The transport connections, the concentration of industry, scientific, and research institutions and industrial tradition underlie its leading economic position in Croatia.[23][24][25] Zagreb is the seat of thecentral government,administrative bodies, and almost allgovernment ministries.[26][27][28] Almost all of thelargest Croatian companies,media, and scientific institutions have their headquarters in the city. Zagreb is the most important transport hub in Croatia: hereCentral Europe, the Mediterranean andSoutheast Europe meet, making the Zagreb area the centre of the road, rail and air networks ofCroatia. It is a city known for its diverse economy, highquality of living,museums, sporting, and entertainment events. Major branches of Zagreb's economy includehigh-tech industries and theservice sector.
The etymology of the nameZagreb is unclear. It was used for the united city only from 1852, but it had been in use as the name of theZagreb Diocese since the 12th century and was increasingly used for the city in the 17th century.[29]The name is first recorded in a charter byFelician, Archbishop of Esztergom, dated 1134, mentioned asZagrabiensem episcopatum.[30]
The name is probably derived from Proto-Slavic word*grębъ which means "hill" or "uplift". An Old Croatian reconstructed nameZagrębъ is manifested through the city's former German name,Agram.[31] Some linguists (e.g.Nada Klaić,Miroslav Kravar) propose ametathesis of *Zabreg, which would originate from Old Slavicbreg (see Proto-Slavic*bergъ) in the sense of "riverbank", referring to River Sava. This metathesis has been attested inKajkavian,[32] but the meaning of "riverbank" is lost in modern Croatian andfolk etymology associates it instead withbreg "hill", ostensibly referring to Medvednica. Hungarian linguist Gyula Décsy similarly uses metathesis to construct *Chaprakov(o), a putative Slavicisation of a Hungarianhypocorism for "Cyprian", similar to the etymology ofCsepreg, Hungary.[33] The most likely derivation is *Zagrębъ in the sense of "embankment" or "rampart",i.e. remains of the 1st millennium fortifications onGrič.[32][31]
The most common folk etymology of the name of the city has been from the verb stem*za-grab-, meaning "to scoop" or "to dig". A folk legend illustrating this derivation, attested but discarded as a serious etymology byIvan Tkalčić,ties the name to a drought of the early 14th century, during whichAugustin Kažotić (c. 1260–1323) is said to have dug a well which miraculously produced water.[34]In another legend,[35][36][37][38][39] a city governor is thirsty and orders a girl named Manda to "scoop" water from theManduševac well (nowadays a fountain in Ban Jelačić Square), using the imperative:Zagrabi, Mando! ("Scoop, Manda!").[40]
Ruins of the ancient Roman townAndautonia near Zagreb
The oldest known settlement located near present-day Zagreb, the Roman town ofAndautonia, nowŠčitarjevo, existed between the 1st and the 5th centuries AD.[41]
The first recorded appearance of the name "Zagreb" dates from 1094, at which time the city existed as two different city centers: the smaller, easternKaptol, inhabited mainly byclergy and housingZagreb Cathedral, and the larger, westernGradec, inhabited mainly by craftsmen and merchants. In 1851 theBan of Croatia,Josip Jelačić, united Gradec and Kaptol; the name of the main city square,Ban Jelačić Square honors him.[42]
The history of Zagreb dates as far back as 1094 when theHungarianKing Ladislaus, returning from his campaign against theKingdom of Croatia, founded a diocese. Alongside the bishop'ssee, the canonical settlementKaptol developed north ofZagreb Cathedral, as did the fortified settlementGradec on the neighbouring hill, with the border between the two formed by the Medveščak stream.[44] Today the latter is Zagreb'sUpper Town (Gornji grad) and is one of the best-preserved urban nuclei in Croatia. Both settlements came underMongol attack in 1242.[45] As a sign of gratitude for offering him a safe haven from the Mongols, the Croatian and HungarianKing Béla IV granted Gradec theGolden Bull of 1242, which gave its citizens exemption from county rule and autonomy, as well as their ownjudicial system.[46][47]
Relationship between Kaptol and Gradec throughout history
The development of Kaptol began in 1094 after the foundation of thediocese, while the growth of Gradec began after theGolden Bull was issued in 1242. In the history of the city of Zagreb, there have been numerous conflicts between Gradec and Kaptol, mainly due to disputed issues of rent collection and due to disputed properties.
The first known conflicts took place in the middle of the 13th century and continued with interruptions until 1667. Because of the conflict, it was recorded that the Bishop of Kaptol excommunicated the residents of Gradec twice.
