Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Gradec
From the top of the funicular, you'll enjoy a fine panorama over Zagreb. The tall tower on
the left asyouexit isoneofGradec'soriginal watchtowers, the
Burglars' Tower
(Kula Lo-
trš
ć
ak). After the Tatars ransacked Central Europe in the early 13th century, King Béla IV
decreed that towns be fortified—so Gradec built a wall and guard towers (just like Kraków
and Budapest did). Look for the little cannon in the top-floor window. Every day at noon,
this cannon fires a shot, supposedly to commemorate a 15th-century victory over the be-
sieging Ottomans.
The
Strossmayer Promenade
runs along the top of the hill, overlooking the city. The
fencedsectionnexttothefunicularstationisdubbedStrossmartre(apunon“Montmartre”),
which, in good summer weather, hosts a fun little outdoor café, and often features works by
localartistsandlivemusic.Thisfinepromenadeisjustthestart;alongtheoutsideofGradec
is a forested green belt that—while just a few minutes' walk away—feels miles from the
city.It'safavoriteplaceforlocalstogoforanurbanhike,walktheirdogs,orgetawayfrom
the asphalt heat of summer.
Head up the street to the right of the tower, entering Gradec (often called “Gri
č
” for
short). Although this is one of the oldest parts of Zagreb, it lacks the cutesy cobbled charm
you might expect. That's because little remains of medieval Gradec. When the Ottomans
