Zagreb is a city that is characterized, among many things, by the symbols and sights that one can find in different corners of the Croatian capital. One, in particular, generates a huge sense of belonging among its inhabitants and has recently returned to its operations after a long time of silence: the Grič cannon. The first time the cannon was fired to announce noon in the city of Zagreb was in 1877, as part of an initiative promoted by the writer, publicist, and city councilor, Đuro Deželić. The cannon has been the pride and joy of the citizens of Zagreb for over a century, and according to legend, it even saved the city from an invasion by the Ottoman Empire. If you want to know more about the legend, click here.
It was originally located in the building of the Hydrometeorological Institute, and today it is located in the Lotrščak tower on Grič. It is a mountain cannon type Howitzer M116, caliber 76mm, and its range is 7929 meters, and the volume of the shot is 140 decibels.
The cannon stopped during the First World War and resumed its activity, not until 1928. Since then it has not stopped announcing noon in Zagreb, until almost two years ago during the earthquake that hit the Croatian capital in March 2020.
It took two months for the cannon to restart, and it has been firing at noon between May 11, 2020, and December 29 of that same year. It last fired just 20 minutes before the earthquake that affected the Sisak-Moslavina region, with the epicenter in Petrinja, and which was also strongly felt in Zagreb. The cannon, which finally returned to work this year on February 14th, had been inactive since then.
Filmmaker Stanka Gjurić, director of the Croatian short documentary ‘Noon Shot’
The history of the canyon is very rich in details and the interest it generates is irrefutable, and that is how the idea was born for the Croatian filmmaker Stanka Gjurić to make a short documentary. However, it is not about the cannon that the Croatian short documentary revolves. The film is about Zagreb gunner Stjepan Možar (today, unfortunately, deceased) who came to the Lotrščak tower on Grič every day to shoot from the cannon and thus mark noon (Možar fired from the Grič cannon every day for 35 years).
Stanka Gjurić’s short documentary, ‘Noon shot’ has entered the official selection of the global network of the Lift-Off film festival in London (Great Britain). Lift-Off Global Network is based at one of the most famous film studios on the planet. Their headquarters at Pinewood Studios in the UK is at the heart of the film industry. The Lift-Off Film Festival Global Network is the only worldwide exchange of true independent cinema.
Congratulations to our artist on her hard work, perseverance and, of course, success in presenting her own films around the world: France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, Slovenia, Egypt, Canada, Serbia, USA, South Africa, Argentina, India, Russia, Austria, Brazil, Great Britain, etc. With her short films, to date, Gjurić has won 15 international awards.
Learn more from Croatian filmmaker Stanka Gjurić HERE.
If you are looking for the most complete information to enjoy Zagreb, be sure to check out Total Croatia, Zagreb in a Page guide HERE. Available in nine languages!
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