In the conflicts between Gradec and Kaptol, there were several massacres of the citizens, destruction of houses and looting of citizens. In 1850, Gradec and Kaptol, with surrounding settlements, were united into a single settlement, today's city of Zagreb.[48][49][50][51][52]
Modern Zagreb's town core emerged from the Upper Townmedieval settlements ofGradec andKaptol. Picture from 1689
There were numerous connections between the Kaptol diocese and the free sovereign town of Gradec for both economic and political reasons, but they were not known as an integrated city, even as Zagreb became the political center, and the regional Sabor (Latin:Congregatio Regnorum Croatiae, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae) representing Croatia,Slavonia andDalmatia, first convened at Gradec. Zagreb became the Croatian capital in 1557, with city also being chosen as the seat of theBan of Croatia in 1621 under banNikola IX Frankopan.[53]
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Zagreb was badly devastated by fire and bythe plague. In 1776, the royal council (government) moved fromVaraždin to Zagreb and during the reign of the EmperorJoseph II Zagreb became the headquarters of theVaraždin andKarlovac general command.[56]
In the 19th century, Zagreb was the center of theCroatian National Revival and saw the foundation of important cultural and historic institutions.In 1850, the town was united under its firstmayor –Janko Kamauf.[56]
After the1880 Zagreb earthquake,[57] up to the 1914 outbreak ofWorld War I, development flourished and the town received the characteristic layout which it has today.The first horse-drawntram dated from 1891. The construction of railway lines enabled the old suburbs to merge gradually intoDonji Grad, characterized by a regular block pattern that prevails inCentral European cities. This bustling core includes many imposing buildings, monuments, and parks as well as a multitude of museums, theatres, and cinemas. Anelectric-power plant was built in 1907.
The first half of the 20th century saw a considerable expansion of Zagreb. Before World War I, the city expanded and neighborhoods likeStara Peščenica in the east andČrnomerec in the west grew up. The Rokov perivoj neighbourhood, noted for itsArt Nouveau features, was established at the start of the century.[58]
In the 1920s, the population of Zagreb increased by 70 percent – the largest demographic boom in the history of the town. In 1926, the firstradio station in the region began broadcasting from Zagreb, and in 1947 theZagreb Fair opened.[56]
The area between the railway and the Sava river witnessed a new construction-boom after World War II. After the mid-1950s, construction of new residential areas south of the Sava river began, resulting inNovi Zagreb (Croatian forNew Zagreb), originally called "Južni Zagreb" (Southern Zagreb).[59]From 1999 Novi Zagreb has comprised twocity districts:Novi Zagreb – zapad (New Zagreb – West) andNovi Zagreb – istok (New Zagreb – East)
The city also expanded westward and eastward, incorporatingDubrava, Podsused,Jarun,Blato, and other settlements.
The cargo railway hub and theinternational airport (Pleso) were built south of the Sava river. The largestindustrial zone (Žitnjak) in the south-eastern part of the city, represents an extension of the industrial zones on the eastern outskirts of the city, between the Sava and the Prigorje region. Zagreb hosted theSummer Universiade in 1987.[56] This event initiated the creation of pedestrian-only zones in the city centre and extensive new sport infrastructure, lacking until then, all around the city.[citation needed]
An urbanized area connects Zagreb with the surrounding towns ofZaprešić,Samobor,Dugo Selo, andVelika Gorica. Sesvete was the first and the closest area to become a part of theagglomeration and is already included in the City of Zagreb for administrative purposes and now forms the easternmost city district.[60]
Zagreb has four distinct seasons. Summers are generally warm, sometimes hot. In late May it gets significantly warmer, temperatures start rising and it often becomes very warm or even hot with occasional afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Heatwaves can occur but are short-lived. Temperatures rise above 30 °C (86 °F) on average 14.6 days each summer. During summertime, rainfall is abundant and it mainly falls during thunderstorms. With 840 mm of precipitation per year, Zagreb is Europe's ninth wettest capital, receiving less precipitation thanLuxembourg but more thanBrussels,Paris orLondon. Compared to these cities, however, Zagreb has fewer rainy days, but the annual rainfall is higher due to heavier showers occurring mainly in late spring and summer. Autumn in its early stage often brings pleasant and sunny weather with occasional episodes of rain later in the season. Late autumn is characterized by a mild increase in the number of rainy days and a gradual decrease in daily temperature averages. Morning fog is common from mid-October to January, with northern city districts at the foothills of theMedvednica mountain as well as south-central districts along theSava river being more prone to longer fog accumulation.Winters are relatively cold, bringing overcast skies and a precipitation decrease pattern. February is the driest month, averaging 39 mm of precipitation. On average there are 29 days with snowfall, with the first snow usually falling in early December. However, in recent years, the number of days with snowfall in wintertime has decreased considerably. Spring is characterized by often pleasant but changeable weather. As the season progresses, sunny days become more frequent, bringing higher temperatures. Sometimes cold spells can occur as well, mostly in the season's early stages. The average daily mean temperature in the winter is around 1 °C (34 °F) (from December to February) and the average temperature in the summer is 20 °C (68.0 °F).[61]The highest recorded temperature at the Maksimir weather station was 40.4 °C (104.7 °F) in July 1950, and lowest was −27.3 °C (−17.1 °F) in February 1956.[62] A temperature of −30.5 °C (−22.9 °F) was recorded on the since defunct Borongaj Airfield in February 1940.[63]
Since records began in 1981, the highest temperature recorded at the Rim weather station in Zagreb was 38.4 °C (101.1 °F), on 8 August 2018.[64] The coldest temperature was −19.4 °C (−2.9 °F), on 12 January 1985.[65]
Climate data for Zagreb Maksimir (1971–2000, extremes 1949–2025)
Due to a long-standing restriction that forbade the construction of 10-story or higher buildings, most of Zagreb's high-rise buildings date from the 1970s and 1980s and new apartment buildings on the outskirts of the city are usually 4–8 floors tall. Exceptions to the restriction have been made in recent years, such as permitting the construction of high-rise buildings in Lanište or Kajzerica.[71]
The wider Zagreb area has been continuously inhabited since the prehistoric period, as witnessed by archaeological findings in theVeternica cave from thePaleolithic and excavation of the remains of the Roman Andautonia near the present village of Šćitarjevo.
