The Botanical Garden in Zagreb recently renovated a brick house erected in 1891, but it still needs 10 million kuna for a greenhouse reconstruction.
While looking inside from the street, many citizens of Zagreb are admiring a recently renovated brick house located in the Botanic Garden. Many then decide to enter the complex where 6,000 plant species are kept. After visiting the house built in 1891 and proceed further into the garden, they come across a completely different scenery. Behind the house is a dilapidated greenhouse which still awaits restoration, reports Večernji List on September 22, 2018.
“The renovation has cost us two million kuna, and it was financed by the City of Zagreb. The works were performed by the Teh-Gradnja company, under the supervision of expert conservators, given that the entire complex is a landscape architecture monument. The bricks are mostly original, just like the wooden parts, which have been restored and painted in green, as it was in the late 19th century. The missing parts of windows and doors were replaced with new parts, according to conservators’ specifications,” explained Botanical Garden director Biserka Juretić.
In order for the greenhouse to be renovated, they will need to find about 10 million kuna. When a rebuilding project by conservator Mladen Perušić was adopted in 2014, they predicted that money would come from EU funds. But it turned out that the EU does not give money for reconstruction to educational institutions, but only to cities and municipalities. And the Botanical Garden is owned by the Faculty of Science and Mathematics of the University of Zagreb.
“But we have not given up and are looking for a way to get that money,” said Juretić.
While they are waiting, works have spread to other parts of the garden, where they will renovate a walkway surrounded with plants which will connect Runjaninova Street and the pedestrian bridge above Miramarska Street. At the moment, they are also painting a large red pavilion.
In 2018, the Botanical Garden will celebrate its 130th anniversary, and its wish is to mark the birthday with the opening of the walkway and getting the money for the greenhouse.
Translated from Večernji List (reported by Petra Balija).
