University of Zagreb

This is the main building of the University of Zagreb and partly the Faculty of Law. But this building, built in 1859. was a hospital at first. Later on it was tobacco factory and than in 1882. transformed in the University center. Today it has become the symbol  of  the University of Zagreb with it's recognizable sculpture at front - it is the History of Croats made by famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović in 1932.

For some of the students this week is a start of the autumn exams. So I wish them a good luck!

Three birds

After yesterday sunny fun photo, today something completely different. Monday turned out to be rainy and very cold, even more than last Saturday. Temperature went down more than 10°C in Zagreb. I got a chance to take this photo while going home after work - three birds sitting on a street-light - it seemed they didn't mind the rain, just looking for some food. 

Colorful and funny balloons

After yesterdays bad weather, today turned out quite sunny and lovely. So I took a chance to enjoy this nice weather having drinks and taking a walk around the Center. I spotted this colorful balloons on Petar Preradović Square and had to take a photo as it reminds me a lot on my childhood - I always wanted this kind of balloons. At the back you can partly see Orthodox Catholic Church built in 1866.

The passage sign

It turned out to be a really cold rainy day today in Zagreb. For me it meant a lazy and sleepy Saturday. So, that is why I am putting this post so late - hope you will understand! ;)

Anyway, I have a funny photo for you. It is a sign from the passage of one of the houses in Radićeva street.
It says: It is forbidden under threat of a 1 Crown fine to soil this place. This is my very rough translation of a 19. century sign that was meant to prevent the use of passage as,... well literally a side street toilette. The sign was recently restored and I can assure you that the passage remains quite clean.

Upper town beauty

This is definitely one of the most beautiful houses (even though we could really call it a palace) in the Upper town. It had many functions through the years, from a residence of nobles to some state premises, but today it is a Croatian history institute. One of the most valuable parts of this house is the so called Golden hall, richly decorated in historicist style. But for every passenger going by it is definitely this incredible iron fence that is surely a master piece of wrought iron in Zagreb. You will find this house in Opatička street 10.

Romantic Zagreb

I have a really beautiful detail for you today. No special story behind it but a nice contrast photo. It presents Zagreb perfectly - a romantic place for sure. I took this photo in Masarykova ulica (Masaryk street). If you ever come to Zagreb don't forget to look up, you might be really surprised at what you will have to see.

St. George and the dragon

There is a strong tradition of presenting the St. George (in Croatian: Sv. Juraj) killing a dragon in Croatia. But this sculpture that I took in Radićeva Street just few meters from famous Stone gate is presenting him in a moment when he has already  killed the dragon which is not so common. More so, St. George and his horse seem quite sad looking down at the dead dragon.

New museum building

This is a new building of the Museum of contemporary art in Zagreb. It was one of the last big projects in Zagreb and it took several years to be completed but was opened at the end of the last year. There was a big discussion about this project and it's location as it does not quite look as a contemporary architecture and is situated in a part of Zagreb called New Zagreb. Some think that it is a bit out of hand but to tell you the truth, Zagreb is not a big city so there are not many things that are really out of hand.
Never the less, the collections that this Museum holds and presents are very interesting and is a definitely must see!

Doorway for a getaway

So, a new week has started and the summer will soon be over. If you are still having a vacation, enjoy while it lasts! For the rest of us, this simply means another working Monday. So, I give you one detail I like very much! A crafted iron door - it evokes old times - maybe Middle Ages in Zagreb? And in my mind, maybe a secret doorway for a quick escape! :)

Three ladies in a cafe

This is a detail form a cafe bar called Café de Paris that's situated in Avenue Mall shopping mall. I'm really not particularly fond of shopping malls but this time had some things to do there. I had my cup of black tea and must say it was great but more than that it was excellently served. While sipping my tea I took this photo, really liked this kind of decoration.

Anybody seen a talented designer?

I came across this quite unusual advert the other day on a Zagreb main square. It says: ''We are looking for a talented designer''. One Croatian company that sells plane tickets has decided to look for a new employee in a bit unusual way. As a young man said, this is a sort of a filter for a potential new employees, as the company believes that only the brave will approach this kind an advert. And they need someone who is ambitious and up for challenges. So what do you think, did they have any luck?