Picturesque former villages on the slopes of Medvednica, Šestine, Gračani, and Remete, maintain their rich traditions, including folk costumes, Šestine umbrellas, andgingerbread products.
To the north is theMedvednica mountain (Croatian:Zagrebačka gora), with its highest peakSljeme (1,035 m), where one of the tallest structures in Croatia,Zagreb TV Tower is located. The Sava and theKupa valleys are to the south of Zagreb, and the region ofHrvatsko Zagorje is located on the other (northern) side of the Medvednica hill. In mid-January 2005, Sljeme held its firstWorld Ski Championship tournament.
From the summit, weather permitting, the vista reaches as far asVelebit Range along Croatia's rocky northern coast, as well as the snow-capped peaks of the toweringJulian Alps in neighboringSlovenia. There are several lodging villages, offering accommodation and restaurants for hikers. Skiers visit Sljeme, which has four ski-runs, three ski-lifts, and a chairlift.
The oldMedvedgrad, a recently restored medievalburg was built in the 13th century on Medvednica hill. It overlooks the western part of the city and also hosts theShrine of the Homeland, a memorial with aneternal flame, where Croatia pays reverence to all its heroes fallen forhomeland in its history, customarily onnational holidays. The ruined medieval fortressSusedgrad is located on the far-western side of Medvednica hill. It has been abandoned since the early 17th century, but it is visited during the year.
Zagreb occasionally experiences earthquakes, due to the proximity ofŽumberak-Medvednica fault zone.[72] It's classified as an area of high seismic activity.[73] The area around Medvednica was the epicentre of the1880 Zagreb earthquake (magnitude 6.3), and the area is known for occasional landslide threatening houses in the area.[74] The proximity of strong seismic sources presents a real danger of strong earthquakes.[74] Croatian Chief ofOffice of Emergency Management Pavle Kalinić stated Zagreb experiences around 400 earthquakes a year, most of them being imperceptible. However, in case of a strong earthquake, it's expected that 3,000 people would die and up to 15,000 would be wounded.[75] In 2020 the city experienced a5.5 magnitude earthquake, which damaged various buildings in the historic downtown area. The city's iconic cathedral lost the cross off of one of its towers. This earthquake was the strongest one to affect the city since the destructive1880 Zagreb earthquake.
Zagreb metropolitan area population is slightly above one million inhabitants,[76] as it includes theZagreb County.[77] Zagreb metropolitan area makes approximately a quarter of the totalpopulation of Croatia. In 1997, the City of Zagreb was given its own special County status, separating it from Zagreb County,[78] although it remains theadministrative centre of both.
The majority of its citizens areCroats, making up 93.53% of the population. The other 6.47% of the population are residents belonging toethnic minorities: 12,035Serbs (1.57%), 6,566Bosniaks (0.86%), 3,475Albanians (0.45%), 2,167Romani (0.28%), 1,312Slovenes (0.17%), 1,036Macedonians (0.15%), 865Montenegrins (0.11%), and a number of other smaller communities.[79]
The data in column 3 refers to the population in the city borders as of the census in question. Column 4 is calculated for the territory now defined as the City of Zagreb (Narodne Novine 97/10).[83]
The city itself is not the onlystandalone settlement in the City of Zagreb administrative area – there are a number of larger urban settlements such as Sesvete and Lučko and a number of smaller villages attached to it whose population is tracked separately.[84]
There are 70 settlements in the City of Zagreb administrative area:
The 47 representatives of the City Assembly is elected for a four-year term on the basis ofuniversal suffrage indirect elections bysecret ballot usingproportional system withd'Hondt method in a manner specified by law. The president and vice-presidents of the assembly are elected by the representatives. All changes to urban planning documents and the budget must be passed through the assembly.
