Gornji Grad and the Church of St. Mark’s

The splendid cobblestone streets and red tiled roofs of the buildings in medieval Gornji Grad, Zagreb’s Upper Town, make for a beautiful place to begin a sightseeing tour of the Croatian capital. Once two separate towns known as Kaptol and Gradec, Gornji Grad is home to many of the city’s most visited tourist attractions, including the cathedral, parliament building, and numerous museums and churches. Other highlights include the famous stone gate marking the entrance to the eastern side of Gradec Town; Kaptol Square, notable for its many early 17th-century buildings; and the Dolac fruit and vegetable market. Perhaps the most striking feature, however, is St. Mark’s Church, easily recognizable by its brightly colored tile roof bearing the coats of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia, Slavonia, and Zagreb City. Tracing its roots back to an earlier 13th-century church, the church of St. Mark’s other notable features include its Romanesque windows; Gothic doorway by Ivan Parler; and a series of statues of the 12 apostles, along with Jesus, Mary, and St. Mark. Be sure to also pop inside for a look at the stunning interior with its statues by famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović, along with frescoes painted by Jozo Kljakovic.

Zagreb Cathedral and Treasury

Zagreb Cathedral – the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, formerly known as St. Stephen’s Cathedral – was erected on the site of a previous structure destroyed by the Tartars in the early 1200s. Famous for its two ornately decorated spires, the present cathedral was built in the later half of the 13th century, although many alterations and renovations have been made since that have changed the structure dramatically. Most recently, the earthquake of 1880 destroyed large sections including the dome and the bell tower, although reconstruction maintained the original medieval design. Be sure to also visit the cathedral treasury with its many fine works of religious art, garments, and sacred objects.

The Art Pavilion and the Meštrović Gallery

Zagreb’s Art Pavilion (Umjetnički Paviljon), built for the international exhibition in Budapest in 1896, was given its permanent home here after the original iron framework was transported and reconstructed on its current site. Notable for its colorful yellow Art Nouveau exterior, the Art Pavilion is now used for changing exhibitions of contemporary art and contains important works by revered Croatian artist Ivan Meštrović. The oldest exhibition hall of its kind in Croatia, this impressive facility faces Trg Kralja Tomislava, a large public square notable for its statue commemorating the first King of Croatia. Also of interest to art lovers is the Meštrović Gallery (Atelje Meštrović), housed in a 17th-century home where Ivan Meštrović once lived and sculpted. On display are some 300 sculptures in wood, stone, and bronze, as well as drawings, furniture, and lithographs representing a variety of themes including religion and portraiture. The most recognized Croatian artist and a world-renowned 20th-century sculptor, Meštrović later moved to Paris where he became friends with Auguste Rodin (one of his most famous works, Pieta Romana, is on display in the Vatican).

The Croatian National Theatre

Built in 1895 by Viennese architects Hermann Helmer and Ferdinand Fellner, the Croatian National Theatre (Hrvatsko Narodno Kazaliste) sits at the northwest corner of Zagreb’s “Green Horseshoe” in Donji Grad. Officially opened in 1894 by Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I, this imposing yellow structure in Trg Marsala is a landmark feature in the Lower Town. Built in Neo-Baroque and Rococo styles with two small domes at the front and a larger dome towards the back, the building also boasts a superb interior containing artworks by Vlaho Bukovac, and The Well of Life by Ivan Meštrović (if possible, try to take in one of the venue’s regular opera, ballet, or drama performances).

St. Catherine’s Church

The Jesuit Church of St. Catherine was built in the first half of the 17th century and is considered one of the finest churches in Zagreb. Highlights include its beautiful interior with many fine examples of Baroque art, along with stucco reliefs by Italian artist Antonio Quadrio dating from the 1720s. Also of note is the ceiling of the nave with its many medallions with scenes depicting the life of St. Catherine by Giulio Quaglia. Other features of interest are the Altar of St. Ignatius by Francesco Robba and, behind the main altar, the fresco St. Catherine Among Alexandrine Philosophers and Writers by Kristof Andrej Jelovsek, dating from 1762.

Lotrščak Tower

Built to guard the southern gate of the Gradec town wall, the Lotrščak Tower (Kula Lotrščak) dates to the 13th century and has long been one of Zagreb’s most recognizable landmarks. Legend has it that this large, square Romanesque tower once held a bell that rang out each night prior to the closing of the gates to warn residents outside the walls to return (anyone left outside would have to remain there for the night). In the 19th century, a fourth floor and windows were added to the tower and a cannon placed on its roof, which has since been fired every day at noon. Visitors can climb the tower for stunning views over the city and visit its exhibition gallery and gift shops. Another important medieval structure is the Stone Gate (Kamenita Vrata), the last of five original city gates. Built in the 13th century, the building famously survived a fire in 1731, as did its painting of Mary and Jesus. To commemorate the important relic, a chapel was built to house the painting (the subject of pilgrimages ever since, it can still be seen behind a metal grille).

The Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters

The Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters (Strossmayerova Galerija Starih Majstora) is on the second floor of the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences in the Lower Town of Zagreb. This 19th-century Neo-Renaissance building was commissioned by Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer in the 1870s to house both the Academy and the Gallery of Old Masters and contains a collection of almost 600 pieces, which he himself donated. On display are works by G Bellini, Veronese, Tiepolo, Bartolomeo Caporali, Proudhon, Carpeaux, Brueghel, Van Dyck, and the Croatian artists Medulic and Benkovic, as well as a sculpture by famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović. Also worth a visit is the Museum of Arts and Crafts with its collection of more than 160,000 pieces from Croatia and other European countries. On display are textiles including a famous embroidery from Varazdin and tapestries from Tournai, Antwerp, and Brussels, as well as rare jewelry, musical instruments, and Gothic and Baroque sculptures, paintings, and ceramics.