Not many people swim in it today, but Bundek used to be one of the most popular spots to escape the scorching summer sun in Zagreb back when it was built.
When gravel was excavated to be used as construction material for Zagreb Fair in 1955, the gravel pit filled with water (because the Sava is near) and some people started swimming there, which gave the city the idea of making an artificial lake there in 1955. Called simply the Lake at the time, it is said that it was named after a young boy, Josip Bundek, the first person who drowned there.
Bundek, 1950s
Changing the morphological and hydrological characteristic of the river in the ’80s caused the water to become unsanitary, and when a bigger lake, Jarun, was built in 1987, it took over the function of Zagreb Sea.
Bundek, 1958
Photos: Zagreb – kakav je bio nekada