TheOffice of the Mayor and the deputies are elected on a four year term. Before 2009, the mayor was elected by the City Assembly, but was changed to direct elections bymajoritarian vote with atwo-round system. They, along with the deputies, may be recalled by a referendum according to the law from not less than 20% of all electors or two-thirds of the assembly. The mayor is responsible for the state administration due to the city's special status, including appointing all heads of city offices and services. The city administration is divided into 12 city offices which are responsible for managing everything fromurban planning to culture, the City institute for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Monuments, System Information and Technical Affairs Service, City Administration Expert Service and the City Assembly Expert Service, which is managed by a secretary appointed by the assembly.[86] The city ownsZagreb Holding, a city enterprise which operates many branches carrying out all operating tasks,[87] andZagreb Electric Tram, the city transit authority.[88]
Local government is organized into 17city districts represented by City District Councils which are elected by the district's residents.[89] Districts have to adopt plans for the maintenance of infrastructure and for community programs and projects, and can propose changes to urban development documents. The city is further subdivided into 218 local committees, the second level of local self-government. They are in charge of organizing cultural or other events in the area and listening to the problems of citizens living there.[90] Since 2024, as part ofparticipatory budgeting, residents can propose and discuss new projects in their neighborhoods.[91][92]
Zagreb is an important tourist center, not only in terms of passengers traveling from the rest of Europe to the Adriatic Sea but also as a travel destination itself. Since the end of thewar, it has attracted close to a million visitors annually, mainly from Austria, Germany, and Italy, and in recent years many tourists from far east (South Korea, Japan, China, and last two years, from India). It has become an important tourist destination, not only in Croatia, but considering the whole region of southeastern Europe.There are many interesting sights and happenings for tourists to attend in Zagreb, for example, the two statues of Saint George, one at theRepublic of Croatia Square, the other at theStone Gate, where the image of the Virgin Mary is said to be the only thing that did not burn in the 17th-century fire. Also, there is an art installation starting in the Bogovićeva Street, calledNine Views.Zagreb is also famous for its award-winningChristmas market that had been named the one in Europe for three consecutive years (2015, 2016 and 2017) byEuropean Best Destinations.[116][117]
The historical part of the city to the north ofBan Jelačić Square is composed of theGornji Grad andKaptol, a medieval urban complex of churches, palaces, museums, galleries and government buildings that are popular with tourists on sightseeing tours. The historic district can be reached on foot, starting from the Ban Jelačić Square, the center of Zagreb, or by afunicular on nearby Tomićeva Street. Each Saturday, (from April until the end of September), onSt. Mark's Square in the Upper Town, tourists can meet members of the Order of The Silver Dragon (Red Srebrnog Zmaja), who reenact famous historical conflicts betweenGradec andKaptol.
Some famous Zagreb souvenirs are thetie orcravat, an accessory named after Croats who wore characteristic scarves around their necks in theThirty Years' War in the 17th century, and theball-point pen, a tool developed from the inventions bySlavoljub Eduard Penkala, an inventor and a citizen of Zagreb.
In 2010 more than 600,000[120] tourists visited the city, with a 10%[121] increase seen in 2011. In 2012 a total of 675 707 tourists[122] visited the city. A record number of tourists visited Zagreb in 2017, 1.286.087, up 16% compared to the year before, which generated 2.263.758 overnight stays, up 14,8%.
Domestic dishes includeturkey,duck orgoose withmlinci (flat pasta, soaked in roast juices), famous zagrebački odrezak (type ofcordon bleu),faširanci (fried minced meat mixed with onions and bread crumbs),[123] andsarma (sauerkraut rolls filed with minced pork meat and rice, served withmashed potato).Strudel dishes includeštrukli,cottage cheese strudels, andbučnica, a strudel with pumpkin or other fillings (dependent on the region).[124]Cottage cheese with cream is a side dish that is eaten for breakfast.[125] Desserts includekremšnite,custard slices in flaky pastry, andorehnjača, traditionalwalnut rolls.[126]Licitar, often calledlicitar's heart, is a colorfully decorated biscuit made of sweet honey dough, written across with poems, traditional names or citations. Some are made out of permanent materials to be sold as souvenirs.[127]
Zagreb is home to twoMichelin star restaurants.[128] Many restaurants offer various specialties ofnational andinternational cuisine.[129] Bakeries sell regional pastries likeburek, strudels andpies. "Pečenjara" are restaurants specialized in serving grilled meats such asćevapi,patties and lamb.[130][131] “Špica” refers to a coffee break with friends atcafe’s in the city centre, and is usually paired with dressing well.[132] It is busiest on Saturdays around noon, when many “celebrities” can be seen walking in the city centre.[133]
Tkalčićeva Street, commonly known as "Tkalča" has many cafes, bars and restaurants of local and foreign cuisine
Zagreb's museums reflect the history, art, and culture not only of Zagreb and Croatia, but also of Europe and the world. Around thirty collections in museums and galleries comprise more than 3.6 million various exhibits, excluding church and private collections.