Live from Metropolitan

This is a poster of a Concert hall Vatroslav Lisinski that's promoting the shows live from Metropolitan. So in Lisinski, as in many other concert halls and cinemas across the world, we are able to see live shows from Metropolitan. I've never been but am thinking about going this season. I've heard it is great! It is incredible what the new technologies have brought to us! Have you ever been to such show? Or maybe in Metropolitan?

Fancy fence

Here is one nice detail for you. This photo I took in Radićeva street. It is the entrance to the shop of a well known Croatian designer duo - Boudoir. Although it is a new design and not the old original fence I kind of like it. It perfectly reflects the fashion that these designers make.

At the black eagle

While I was taking a walk the other day through the Upper town I saw this book left at the stand of a pharmacy. I suppose that a tourist left it by accident while being amazed by the city's beauty! :) Later I saw that the owner came back for it. 

It was in front of one of the oldest pharmacies in Zagreb called K crnom orlu (eng. At the black eagle). It dates from 18. century but was placed in this building by the old Upper town entrance Kamenita vrata (eng. Stone gates) in 1908.

Old Cathedral photo

This photo I took yesterday in Radićeva street just few meters from Zagreb main square. A little shop called Luna Art sells this kind of souvenirs that I find very nice. It shows the redone print of an old photo of Zagreb Cathedral that was taken in the year 1903. Here you can still see the cathedral fortification that was partly removed in 1906. I must say I really love the old photos of Zagreb!

Golden sun

This is the famous Zagreb Grounded Sun made by Croatian artist Ivan Kožarić in 1971. It was quite controversial when it was made - so much that it was set on fire, bombed, devastated and much more. Today, people have get used to it and even got to like it a lot. It is covered with real gold but because of this incredibly stupid custom of people signing themselves on it (Note: it is forbidden to do that!) you are not able to see it in it's true beauty. Also, it is a part of Zagreb Solar system that I told you about before. You can find it in Bogovićeva street that's between Zagreb main square and Petar Predradović square.

Old town tavern

This funny chairs are part of the old Town tavern that's on a Zagreb main square. It was opened in 1931. and decorated in colorful Art deco style - it soon become the popular meeting place. It was renovated again in year 2000. with new modern style. Also, it in known for it's fine coffee - one of the best in the city!

Graffiti message

So, what do you think about this kind of graffiti? I kind a like it because of it's message that is clear and to the point. And that's the main reason why I think it is OK. Television is definitely bad for health! Dear readers, turn off your TVs and PCs and take a walk in a park.

Tiles on a wall

This tiles I found the other day while walking down the Marulić square. They were set in the entrance hall of an old residential building. It is such a shame that one can't find a tiles like that in shops, they just don't do them anymore. It is not just the paint on a tile but the contours of trees and paths are convex giving them special charm. I love it!

p.s. and yes, it's Friday 13th - hope nothing bad happens! ;)

Zagreb Cathedral

So, here it is - Zagreb Cathedral. It is definitely one of the main Zagreb symbols. On this same spot there was several buildings that were used as the cathedrals before this one was built. In 1880. a Great Zagreb earthquake destroyed the old 17. century cathedral along with the majority of the city of Zagreb. So in the second  half of the 19. century this new cathedral was build by the famous architect Herman Bollé and is designed in a Neo-Gothic style. Zagreb Cathedral is 108 meters high with it's high pointy towers.  In front of it you can see a fountain and a statue of a Virgin Mary looking at the Cathedral because it is dedicated to the Ascension of a Virgin Mary.

Let's meet under the clock!

I took a photo of this city clock at the Zagreb main square. There are clocks like this one all over Zagreb and all of them are maintained by the same watchmaker called Lebarović. On their site you can see a gallery of lots of public clocks that they maintain all over Croatia.  There is a specific Zagreb custom connected with this particular clock on the Zagreb main square - it is a place where people meet. So, if you want to meet with someone in the city center, you'll just say: Let's meet under the clock!

