on St. Mark's square and later on at this very spot.
These funny sculptures I found by the old carpenter who was just working on a turkey. Really something to see!

Not so ordinary roof tiles

St. Mark's church and a square are one of the most important monuments in Zagreb, situated on the Upper Town which is the oldest part of Zagreb. The church dates from the 13. century, but was partly renovated in 19. century in neogothic style. The colorful roof is from that period and presents two historic coats of arms, first for Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia and the second for Town Zagreb. I just love that roof, it is so Croatia and so Zagreb!

John, I’m Only Dancing

Welcome to the Croatian dance center – Zagrebački plesni centar! This is a first building built in an independent Croatia for the purposes of education and practice of many different sorts of dances. It was opened in a October 2009. in a very center of a city at the address Ilica 10 just few meters from the Zagreb's main square. This is a one rare example of transformation of a public property (in this case an old cinema) to a new purpose. I hope for many more!

Time to protest!

A protest started yesterday afternoon in the center of Zagreb in a Varšavska street. Protesters are demonstrating against the new private underground garage that's supposed to have the entrance across the pedestrian zone that's part of a public zone. After one part of pedestrian zone was fenced the protesters tore the fence down and they are planning to stay there all night. This is another sad example where private interest turned to be more important than public property and public wellbeing.

Shiny stones

Every year around this time in a month Zagreb is hosting the Mineral Expo – an international fair of minerals, crystals and fossils. And this is probably my third time in a row visiting this fair, because it is always so fascinating to see all the shiny stones and is a great opportunity to buy beautiful jewelry pieces for good prices. Here you can see beautiful amber pendants from the Baltic coast. I must say I really love amber, it looks like a ray of sunshine turned into stone.

Cleaning the streets

Does anyone have an idea what is this man doing? 

He is cleaning the streets from dirt, but to be more precise, he is cleaning them from the chewing gums. I believe that the technique is the same as for  cleaning facades, with very strong jet of water. I took this photo on the Zagreb's main square - Trg bana Josipa Jelačića.

A place where maid Maria lived

A detail of an architecture from a Zagreb's center. As you could already notice, I love architecture and one of my favorite details on a Lower Town building's are this little cute steeples and pinnacles of some sort.  When I was a little girl I believed that people actually live inside it. Here you can also see an inscription in gold - Marijin dvor 1900. (Maria's court 1900.).

I wish you all nice weekend!

Rainy day

Yesterday was a very rainy day! And sometimes I really don't like rain,... specially in spring. And the worst is, the weather forecast for the weekend is heavy rain all along. This is really not a particularly good photo or attractive one,... but is recent and honest. It was taken in a part of a city that connects the center with a part called New Zagreb that's on the south bank of river Sava. And here, in the distance through all the grayness and mist you can see a high towers of Zagreb Cathedral.

Where am I?

This is Parrotia Persica, a beautiful tree I found in a Zagreb's Botanical Garden. I love it very much, the tree and the garden! The tree is huge, with branches that often touch the ground creating a ''tunnel'' around tree's log. It's like entering a different world,... far away from the city buzz. And the best thing is that this Botanical Garden is practically in a center of a city. You can find more info here.

Jožek's music

This is Jožek - Zagreb's only remaining street organ player. This kind of entertainment was usual in 19. century. I'm always happy to hear his music when just passing by, it's so cheerful and fun! Today, you can find Jožek on streets of Zagreb on Saturdays and Sundays.

Work in progress!

One of the Zagreb's street in a very center is about to be transformed. Branimir's street is quite long and situated near the Main train station. It had been decorated with graffiti art before, and now it is going to be repainted again. This project is called Muzej ulične umjetnosti (Museum of street art) but apparently is not a museum. The main focus is on a communication between the artist and the City itself. The special jury composed of the well known Croatian artists, designers and architects choose 64 works of art that will be created and presented on around 700 meters long wall.

For our children

Yesterday was a Mother's Day and a Zagreb's Kindergartens Day. So, a town authorities organized big celebration on the Zagreb's main square. There are around 80 kindergartens in Zagreb situated on 187 different locations. But believe me, it is not enough for all the children. The Square was full of children and parents -  it was chaotic! I hardly took this photo.

