Zagreb - A Day Trip from Krk Island part 3
Jul 17th, 2008 | Category:Croatia travel and places to visitWhen we recently wrote about Zagreb’s Uppertown and Downtown districts, as part of our series of One Day Trips from Krk Island, we realized that there is so much to say about the cultural aspects of this wonderful city that we decided to dedicate a separate article to this subject, especially as you may need much more than one day to complete your full visit!
A city of museums and culture
Zagreb is a city of culture – it has 39 galleries, 26 museums and 16 theatres to offer culture lovers. In fact, Zagreb has more museums per square metre than any other city in the world and most of them are located within easy walking distance of each other in the downtown city centre area. Some of the attractions you should certainly aim to visit if you have time include:
- The Mimara Museum
- The Archaeological Museum
- The Croatian Natural History Museum
- The Technical Museum
- The Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters
- The Art Pavilion
- The Modern Gallery
- The Croatian National Theatre
- The Exit Theatre
- The Gavella Drama Theatre
Museums and Galleries
None of the numerous museums in Zagreb will disappoint. You should make sure not to miss the Mimara Museum (Muzej Mimara), said to be a “small Louvre”. It houses over 3,700 items of art from all over the world, ranging from prehistoric period pieces to contemporary works of art.. Many of Europe’s most famous painter’s have their masterpieces on display including a number of paintings by Rafael, Rembrandt, Rubens and Goya, and sculptures created by Rodin and Verrocchio.
The Archaeological Museum (Arheološki Muzej) is home to over four hundred thousand pieces and depicts much of Croatia’s history through the ages. Whilst the museum doesn’t display all the artifacts it houses, you will definitely want to visit and enjoy the collections that are being exhibited.
The Croatian Natural History Museum is home to an extensive collection featuring many remains of the Neanderthal age and is reckoned to be the most extensive throughout the world.
The Technical Museum of course features work from one of Croatia’s most famous scientists, Nikola Tesla, but also displays other items of interest to those looking for technological enlightenment. It houses a planetarium; a “walk in” 300 metre long underground model of coal and iron mines; and in its agriculture department, three glass beehives with live bees where visitors can observe the life and work of the insect.
Galleries that are certainly worth a visit are The Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters, the Art Pavilion and the Modern Gallery.
Theatres and Concert Halls
If your preference is for comedy shows, ballet or opera then Zagreb has something for you. With so many venues to choose from, there is always an activity to engage in. Some of the most popular theatres include the Croatian National Theatre, the Exit Theatre and the Gavella Drama Theatre. Or perhaps you might find the Ribica Children’s Theatre to your liking - or even the Zagreb Puppet Theatre for something a little more unusual.
The concert halls of Zagreb are the perfect location to enjoy some of the most beautiful Croatian and world chamber music. You can choose from The Croatian Music Institute, the Illyrian Movement Room, and the Concert and Congress Hall Vatroslav Lisinski.
There are also numerous events and festivals held in Zagreb throughout the year and if you happen to be in Zagreb at the time of a festival you will find the whole city buzzing. A few of the bigger Festivals held annually are the Zagreb Jazz Festival (March/April); Animafest, the world festival of animated films (May/June); the International Garden and Flower Exhibition (June); the International Folklore Festival (July); the Zagreb Baroque Festival (July/August); the World Theatre Festival (September) and the Zagreb Film Festival (October).
One thing’s for sure – you’ll never run out of cultural sights and visits in Zagreb!
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