Little boy

I've been passing by this park today and thought it would be nice to take a photo of this funny fountain sculpture. It's called Boy made by a well known Croatian artist Antun Augustinčić in 1957. I suppose some of you will see the similarity with the worlds famous Brussels symbol Manneken Pis. If you are in Zagreb you will find him on the King Petar Svačić Square, south from the Zagreb main square.

 

p.s. I'm so sorry about the today's late post!

Croatian national theater

Very often I pass by this building - Croatian national theater - and I've talked about it several times now but never showed you how it looks like. So here it is - the exterior view. The new season will start in September, so I promise to give you one photo of the interior. In front of the building you can partly see the Well of life, a sculpture/well that I have talked about before - that's one of my favorite sculptures.

Harmica

This is one of the newly restored buildings on a Zagreb main square. Such things always makes me happy! This one is right behind the sculpture of count Jelačić and is well known for its passage called Harmica. In fact, Harmica was the name of the square before it was renamed after count Jelačić. This beautiful building is called House Gavella and was built in 1889.
I really love the buildings of the main square, but dislike huge neon signs on top of them. It's so wrong!

August in Zagreb

Zagreb can be so boring during the August. All the people leave for the coast, lots of things close for a summer brake and the city literally empties out - leaving nothing but empty streets, confused tourists and few working ''natives''. It's not fair! I invite a Zagreb tourist board to do something about it - to offer new and better events that would satisfies tourists, bring new ones and encourage people to stay in Zagreb.

So, I give you another photo of park Maksimir which I love very much, because this city oasis is a life saver during August - perfect for long walks, working out, reading, contemplating and much more. I specially love this parts of Maksimir that look as wild and untouched nature!

Victory on 5. August 1995.

Yesterday we celebrated a big national holiday in Croatia - Dan pobjede i domovinske zahvalnosti and Dan hrvatskih branitelja (rough English translation would be - Day of victory and state thanking and the Day of Croatian soldiers). So, on the 5. of August 1995. a great victory was carried through the military action called Storm in which a Croatian city Knin was liberated from the occupancy of the aggressor enemy. That day also meant an end of the 5 years long war in Croatia that lasted from the 1991-1995. Although this war was imposed to Croatia, it was our victory!

I'm pulling a trick here seen at the Eric's blog. This is a photo of the special broadcast of the Croatian national television honoring this day. Here you can see a big Croatian flag that was put up on a fortress in Knin at that date in 1995.

Zagreb main square

I've talked about it so many times but never showed you a photo of it - Zagreb main square - Trg bana Josipa Jelačića. I've showed you some time ago a photo of a statue of the man that is in the center of a square, and the square carries his name. I fined it very hard to make a good photo of it, so here is another sunset photo for you. Because of the summer and August so many people have went to the seaside for vacation so Zagreb is kind of spooky and half empty these days. Most of the people on the streets are tourists. I somehow feel I'm in a different country now.

Golden decoration

I took this photo in Masaryk's street near the Croatian national theater. It has this interesting gold mosaic decoration. As you have probably noticed, I have ''a thing'' for the architecture.

Boy and his cat

I came across this graffiti a while ago but never got a chance to take a photo. Sadly, yesterday when I finally got there it was already partly torn. It's just sad. Never the less, I still think that graffiti is cool. I took it in the Miškecov prolaz (Miškec's passage) that's just near the Flower square and Varšavska street. The artist is Gaz, I've told you about him before.

Tower Nebojan

Today finally a sun came out! It feels like summer again! 

Here you can see very interesting tower called Nebojan. It is a part of the cathedral fortification and archbishops palace. It was constructed in the 1513. by the master Michael Italus. Only a part of the fortification was preserved, and I must say I'm specially fond of this tower. Here you can still see few narrow holes for cannons.

August theme day - Bright colours

I'm not sure if this qualifies for bright colours, but it is hard to take a true bright colours photo on a rainy day. Still, I found this children playground requisite specially cheerful on a gray day as it was yesterday! For some reason  it looks quite art-ish!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Have a nice Sunday!