TheArchaeological Museum collections, today consisting of nearly 450,000 variedarchaeological artefacts and monuments, have been gathered over the years from many different sources. These holdings include evidence of Croatian presence in the area.[134] The most famous are the Egyptian collection, theZagreb mummy and bandages with the oldestEtruscan inscription in the world (Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis), as well as thenumismatic collection.
TheModern Gallery (Croatian:Moderna galerija) holds the most important and comprehensive collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings by 19th- and 20th-century Croatian artists. The collection numbers more than 10,000 works of art, housed since 1934 in the historic Vranyczany Palace in the center of Zagreb, overlooking the Zrinjevac Park. A secondary gallery is the Josip Račić Studio.[135]
TheCroatian Natural History Museum holds one of the world's most important collections ofNeanderthal remains found at one site.[136] These are the remains, stone weapons, and tools of prehistoricKrapina man. The holdings of the Croatian Natural History Museum comprise more than 250,000 specimens distributed among various collections.
TheTechnical Museum was founded in 1954 and it maintains the oldest preserved machine in the area, dating from 1830, which is still operational. The museum exhibits numerous historic aircraft, cars, machinery and equipment. There are some distinct sections in the museum: the Planetarium, the Apisarium, the Mine (model of mines for coal, iron andnon-ferrous metals, about 300 m (980 ft) long), and theNikola Tesla study.[137][138]
TheMuseum of the City of Zagreb was established in 1907 by the Association of the Braća Hrvatskog Zmaja. It is located in a restored monumental complex (Popov toranj, the Observatory, Zakmardi Granary) of the former Convent of thePoor Clares, of 1650.[139] The Museum deals with topics from the cultural, artistic, economic andpolitical history of the city spanning from Roman finds to themodern period. The holdings comprise over 80,000 items arranged systematically into collections of artistic and mundane objects characteristic of the city and its history.
TheArts and Crafts Museum was founded in 1880 with the intention of preserving the works of art and craft against the new predominance of industrial products. With its 160,000 exhibits, the Arts and Crafts Museum is a national-level museum for artistic production and the history ofmaterial culture in Croatia.[140]
TheEthnographic Museum was founded in 1919. It lies in the fine Secession building of the one-time Trades Hall of 1903. The ample holdings of about 80,000 items cover the ethnographic heritage of Croatia, classified in three cultural zones: the Pannonian, Dinaric and Adriatic.[141]
TheCroatian Museum of Naïve Art is one of the first museums ofnaïve art in the world. The museum holds works of Croatian naïve expression of the 20th century. It is located in the 18th-century Raffay Palace in theGornji Grad. The museum holdings consist of almost 2000 works of art – paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints, mainly by Croatians but also by other well-known world artists.[143] From time to time, the museum organizes topics and retrospective exhibitions by naïve artists, expert meetings and educational workshops and playrooms.
TheMuseum of Contemporary Art was founded in 1954. Its new building hosts a rich collection of Croatian and international contemporary visual art which has been collected throughout the decades from the nineteen-fifties until today. The museum is located in the center ofNovi Zagreb and opened in 2009. The old location is now part of the Kulmer Palace in theGornji Grad.[144]
The Institute for Contemporary Art (Institut za suvremenu umjetnost), successor to the Soros Center for Contemporary Art – Zagreb (SCCA – Zagreb), was founded in 1993, and registered as an independent nonprofit organization in 1998. It was founded and run byart historians, curators, artists, photographers, designers, publishers, academics, and journalists, and initially located at the Museum of Contemporary Art. After moving a number of times, the institute has a gallery at the Academia Moderna. Its aims are to promote contemporary Croatian artists and thevisual and other creative arts; to start documenting contemporary artists; and to build a body of contemporary art. It established the Radoslav Putar Award in 2002.[145]
TheStrossmayer Gallery of Old Masters offers permanent holdings presenting European paintings from the 14th to 19th centuries,[146] and theIvan Meštrović Studio, with sculptures, drawings, lithography portfolios and other items, was a donation of this great artist to his homeland. The Museum and Gallery Center introduces on various occasions the Croatian and foreign cultural and artistic heritage. TheArt Pavilion by Viennese architects Hellmer and Fellmer who were the most famous designers of theatres in Central Europe is aneo-classical exhibition complex and one of the landmarks of the downtown. The exhibitions are also held in the Meštrović building on theSquare of the Victims of Fascism – the Home of Croatian Fine Artists. The World Center "Wonder of Croatian Naïve Art" exhibits masterpieces of Croatian naïve art as well as the works of a new generation of artists. The Modern Gallery comprises all relevant fine artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. TheMuseum of Broken Relationships at 2 Ćirilometodska holds people's mementos of past relationships.[147][148][149] It is the first private museum in the country.[150]Lauba House presents works from theFilip Trade Collection, a large private collection of modern and contemporary Croatian art and current artistic production.[151][152]
Other museums and galleries are also found in the Croatian School Museum, the Croatian Hunting Museum, the Croatian Sports Museum, the Croatian Post and Telecommunications Museum, the HAZU (Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts) Glyptotheque (collection of monuments), and the HAZU Graphics Cabinet.
