Zagreb after the main six
The country's tallest spires, a cannon fired daily at noon, a museum in Novi Zagreb and a street that used to be a stream — four places the hub's list of six does not cover.
- Zagreb Cathedral
- Spires over 108 metres
- Lotrščak Tower
- Part of the 1266 town gate
- The MSU
- A 2009 building in Novi Zagreb
The six main sights are what the hub fits into two days; these four are what is left once that is done. Zagreb Cathedral has the country's tallest spires, Lotrščak Tower keeps a cannon that fires every day at noon, the Museum of Contemporary Art stands on the far side of the Sava, and Tkalčićeva was once a stream separating two medieval towns.
Zagreb Cathedral — the country's tallest spires
The cathedral's two neo-Gothic spires rise past 108 metres, taller than any other religious building in Croatia. The present shape is the work of Hermann Bollé, the architect who rebuilt the church after the 1880 earthquake, the same man who later designed the arcades at Mirogoj. Entry to the main nave is free; the treasury is visited only by appointment.
Lotrščak Tower and the noon cannon
The tower was built in 1266 as part of the southern town gate and the defensive walls, and it is today one of the oldest surviving buildings in the city. At its top is the Grič cannon, fired every day at exactly noon — a tradition kept since 1877, when the shot began serving as a signal to the city's bell-ringers that it was midday. From the top of the tower is a view over the whole Lower Town.
The MSU — on the far side of the river
The building, chosen from eighty-five competition entries, was designed by architect Igor Franić and opened on 11 December 2009 in Novi Zagreb, on Avenija Dubrovnik. The permanent collection ticket (€11) includes a ride down a slide from the second floor, a work by the artist Carsten Höller — a rare permanent installation of its kind in a contemporary art museum.
Tkalčićeva — the former stream
Until 1898, a stream called the Medveščak ran along this street, dividing two medieval towns, Gradec and Kaptol, for centuries — disputes over water rights and mills grew so fierce that a peace treaty banning new watermills on the border was signed in 1392. Once the stream was covered, the street was first called Ulica Potok (Stream Street); it has carried the name Tkalčićeva since 1913, after the historian Ivan Tkalčić. Today it is the densest row of cafés and bars in the city, with no ticket to enter.
An order that makes sense
The cathedral and Lotrščak Tower fit into the Upper Town, alongside the Stone Gate and St Mark's Square — an add-on to Day 1 of the day-by-day plan. The MSU is further out, across the Sava; Tkalčićeva sits in between, below the Upper Town towards Kaptol, so it is naturally seen alongside the cathedral, not the museum.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Is the cathedral free to enter?
Yes, the main nave is free; the treasury is visited only by appointment.
When does the cannon at Lotrščak Tower fire?
Every day at exactly noon — a tradition since 1877.
Where is the Museum of Contemporary Art?
In Novi Zagreb, on the far side of the Sava; entry is €11 and includes a ride down the slide.
Ready for Zagreb?
Where to next
What to eat in Zagreb
→Zagorje-style štrukli open the meal and close it too, the Zagreb-style cutlet is for a proper dinner, and…
Plitvice Lakes · 107 km
→Sixteen lakes that are still moving, because the water that makes them turns to stone
How well does Zagreb suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
Leave your email and we'll let you know when a new destination or story goes up.