the leader of the peasants’ uprising, Matija Gubec, assembled his followers beneath its boughs prior to their revolt against the feudal lords.
The dominant perception of a typical landscape of Zagorje is one of undulating hills, orchards and vineyards, dotted with the so char- acteristic stick mounted rattles designed to scare off the birds (29). One such location is Vinagora, with its imposing church on the top of a hill (25), from which there are beautiful views of the surround- ing countryside. Landscapes such as these are to be found in other areas of Central Croatia too, like, for instance, in northernmost Međimurje, known for its quality wines (28). Medieval ruins are a frequent sight on top of hills and mountains, such as at Kalnik, near the town of Križevci (26).
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CITY OF ZAGREB
A metropolis surrounded by
gorgeous greenery
There are few European cities able to boast such an abundance and variety of attractive landscapes and preserved natural envi- ronments in their immediate vicinity as Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia. Adjacent to the city, extending virtually into its cen-
tral artery, Ilica, is Medvednica and the hills of vineyards at the foot of that mountain. There are also preserved wetlands and lakes rich in bird life, numerous castles set in landscaped parks... Less than an hour’s drive from Zagreb is the rugged mountain of Žumberak, enchantingly undulating Hrvatsko zagorje, the four rivers of the Karlovac area, hunting grounds teeming with game large and small, and many more appealing sites.
Like many other capital cities, Zagreb is a separate administrative unit (county) and, therefore, a separate tourist region.
In addition to the built-up city area, it encompasses the adjacent “green” surroundings, which means that the Medvednica Nature
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Park, the park on its northern edges, is also a part of the city. Ex- tending along the southern and eastern limits of Zagreb is the valley of the River Sava, and within it, lovely picturesque villages, while at the south-western edges of the city area, all the way to the River Kupa, are the hills of Vukomeričke gorice, covered in vineyards. (gorice: vineyards).
In the middle of all this greenery, the key site is MEDVEDNICA, a unique example of an almost fully preserved natural environment encompassed within a large city. The Medvednica mountain massif is covered by dense forests of beech (3), oak, chestnut and fir and is certainly the favourite excursion destination of the citizens of Za-
greb and their guests. The mountain is criss-crossed by numerous paths and trails, the more leisurely fitted with benches and informa- tion boards, while the more demanding are designed for mountain walkers and mountaineers who are in better physical shape. For those more interested leisure, there is a funicular which starts from the city and goes to the very top of the mountain. One of the most popular places on Medvednica is the ruins of the medieval town of Medvedgrad (5), located on an elevation in dense forest, a mere half hour walk from the last of the city’s houses (1 & 2). Medved- nica hides other attractions too: ravines, caves, waterfalls, old mine shafts, and small picturesque churches (6). Most people visit its
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peak, Sljeme, which is dominated by a TV broadcasting tower. Located around the summit are a number of mountain lodges (4) where hikers, climbers and trippers can rest and restore their energy with popular “Sljeme” specialties such as bean soup with sausages and apple or cottage-cheese strudel. Where there are no lodges, there are numerous shelters in case of storms (7).
A great deal of greenery has also been preserved within the inner city area, Zagreb’s tradition of guarding its green areas has been strong since the Middle Ages. Conse- quently, Zagreb has many large parks across the city, including the one around the main city centre square, Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića. This is why Zagreb appears to be a distinctly green metropolis for many visitors.
The most significant part of the green belt located through the centre of Zagreb is LENUZZI’S HORSESHOE, named after the architect Milan Lenuzzi, who played a key role in its concept, which was devised at the turn of the 19th century. The concept comprises a string of parks which surround the nucleus of the city like a horseshoe, from Trg Maršala Tita (Marshal Tito Square) and neighbouring Roosevel- tov trg (Roosevelt Square) in the north-west (18), across Trg Kralja Tomislava (King Tomislav Square) in the southeast (19), to Strossmayerovog trg (Strossmayer Square) (13) and Zrinjevac in the northeast, not far from the previously mentioned central Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića.
Of all the parks in the centre of Zagreb the largest and the most special is the Botani- cal Gardens of the Natural and Mathematical Faculty in Zagreb, located in the south- western part of the “horseshoe” and covering an area of five hectares. The gardens contain numerous types of trees (12), bushes and flowers (15), mostly those typical of a continental climate.
The most beautiful and largest park in Zagreb is Maksimir, located northeast of the city centre and covering an area of 316 hectares. The park was founded in 1794 by the Bishop of Zagreb, Maksimilian Vrhovec, after whom the park was named. Con- tained within it are several very beautiful pavilions, which are representative of the Bishop’s times (11), and Zagreb Zoo (14), regarded as one of the more beautiful zoos in Europe. Zagreb’s main recreational area is around JARUN LAKE. Back in 1987, when Zagreb was hosting the Universiade, otherwise known as the Student Games, a 2 km long lake was built in what, up until then, was a backwater of the River Sava. The lake has a rowing course, other water sports facilities (9) and several bathing areas. In summer, thousands of people come here to refresh themselves by bathing in the waters of what the citizens of Zagreb fondly call their “Zagreb Sea”.
The second most popular lake in Zagreb, Bundek, was transformed into a park in 2006. It is particularly popular as a recreation area for the new parts of Zagreb, rising on the right bank of the River Sava, where a large number of people live but which lacks many urban facilities. Here, there are pathways with small bridges (10 & 16) and several playgrounds for children (15). Part of the lake has been left in its natural state (8) to remind us of the times, some 50 years ago, when this whole area was covered by woods and wetlands.
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