Solar System Zagreb
Zagreb's best-kept secret
Solar System is my trump card for impressing visitors who think they saw all the sights in Zagreb, be it with a tour or with a local. Somehow both tours and locals neglect pointing to one of the coolest things in Zagreb.
It all started from the Grounded Sun, a famous sculpture made by Ivan Kožarić in 1971. Originally, it stood in front of the opera house, where it caused some irritation - allegedly, one man stopped his car while driving by it, got out and kicked at the sculpture. Apparently, abstract art wasn't widely accepted by the general public, although the socialist regime was totally fine with it and chose not to meddle into the artists' work. The sculpture thus changed several locations and finally ended up in Bogovićeva street in 1994. BTW, Kožarić, who has always avoided pathos and pretentiousness, isn't one bit upset by the scribbles on his Sun.
Ten years after, in 2004, the artist Davor Preis made an installation called Nine Views by placing 9 planet models all around Zagreb. The planets' sizes and distances from the Grounded Sun are proportional to the real sizes and distances, thus making a model of solar system. Interestingly, this installation never got the deserved attention and even many locals don't know about it.
Mars, Earth, Venus and Mercury are all downtown, while the other planets are further away and harder to find, but it's fun!
Pluto was mysteriously "stolen" after it lost its planet status, but the plaque is still there.
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Nature cuts into concrete
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Kino Tuškanac
A celebration of the art of cinema
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Maksimir Stairs
A stairway to heaven
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Galerija Link
A paradise for design fans
"Galerija Link" in Zagreb is a design-oriented souvenir shop that has such great decorative and useful items, I often come here to shop for myself, too!
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Studio78
Creative girl power
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Botanical Garden
Meet the diverse Croatian flora
Botanical Garden in Zagreb may not sound like the most exciting proposition, but I love coming here for the events and the quiet from the city noise...
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Ribice i Tri Točkice
Tasty fish, joyful ambience
Ribice i Tri Točkice Zagreb makes some of the best value-for-money seafood in the city. It's my first choice to eat fish, and I love the joyous ambience.
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Petras Atelier
Offbeat jewelry and other goodies
Petras Atelier in central Zagreb is based on the artworks by a creative mother-daughter duo. I come here for original gifts though, I like just browsing!
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Kavana Lav
Soak in the charm of Upper town
Kavana Lav Zagreb is situated in a former palace and still has a gallery. Almost never crowded, together with its balcony it's peaceful & quiet...
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Museum of Contemporary Art
Long-awaited showpiece
Zagreb's Museum of Contemporary Art took many years to be completed, but it's well worth it. I come here to rediscover classics or catch cultural events.
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Wirtshaus
Hearty Meals at the Foothill of Sljeme
The food is delicious - from hearty seasonal soups and crispy fried potatoes to their staple Wiener Tafelspitz, everything is fresh and very tasty.
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Breadclub
Cruffins from heaven
Breadclub is an artisanal bakery in Zagreb. It sounds like an exaggeration, but believe me, everything is delicious here - it's always hard to choose...
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