In the Upper Town (Gornji Grad) of Zagreb, Croatia holidaymakers stroll through the historical part of the city and discover the three most important landmarks of Zagreb in addition to numerous museums.
The two hills Gornji Grad and Kaptol in the north of Zagreb form the historical centre of Zagreb, which is one of our 10 most beautiful cities in Croatia. The city's main square, Trg Ban Jelačić, together with the Ilica promenade, mark the boundaries between the historic upper town and the modern lower town.
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PICTURES: Gornji Grad (Upper Town) in Zagreb
Photo gallery: Gornji Grad (Upper Town) in Zagreb
Trg Ban Jelačić
Jelačić Square is a hive of activity day and night, thanks to Croatians shopping and chatting, street musicians and tourists on their way to Zagreb's sights. Free wi-fi and what is said to be the best coffee in town make Jelačić Square a worthwhile stopover when sightseeing in Zagreb.
Zagreb's most famous square is also considered the perfect starting point for a tour of the most important sights in the upper town of Croatia's capital.
Market on Trg Dolac
Just a few metres further north - under the unmistakable red sunshades - lies the Dolac, Zagreb's largest and best-known market. Gourmets will find everything their heart desires among a huge selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat, pastries and spirits.
Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary
Northwest of Trg Ban Jelačić, one of Zagreb's most famous landmarks rises into the sky on Kaptol Square. Southeast of the Alps, the massive cathedral on Kaptol Hill in the Upper Town is one of the most impressive architectural examples of Gothic architecture.
Together with the fountain with the four golden angel figures, built in 1873, and the Marian column, the cathedral is considered THE postcard motif of Zagreb. The cathedral's treasury is also worth seeing.
Stone gate
Via the café and bar mile Tkalčićeva ulica, once the hotly contested border between Gornji Grad and Kaptol, and through the 13th-century Stone Gate, the only surviving city gate in the Upper Town, we continue along Karmenita to Markov Trg with the unmistakable St Mark's Church, another landmark of Zagreb.
St Mark's Church on Markov Trg
Even at first glance, the three-nave church enchants with its ornately crafted roof emblazoned with the coat of arms of Zagreb and the historical coat of arms of the former Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia. The north-western façade also bears the oldest coat of arms of Zagreb.
Museums in the Upper Town of Zagreb
There are numerous museums around Markov trg, some of which are internationally renowned.
Institute of Croatian History and City Museum
The history of Zagreb and Croatia can be relived at the Institute of Croatian History and the extremely worthwhile Zagreb City Museum, which is housed in a former monastery. From an Iron Age village through the Baroque era to the present day, the exhibits are few but excellently selected and also enjoy international recognition.
Natural History Museum
In the Natural History Museum, the calendar has been turned back even further. This is best known for the Neanderthals found in Krapina. In the small town in idyllic Zagorje, the most extensive archaeological find to date of hundred-thousand-year-old Neanderthal remains was made in the 19th century.
Museum of Croatian History
The Museum of Croatian History presents historical plans and maps, and the building itself is also worth seeing. The baroque Orsic-Rauch Palace is one of the most beautiful city palaces in Zagreb.
Museum of Naive and Contemporary Art
From St Mark's Square along Ćirilometodska in a southerly direction, past the Old Town Hall, you reach the Museum of Naive Art, which houses one of the world's most important collections of Naive painting. On the corner of the neighbouring Katharinenplatz is the Museum of Contemporary Art in the Palais Kulmer.
Museum of Broken Relationships
The Museum of Broken Relationships can also be found here. This extraordinary museum presents the diverse stories of past love and was awarded a special prize in 2011 as the most innovative museum in Europe.
Lotrščak Tower
From St. Catherine's Square with the St. Catherine's Church from 1632, it is not far to the almost most important landmark of Gornji Grad - the Lotrščak Tower with its rack railway. Towering high into the Croatian sky, it welcomes passengers at the top station, who arrive from the lower town every 10 minutes on the cogwheel railway "ZET Uspinjaca".
For a small fee, the Lotrščak Tower can be climbed and offers the most beautiful panoramic view of the city. This is where the cannon shot is fired, which resounds far and wide over Zagreb every day at 12 noon.
Passing the cogwheel railway, you get back to the big street Ilica, from where you can also visit the fashionable lower town.