There are fivecastles in Zagreb: Dvorac Brezovica, Kašina (Castrum antiquum Paganorum), Medvedgrad, Susedgrad and Kulmerovi dvori.[153]
Zagreb Zoo is a 7-hectarezoo located inMaksimir Park opened in 1925.[154] It holds 6754 animals from more than 370 species from all around the world,[155] and is the most visited zoo in Croatia with almost half of million visitors in 2023.[156]
Animafest, the World Festival ofAnimated Films, takes place every even-numbered year, and theMusic Biennale, the international festival ofavant-garde music, every odd-numbered year. It also hosts the annualZagrebDoxdocumentary film festival. TheFestival of the ZagrebPhilharmonic and the flowers exhibitionFloraart (end of May or beginning of June), theOld-timer Rally annual events. In the summer, theatre performances and concerts, mostly in the Upper Town, are organized either indoors or outdoors. The stage on Opatovina hosts theZagreb Histrionic Summer theatre events.
Zagreb is also the host ofZagrebfest, the oldest Croatianpop-musicfestival, as well as of several traditional international sports events and tournaments. TheDay of the City of Zagreb on 16 November is celebrated every year with special festivities, especially on theJarun lake in the southwestern part of the city.
Zagreb is home to numerous sports and recreational parks. Recreational Sports Center Jarun, situated on the Jarun Lake in the southwest of the city, has shingle beaches, aregatta course used for training and sports competitions, ajogging and a bike lane around the lake, and several restaurants andnight clubs. Its sports and recreation opportunities include swimming, sunbathing, waterskiing, angling, and otherwater sports, for which it is most popular, but alsobeach volleyball, football, basketball, handball, table tennis, andmini-golf.[158][159] To the east inNovi Zagreb laysBundek, a park with two small lakes near the Sava river, which were created in the 60s because of heavy excavations in the area, from which the material was used to build theZagreb Fair and the Youth Bridge. The location had then been used until the 1970s, when it went into neglect until its complete renovation in 2006.[160] In the north-east isMaksimir Park, an urban forest that was gifted to the city by bishopMaksimilijan Vrhovac. Because of its many meadows and lakes, which are well connected by a series of pathways, it is a popular place for walking, running and cycling.[161]
In northernTrešnjevka laysDom sportova, a sports center that features six halls, of which the largest two have a seating capacity of 5,000 and 3,100 people.[162] This center is used for various sports: basketball, handball, volleyball, hockey, gymnastics, tennis, and others, as well as music events.[163]Sports Park Mladost, situated on the embankment of the Sava river, has anOlympic-size swimming pool, smaller indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sunbathing terrace, 16 tennis courts as well asbasketball,volleyball,handball,football andfield hockey courts. A volleyball sports hall is within the park. Sports and recreational center "Šalata", located in the neighborhoodŠalata only a couple hundred meters from theBan Jelačić Square, includes ninetennis courts, four of which are covered in the winter to protect from the cold, as well as swimming pools which are open during the summer, basketball courts and football fields. Many of the fields are used by sports clubs. Outdoorice skating is available during the winter.[164] Maksimir Tennis Center, located in the neighborhood ofRavnice, east ofdowntown, consists of 22 outside and 4 inside tennis courts, and onesquash court.[165] There are currently seven pool complexes across the city.[166] Since the city doesn't have many skate parks, skaters can only skate in a few locations in Zagreb, them beingJarun,Špansko andVrapče (which is a DIY skate park built by volunteers).[167]Zagreb Hippodrome offers recreationalhorseback riding andhorse races, able to house 175 horses.[168] It has been used for mass gatherings and concerts.[169][170]
Important branches of industry are: production of electrical machines and devices,chemical,pharmaceutical,textile,food and drink processing. Zagreb is aninternational trade and business centre, as well as an essential transport hub placed at the crossroads of Central Europe, the Mediterranean and theSoutheast Europe.[182] Almost all of the largest Croatian as well as Central European companies and conglomerates such asAgrokor,INA,Hrvatski Telekom have their headquarters in the city.
