On November 29th we took a walking tour through the streets of Zagreb for the purpose of learning about interesting cultural-historical sights of the Upper Town and Downtown with a focus on the secret facts on Zagreb. The tour was student-led: the students in question prepared an interesting site-specific lecture ‘Secret Facts about Zagreb’ assigned by the History teacher Ms. Indira Brajčić and the Geography teacher Ms. Matea Jarić.

Did you know that Zagreb was built over a stream? And was once home to bears? Yes! There is still a creek flowing under buzzing Tkalčićeva street. Today brown bears cannot be found in Zagreb but Mount Medvednica was once crawling with bears. Centuries ago the bears are thought to have moved further south to the forested regions of Lika and Gorski kotar, but the city of Zagreb has many places named after the bears (medvjedi): Mountain Medvednica, Medvedgrad Castle, Medveščak Creek.  

We have learnt that Zagreb got its name thanks to a thirsty knight. On the main square called today the Ban Jelačić Square there is a fountain called Manduševac, which is believed to be an old well. A widely accepted legend tells of a young knight who arrived to Zagreb exhausted after travelling from a faraway land and he found a spring next to which stood a young woman named Manda. Too weak to drink himself, the knight asked Manda to scoop (zagrabiti) some water for him.

Did you know that Zagreb still has working gas lanterns? Only few cities in Europe have held on to this tradition. In the Upper Town there are 217 gas lanterns, which means that every night before dark, a couple of lamplighters go around the city manually lighting these gas lanterns.

We have found out that Zagreb has the world's shortest public transport vehicle, rings out with the sound of a real cannon every day, has its own solar system, houses an old chemical laboratory used by the Nobel Prize-awarded chemists, stands over an underground network of tunnels, has a plaque dedicated to a dog. We have also learnt about the painting that survived it all, explored why some of the roofs near the Stone Gate still bear relics in the form of spikey mace balls and revised the meaning behind the mesmerizing roof of the St. Mark's Church.

It was an entertaining tour, a perfect mix of learning and relaxing. We explored the hidden side of our town while enjoying the perfect sunny weather which made this day even more enjoyable.

Klara, Zofia and Mayon (MYP Journalist Group)