The impressive Lotrščak Tower in the Upper Town was once a watchtower, bell tower and cannon tower, and today functions as a lookout tower and unmistakable landmark of Zagreb.
The striking Lotrščak Tower is a landmark of the city and, along with St. Mark's Church, the most famous sight in the Upper Town of Zagreb. Like St. Mark's, it is one of our top 10 sights in Zagreb.
Towering high into the Croatian sky, it welcomes passengers at the top station, who arrive every 10 minutes by the cogwheel railway "ZET Uspinjaca" from the lower town. For a small fee, the Lotrščak Tower can be climbed and offers the most beautiful panoramic view of the city.
Legacy of Zagreb's City Wall
The Romanesque Lotrščak Tower is the best-preserved relic of the former city fortifications of Zagreb. It was built in the 13th century as the southern gate in the city walls of Zagreb.
Its name goes back to its original Latin name "campana latrunculorum". The "thieves' bell" was installed in the Lotrščak Tower in 1646 and announced the closing of the city gates every evening.
Bang at 12 noon
Its former function is still commemorated today by a cannon shot that resounds far and wide over Zagreb every day at 12 o'clock on the dot. The cannon was placed on the newly built fourth floor of the watchtower in 1877 and at that time gave the city's bell ringers the signal to ring the noon bell to the minute.