According to 2008 data, the city of Zagreb has the highest PPP and nominalgross domestic product per capita in Croatia at $32,185 and $27,271 respectively, compared to the Croatian averages of US$18,686 and $15,758.[183]
As of May 2015, the average monthly net salary in Zagreb was 6,669kuna, about€870 (Croatian average is 5,679 kuna, about €740).[184][185] At the end of 2012, the averageunemployment rate in Zagreb was around 9.5%.[186]34% of companies in Croatia have headquarters in Zagreb, and 38.4% of the Croatian workforce works in Zagreb, including almost all banks, utility and public transport companies.[187][188][189]
Companies in Zagreb create 52% of the total turnover and 60% of the total profit of Croatia in 2006 as well as 35% of Croatian export and 57% of Croatian import.[190][191]The following table includes some of the main economic indicators for the period 2011–2019, based on the data provided by theCroatian Bureau of Statistics.[192][193] A linear interpolation was used for the population data between 2011 and 2021. While data on the yearly averaged conversion rates betweenHRK,EUR andUSD is provided by theCroatian National Bank.[194]
TheA2 highway is a part of theCorridor Xa.[199] It connects Zagreb and the frequently congestedMacelj border crossing, forming a near-continuous motorway-level link between Zagreb andWestern Europe.[200] Forming a part of the Corridor Vb, highwayA4 starts in Zagreb forming the northeastern wing of theZagreb bypass and leads to Hungary until theGoričan border crossing. It is often used highway around Zagreb.[201]
The railway and the A3 highway along theSava river that extend toSlavonia (towardsSlavonski Brod,Vinkovci,Osijek andVukovar) are some of the busiest traffic corridors in the country.[202] The railway running along theSutla river and the A2 highway (Zagreb-Macelj) running throughZagorje, as well as traffic connections with the Pannonian region and Hungary (theZagorje railroad, the roads and railway toVaraždin –Čakovec andKoprivnica) are linked with truck routes.[203] The southern railway connection toSplit operates on a high-speedtilting trains line via theLika region (renovated in 2004 to allow for a five-hour journey); a faster line along theUna river valley is in use only up to the border between Croatia andBosnia and Herzegovina.[203][204]
The city has an extensiveavenue network with numerous main arteries up to ten lanes wide. The busiest roads are the main east–west arteries, formerHighway "Brotherhood and Unity", consisting ofLjubljana Avenue,Zagreb Avenue andSlavonia Avenue; and the Vukovar Avenue, the closest bypass of the city center. The avenues were supposed to alleviate the traffic problem, but most of them are nowadays gridlocked during rush hour and others, like Branimirova Avenue and Dubrovnik Avenue which are gridlocked for the whole day.[205][206][207]European routesE59,E65 andE70 serve Zagreb.
The first bridge with a steel construction was built in 1892 at the end of the Sava road, replacing the previous wooden bridge.[208] Today, Zagreb has six road traffic bridges across theriver Sava,[209] and they all span both the river and thelevees, making them all by and large longer than 200 m (660 ft).[210][211] In downstream order, these are:
Name
Year finished
Type
Road that goes over
Other information
Road bridges
Podsused Bridge
1982
Two-lane road bridge with a commuter train line (not yet completed)
Samoborska Road
Connects Zagreb to its closesuburbs by a road toSamobor, the fastest route to Bestovje, Sveta Nedelja, and Strmec.[212]
Four-lane road bridge (also carries two bicycle and two pedestrian lanes; has space reserved for tram tracks)
Radnička (Workers') Road
This bridge is the last bridge built on the Sava river to date; it linksPeščenica via Radnička street to theZagreb bypass at Kosnica. It is planned to continue towardsZagreb Airport atPleso andVelika Gorica, and on to state road D31 going to the south.[216]
Railway bridges
Hendrix Bridge
1939
Two-way railway bridge
–
The first bridge on that location was built in 1862 and was later replaced. It got its name after a graffiti saying "Hendrix", referring toJimi Hendrix, kept reappearing on the bridge despite the authorities removing it.[217]
The conditions forcycling in Zagreb are favorable because of its flat terrain under the Medvednica mountain[220] and little snowfall during winter.[221] Zagreb has warm summers and cold winters, which can make cycling more difficult.[222] The biking infrastructure in the city are a series of unconnected bike lanes that start and end abruptly instead of forming a connected network. Most of the existing lanes are located on sidewalks and are indicated by a painted line.[223] The city had aNextbikebike-sharing system from 2013 to 2025,[224] when it was replaced by a €11.6 million city-fundedBajs system.[225] It is maintained by a Nextbike licensed partnerPublic bicycle system, since they were the only ones to make an offer.[226]
Public transportation in the city is organized in multiple layers: the inner parts of the city are mostly covered bytrams, while the outer city areas and suburbs are linked with buses and rapid transitcommuter rail. The public transportation companyZagreb Electric Tram operates all tram and city bus lines, and most of the suburban bus lines.[227] TheZagreb Funicular (uspinjača), which was built in the 19th century and is only long 66 meters, is a populartourist attraction. It was built before the Jubilee Economic-Forestry Exhibition to easily travel between the growing lower part of the city and the administrative and political center on the Upper Town.[228][229] To the north, Sljeme, the peak of the Medvednica mountain, is accessible by agondola lift. The ride lasts for just over 16 minutes and has an elevation of 754 m.[230]Zagreb Bus Station also serves as important hub forbus transport, which is very well connected with rest of the Europe.