Dear mother, happy Mother's Day! I love you! Kisses!

Art for Market?

At the opening of the 44. Zagreb Salon – an annual contemporary art exhibition in Croatia organized by the Croatian Association of Artists. A work of 89 artists is represented at the exhibition. The main theme is ''Market'' or more precisely art market. In this time of crisis, the artists who always had a problem selling their work, are finding it even harder to deal with this  problem. So, many works of art at this exhibition tell a story about the art that exists because of the market and for the market and not the other way around, as it always was.
The exhibition itself is held at the beautiful Mastrović's Pavilion – Home of Croatian Artists. You can read more about it here.

The Book

In honor to all the people that worked on a translation of Bible to Croatian language. It was done before, but in 1968. it was a new translation on current standard Croatian language. Also, it was a first time that a Bible was printed and published in Croatia.
I thought it is so simple and jet so beautiful that a memorial to this important fact and to those important great men is represented like this – simple open book.

I wish you all a nice weekend!

Kino Europa

Cinema (Croatian: kino) ''Europa''! – so many things to say about it that I don't know where to start. It is one of the oldest cinemas in the city and definitely the most active one of  the ''old'' cinemas, so to say (it dates from 1924.). Just 20 years ago there were several cinemas (about 10-12) of this kind, ''old school'' cinemas with single auditory. Than, this big movieplex cinemas came to town and nothing was the same. Cinema ''Europa'' survived and today has one of the most interesting programs in the city. It mainly host different film festivals, screens awarded movies and is focused on European cinematography. And I love European movies! – definitely more than Hollywood stuff.
At the moment there is a Subversive film festival going on. It is very interesting – this years theme is ''Socialism''.

Morning sun on yellow house

Detail of a building on Strossmayer's square. I just love it! You can see all the little details of an ornament. These kind of decoration is quite often on a buildings in a part of city called Lower town. Also you can see a part of erker – a kind of a balcony that is completely closed, also very typical for Zagreb and Central European architecture of 19. century in general. I can never get enough of looking and photographing details such as this.

Old for new

I had a special opportunity to visit a old/new building for the Croatian History Museum. It is a building that's on a list of industrial heritage and was built in 1880./1881. Just till recently it was still a working cigarette factory. For the purpose of a new museum building it will be partly reconstructed and completely renovated. I must say I'm really looking forward that a Croatian History Museum will finally have an adequate space for collections and exhibitions. And that will be the first time in Croatian history.

Sunset over Zagreb suburb

I'm not particularly into photographing sunsets, it is nice but so not challenging. 

But I really like this one, because it shows sun rays so well. And this cross raising over buildings and antennas looks so poetic.

Scooby-Doo's lost cousin

I took a photo of this funny dog sculpture yesterday at the very well known flea market (or an antiques fair) at Britanac (Britanski trg, in English: British Square). The square and the first market (for fruit and vegetables) dates from the 1888. The flea market is set there every weekend from the early morning to the late afternoon. If you every visit Zagreb, don't miss this flea market because it is a great possibility you'll find something for yourself. Yesterday I bought a beautiful cristal vase for a small price. And as for the dog sculpture (that's about one meter high), I still don't know who would every wanted that in a house or garden, but it sure made me laugh!

Ooh, those beautiful animals!

I went to the horse show jumping today and must say had a nice time. The weather was beautiful, sunny and warm! I really like to watch all the equestrian sports, but I like the show jumping best. Horses are such a beautiful animals and in this sport they show all their best virtues! I know it is not a best photo ever but this animals deserve to be on this blog.

Theme Day – Statues: To working women of the world!

This is a statue of Marija Jurić Zagorka, Croatian writer and journalist who was born in 1873. and lived till 1957. She was the first Croatian female journalist at a time when it was not appropriate for a woman to be in that kind of job and even had to write under a male pseudonym. So, I thought it would be nice to dedicate this post on a Labour Day to her because she was a true fighter for human rights and the rights of workers.

I wish you all happy Labour Day and a nice weekend!

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