Zagreb Day 2

 Jetlag last night made it difficult to fall asleep, despite being tired, so we started the day a bit earlier than usual largely due to the need for coffee (our room had no such amenities).  With some caffeine and food in our system we were ready to explore Zagreb.  Our first stop was the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, which only bears his name, which we found out once inside.  Although disappointed at this turn of events, it was still a fascinating visit.  It was a technology museum, so it focused scientific and technical appliances used in Croatia's history; showcasing planes, bikes, boats, trains, engines, turbines, even fire fighting equipment.  

The real planes, helicopters, bikes, and boats were neat, but I most enjoyed the exhibit they had on Tesla himself (he is the museum's namesake, after all).  He was a fascinating man and the glimpse into the contrast between him and Edison made me realize I need a better grasp of these two men who changed the course of history.  A book explaining the ramifications for Edison's direct current electricity vs. Tesla's alternating current electricity and why DC beat out AC at that point in time.  *If anyone knows of such a book, please let me know in the comments!

Our next destination was Zagreb's cathedral (formerly known as St. Stephen’s Cathedral)and its stunning neo-Gothic architecture.  It's the country's largest Catholic cathedral, and was only partially hidden behind the scaffolding used to fix damage from weathering and the earthquakes that have damaged the façade.  The church has dominated Kaptol Square since the 11th century, not the original, mind you, since invasions, fire, and earthquakes have all had their way with the edifice over time.  We were unable to go inside, but we did get to see the clock from 1880.  The time always reads 7:03, the exact time when the "The Great Zagreb earthquake" struck.

Onwards towards Dolac's iconic red parasol-ed farmers market!  We snagged some pastries (not as enticing as a French pastry, if I'm being honest) and stopped at a café for another shot of coffee with a view of the beautiful fruits being sold.  It was after 1pm, so many of the stands had already emptied and removed their umbrellas, but we still got the essence of the place.  A brief stop at the kumica monument to the village women who have sold their products on Dolac for hundreds of years and then it was on to Ban Jelačić Square.

Dolac Market

Ban Jelačić Square

"Ban" means governor, and Ban Jelačić Square is the main city square - its size alone gives that impression.  From there we walked to Nikola Zrinski Square which had large trees, Zagreb's first fountain and lots of park benches for resting (which we did).  It is adjacent to two other squares/parks (in a long strip) and they are lined with stunning landmark buildings (on both sides of the street).

King Tomislav Square, with his statue proudly presiding over the square, was the last in the lineup.  Opposite his statue is the beautiful Art Pavilion, built for the 1896 Exhibition.  Surrounding the statue are signage explaining the history of the monument.  Tomislav is considered to be the first king of Croatia, somewhere around year 925 (historians debate the year), and although little is known of his reign, the invasion of Hungarians was stopped and there was a unification of different regions of the country during his time. "The celebration of the thousand years of the existence of the kingdom of Croatia took place in 1925.  its goal was to strengthen the national consciousness and to develop the Croatian national identity...During 1925 there were numerous cultural and artistic events."  In 1927 they dedicated the square in his name, and his monument (much political disputing delayed its erection) was finally placed in the its current location in October 1947.

The stunning Hotel Esplanade was our next stop and it was built in 1925 to lodge passengers traveling the Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul.  It retains its Art Noveau architecture (inside and out), very glamorous, and I'm not only referring to the architecture.  Their list of A-List guests over the years includes Charles Lindberg, Alfonso XIII (King of Spain), Vladimir Gajdarov, and even Jane Seymour, and Omar Sharif.  During WWII the Gestapo and the Wehrmacht turned it into their headquarters, but you wouldn't know that today.  We found a small café on the grounds in front of the hotel and sat by their fountain to enjoy a cold beverage and people watch.  We so enjoyed the atmosphere that we probably sat there for two hours; they don't care how long you stay at restaurants and cafés here, it's refreshing.