Thetaxi market has beenliberalized in early 2018,[231] and numerous transport companies (includingUber) have been allowed to enter the market. Despite this liberalization, taxi prices were prevented from increasing too much via legislation thatcapped them on one tenth of the average monthlysalary.[232]
Zagreb has an extensivetram network with 15 day and 4 night lines covering much of the inner- and middle-suburbs of the city.[227][233] The first tram line was opened on 5 September 1891 and trams have been serving as a vital component of Zagreb mass transit ever since.[234] Many new lines were introduced in the coming years, and by 1911, the whole network was electrified.[235] New tracks were continuously added to the network throughout the 20th century,[236] even duringWorld War II under the leadership of Dragutin Mandl.[237][238] The last expansion happened in 2000.[239] The average speed of trams is only 13 km/h (8.08 mph), one of the slowest in Europe.[240][241][242] On narrower streets, the tracks are either shared with car traffic or separated by a painted yellow line, which can still be used by taxis, buses and emergency vehicles, which can slow down trams duringrush hour, whereas on larger avenues the tracks are situated insidegreen belts.[243]
The rolling stock consists of the newer Croatian-builtCrotramTMK 2100,TMK 2200,TMK 2300 and TMK 2400 tram types, and olderTatra T4YU andKT4YU types.[244] The city also bought 11 usedGT6M trams to replace the olderTMK 201 trams.[245] Trams transported 121.83 million people in 2024, or roughly 333,773 a day.[246]
The train tracks form a circle around the inner-city and have branches going in four directions: Zaprešić,Dugo Selo,Jastrebarsko andVelika Gorica. Zagreb is connected with all major cities in Croatia, including Vinkovci,Karlovac,Rijeka andSplit,[247][248] as well with cities in other European countries -Ljubljana,Budapest,Munich andZurich. A 2024Greenpeace study found out that Zagreb had much unused potential in connecting with other major European cities, instead prioritizing air travel.[249]
The commuter rail network in Zagreb has existed since 1992, with the introduction of theSavski Marof - Zagreb - Dugo Selo line.[250] In 2005, suburban rail services were increased to a 15-minute frequency serving the middle and outer suburbs of Zagreb, primarily in the east–west direction and to the southern districts. This has enhanced the commuting opportunities across the city.[251] The cities connected by the suburban lines includeHarmica, Savski Marof, Zaprešić, Dugo Selo and Velika Gorica.[247] The passenger trains ride on the same tracks asfreight trains, which can cause delays.[252] The Zagreb Electric Tram and the Croatian Railways offer combined monthly and yearly ticket passes with discounted prices.[253]
Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport (IATA:ZAG,ICAO:LDZA) is the main Croatian international airport, a 17 km (11 mi) drive southeast of Zagreb in the city ofVelika Gorica. The airport is also the main Croatian airbase featuring a fighter squadron, helicopters, as well as military and freighttransport aircraft.[254] The airport had 3.45 million passengers in 2019 with a new passenger terminal being opened in late March 2017 that can accommodate up to 5.5 million passengers, and in 2024 it hit record number of passengers with 4.31 million, making itthe busiest airport in Croatia andone of the busiest airports in Europe. Zagreb Airport is the only airport in Croatia that has direct flights withCanada, and one of two (withDubrovnik Airport) to have direct flights withNorth America.[255] The airport is served by a bus line fromEugen Kvaternik Square.[256]
Zagreb also has a second, smaller airport,Lučko Airfield (ICAO:LDZL). It is home to sports airplanes and a Croatian special police unit, as well as being a military helicopter airbase. Lučko used to be the main airport of Zagreb from 1947 to 1959.[257]
A third, small grass airfield, Buševec, is located just outsideVelika Gorica. It is primarily used for sports purposes.[258]
Founded in 1669, the University of Zagreb is the oldest continuously operating university in Croatia and one of the largest[264][265][266][267][268][269] and oldest universities in the Southeastern Europe. Ever since its foundation, the university has been continually growing and developing and now consists of 29 faculties, three art academies and the Croatian Studies Centre. More than 200,000 students have attained theBachelor's degree at the university, which has also assigned 18,000Master's and 8,000Doctor's degrees.[270]As of 2011[update], the University of Zagreb is ranked among 500 Best Universities of the world by the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities.
Zagreb is the seat of two private universities: theCatholic University of Croatia and the Libertas International University. It also hosts numerous public and private polytechnics, colleges and higher professional schools.[which?]
Mihalj Šilobod Bolšić (1724–1787),Roman Catholic priest, mathematician, writer, and musical theorist primarily known for writing the first Croatian arithmetic textbookArithmatika Horvatzka (published in Zagreb, 1758)
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