Cannons with Twitter accounts and dystopian parodies about ticket inspectors – Zagreb’s culture mixes the old with the new, from graffiti jams in former pharmaceutical factories to a film festival in a forest

In five words

Funicular, fuliranje and farmers’ markets



(Fuliranje is an old-fashioned term for walking around the city, and also the name of an open-air winter festival of alternative culture)

What sound defines your city?

If you’re ever near Zagreb’s central square at noon, don’t panic when you hear a loud bang. It’s only Grički top (the Grič cannon) marking the twelfth hour. Located on the fourth floor of Kula Lotrščak (Burglar’s Tower), the cannon has been doing its job since January 1, 1877 without fail – the only period of silence occurred during the First World War. Grički top is the traditional symbol of Zagreb, and it even has a Twitter account characterised by Monty-Pythonesque charm.



Everyone’s tuning into …

YammatFM started broadcasting in February this year and quickly became a city favourite. The creators – Švec & Peh, a legendary duo from the controversial station Radio 101– envisioned a programme “by the people, for the people”. The idea is to counter the modus operandi of other stations that relentlessly overplay Top 40 hits, and instead provide a healthy mix of alternative, classics, and new artists, with discussions on social issues thrown in for good measure.



Best current venue

Home to anyone with a creative vision… Photograph: AKC Medika

In the beginning, there was a crumbling, abandoned pharmaceutical factory that attracted squatters. After years of struggle and battles with city authorities for legal access to the property, members of the non-profit organisation “Attack!” turned it into a magical place where anything can happen.

Called AKC Medika (it stands for Autonomous Cultural Centre), the ex-factory is now home to dancers, skaters, painters, filmmakers, street artists, and anyone with a creative vision who needs a workspace. The long list of events at Medika includes graffiti jams, flea markets, amateur film festivals, a festival of alternative theatre, celebrations of DIY-culture, hacklab workshops, and independent art exhibitions. Music gigs are the staple, and at Medika you can hear anything from metal, drum’n’bass, dubstep, reggae, jazz, dance and world music to various flavours of punk and hip hop.

Who’s top of the playlist?

Hladno pivo (the name means “cold beer”) is the quintessential band of Zagreb’s suburbia. Their punk-rock tunes appeal to many because they often illustrate the depressing reality of lower- and middle-class life in Croatia. Or, for a taste of something a little bit different, give a listen to Sara Renar, a young architect-turned-singer-songwriter who blends the acoustic sound with electronica.

The look on the street

Photograph: Bojan Zibar / Instagram

High street brands rule the city, and most girls opt for trendy casual. Some will add a personal touch to their outfit – perhaps an accessory from the flea market Hrelić or from a second-hand shop. Men usually keep it simple, so be prepared for a lot of gray sweatpants and trainers on the streets.

Best local artist?

Željko Špoljar is a journalist and writer who’s not afraid to take the stereotype of a Croatian intellectual to the extreme or poke fun at current events, trendy topics, and other writers and figures on the Croatian cultural scene. His satirical columns on Arteist are always hilarious, sometimes over the top, and often borderline absurdist.

Welcome to Croatia, his 2006 faux-biography of a tour guide, won him one of the biggest Croatian literary prizes, Kiklop. If you dislike hipsters, you’d love his alter-ego who posts on Facebook as Književna groupie (or literary groupie, in English).

Best cultural Instagram?

Photograph: Zagreb Facts / Instagram

The variety of Croatian spoken in Zagreb is a mixture of the Kajkavian dialect, urban slang, and a bunch of old Germanisms. The Zagreb Facts account highlights colloquialisms typical for Zagreb to celebrate the language and manners of a Purger, a person born and raised in Zagreb. The three journalism graduates (Tea, Matea and Matija) who run the project also share amusing historical facts and cool shots of the city.

What’s the big talking point?

The mayor Milan Bandić is always a hot topic. In April he was imprisoned on corruption and tax evasion charges, and just recently he decided to fire the directors’ board of Zagreb Holding, the main city enterprise. His ambitious list of long-term plans for the city keeps the chins wagging. After spending around 18 million HRK (ca 1.7 million GBP) on lavish fountains, he may or may not extend the tram lines all the way to the airport, commission a huge monument to Croatia’s first president, build an underground garage below Croatian National Theatre...

What your city does better than anyone …

Surrounded by green … Zagreb Fantastic Film Festival. Photograph: Zagreb Film Festival / http://2015.fantastic-zagreb.com/

Outdoor events. Head in any direction and you’ll soon end up in a park, at a lake, on the river bank, or on the mountain, complete with hiking trails and ski runs. There’s always something going on outside: this month saw the Fireworks Festival at Lake Bundek and the biggest music event in Croatia, INmusic Festival at Lake Jarun.

Whether it’s a painting class on a promenade, watching movies in the forest above the main square, or taking a peek into the gardens of the Upper Town, you’ll be surrounded by lush green crowns.

Comedy gold

Zagreb’s public transportation system relies on ticket inspectors to enforce payment, and the few rude and aggressive ones give them all a bad name. Jokes about them are forever relevant, so it’s no wonder that this dystopian parody by Luka Hrgović from 2012 still collects views and shares. If you’re not into such dark humour, check out Studio Smijeha (The Laughter Studio), where anyone can become a standup comedian.

Moment in history?

Ever since it became an independent country in 1991, Croatia has been striving towards the European Dream. It came true on July 1 of 2013, when the official EU accession ceremony was, befittingly, held in the capital’s main square. Performers from all over the country joined forces for an all-night tour of Croatian history, music, theatre, and literature, while viewers’ reactions and messages were streamed live on a huge Twitter wall.

Best street art?

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Storytelling, one wall at a time … Lonac. Photograph: Lonac

Lonac always has a story to tell, and he’s been doing it wonderfully, one wall at a time. His works tend to be thought-provoking and symbol-laden, even if they seem childish at first. The latest piece, Where is my Batman?, lurks in Savska 25 (behind the French Pavillion and Galerija SC), and if you’re in Istria this summer, you can catch the artist himself at the Boombarstick Festival.

From me

Ivana Isadora Devcic is a writer, translator, and Linux user from Croatia who loves design and geography as much as she loves reading and stuffing her face with chocolate.

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