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Stroll around Donji Grad (Lower Town) of Zagreb, Croatia

There are a couple things I love about Zagreb. One of them is the city being compact. There are two parts of Zagreb, the old part which is the Upper Town (Gornji Grad-Medvescak) and the newer part which is the Lower Town (Donji Grad). Both areas are easy to explore on foot.

Statue of King Tomislav in front of Zagreb’s Railway Station and the Art Pavilion Museum.

Donji Grad (Zagreb, Croatia)
The Lower Town of Zagreb

The pedestrian and shopping street Ilica that passes along Ban Jelacic Square and where the tram line runs divides the Upper and Lower Towns.

In the Lower Town you will see the commercial area (shops, cafes), several parks, wide roads and boulevards, many museums, historical buildings, the railway station, lots of hotels and yes, beautiful rundown historical buildings that desperately need attenttion and renovation. The latter really caught my attention during the walk. It somehow shook me back to reality that Croatia is still coming out of the woodwork. The marks and signs of communism and the genocide wars the Croats have gone through are very evident in its decaying architecture sprinkled all over the city.

As I walk around, I cannot stop and think what life was like before in Zagreb. In Croatia. In Yugoslavia. The mentality and attitude of the people must have been formed through their experiences, and I deeply wonder, what is it like to be a Croat? I am a curious cat and Eastern Europe has pique my interest recently.

I think I need more than a week in Croatia to be able to answer this. I am sure that some people who have lived here long may not even have an answer to this question…

Aside from Zagreb being small and compact, I like that Zagrebians, and I guess Croatians as a whole adore the cafe outdoor terrace culture. It is March, still thick in the winter cold but that doesn’t stop local establishments from opening their terraces to the public. Come rain, hail or shine, it is business as usual. I like that, and I like that their terraces are relaxed, giving a lounge ambiance appeal. Nevertheless, I see the attitude of confidence and persistence.

Here are the pictures I took during my stroll.

At the Cvjetni Trg (Flower Market Square). This square and the surrounding area are full of outdoor cafe terraces, restaurants and shops. It is never dull here during the day and into the evening.

Ilica street (where you can see the blue tram in the picture) serves as the boundary of the Lower and Upper Towns.

Passing along the wide boulevard which is a string of parks after another. This one is Park Zrinjevac I believe.

Zagreb’s Archaeological Museum.

The Strossmayer Museum on Park Josipa Jurja. 

The Modern Gallery of Zagreb holding important art from Croatian artists.

The beautiful Art Pavilion (the back part).

Baroque sculptures on the facade of the buildings.

The locals call the string of parks and boulevard leading to the railway station the ‘Green Horseshoe’. This is a very nice area to stroll and I encourage visitors to do this walking route.

The statue of King Tomislav in front of the Art Pavilion and Railway Station. King Tomislav was a ruler in Croatia during the Middle Ages circa 925. He was the first king of the Croatian Empire.

The Art Pavilion Museum in the middle of the park facing the railway station.

Glavni Kolodvor, Zagreb’s Railway Station.

Inside the railway station. It is a bit outdated which reminds me of the 50’s but it has its charms.

I also love the old blue trams. I hope they keep this, at least a few of them if they eventually migrate to newer and better trams. Keeping a bit of history always does good to people. It gives a sense of identity.

This is the Hotel Esplanade, one of the prestigious hotels in Zagreb. I actually went inside as I thought I will have coffee here if the ambiance was right. Well, it was a bit stiff so I left.


Beautiful rundown buildings in the city centre begging to be renovated. This is actually a common sight all over Eastern Europe.

Passing along the Croatian State Archives building.

The Museum of Arts and Crafts. Yup, there are a lot of museums in the Lower Town. 

The Croatian National Theatre. I searched for shows that fall on the days I was there but there was none. Helaas, there are not many shows during wintertime. 

The Croatian National Theatre and the Museum of Arts and Crafts.

Then I went back to the shopping area where the cafe terraces are located for a cup of coffee and to chill out a bit.

Above picture is also a statue of Nikola Tesla on the corner of a shopping street. He invented the AC and induction motor. He is Serbian but was born in Smiljan which is present-day Croatia during the Austrian Empire.

Relaxing and people watching at the Flower Market Square (Cvjetni Trg).

Now you think Zagreb is pretty right? =)

Travel Period: March 2014
Destination: Zagreb, Croatia

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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)

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