Things to see in Zagreb

Zagreb's main square until the 19th century is home to the neoclassical Sabor (parliament) and the baroque Banski dvori (Ban's Court Palace). The centrepiece is Crkva svetog Marka (St Mark's Church), which is best known for its eccentric red, white and blue tiled roof featuring the coats of arms for Zagreb and the Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia. This was added to the 13th-century building in 1880. Here you’ll find one of Ivan Meštrović’s most compelling works, his depiction of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

This romantic footpath offers some of the finest views over Zagreb. The 19th-century promenade was built when the old town walls were torn down, and now allows views of the lower town below as well as the Sava River beyond. Old-fashioned gas lamps illuminate the cafés and the trees shadow the benches. Look out for the sculpture of Croatian modernist poet Antun Gustav Matoš, whose silver figure by Ivan Kožarić reclines nonchalantly on a bench. The most amusing way to reach it is by funicular (from Tomićeva, just off Ilica), although it is also quite feasible to walk up.

East of Zagreb’s centre, the 316-hectare (780-acre) Maksimir Park dates back to the late 18th century and is the largest green space in the city. This vast expanse of lush lawns and oak woods was remodelled in 1843 with English-style landscaping that includes artificial lakes, streams, meadows and romantic follies. There is also a small zoo, a very busy café and a football stadium that’s the home of Dinamo Zagreb and the Croatian national team. As it’s only a short tram ride from the centre, it’s a popular summer spot for locals who haven’t deserted to the coast.

This Zagreb museum offers a fascinating walk through the history of Croatian design, with a bit of inspiration from the British Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th century. Furniture, ceramics, silverware, porcelain, glassware, textiles, religious art and clocks are displayed in chronological order, from the baroque period up to the industrial age. The building itself, dating from 1880, is an impressive affair and was designed by Croatian architect, Herman Bollé, who also created the elaborate Mirogoj Cemetery.

The long, tumultuous and complex history of Zagreb is detailed in a 17th-century former convent that’s not far from St Mark’s Square. Scale models of the city show the constant changes since its prehistoric foundations, through the Middle Ages, and during its time as an outpost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Reconstructions of historic shop fronts give a taste of life in the 19th century, the time of the Croatian national revival. The period during the 1990s civil war in Yugoslavia is covered in intricate detail.