Instead of a Market, Here's the First Book About Advent in Zagreb

The first book about Advent in Zagreb

November 10, 2020 – Hrvoje Dečak, author of the first book about Advent in Zagreb, believes it will at least slightly replace the “real” Advent this winter, and that it will be a valuable Zagreb souvenir in the future as well.

A walk through the decorated center of Zagreb, drinking mulled wine at the small houses, ice-skating on the beautiful ice rink on King Tomislav Square are just some of the memories that bind us to the Zagreb Christmas Fair Advent in Zagreb, which this year, unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, we will not be able to relive.

Well, not on the Zagreb streets, but inside the cover of the eponymous book “Advent in Zagreb”. At the end of November, right at the time when the “real” Advent was supposed to begin, the first book about the most important Zagreb manifestation will be published.

Available in English as well

It is the work of long-time Croatian journalist Hrvoje Dečak, who was amazed by the Zagreb Advent and its huge popularity from year to year and decided to preserve a trace of it.

“My admiration for the creativity of the people who create the Zagreb Advent – and I think Croatians are extremely creative people – prompted me to inquire if there is a book about it. When I was convinced that there isn’t one, I suggested to the director and the editor of the Publishing house ‘Meridijani’ where I work, prof. Petra Somek, to make a book about Advent,” explains Dečak, noting that the book, above all, brings 120 gorgeous photos of last year’s Advent variegation, signed by the prominent Croatian photographer Romeo Ibrišević.

Zrinjevac Park during the last year’s Advent in Zagreb / Romeo Ibrišević

“In the text of the book, we summarized what Advent is, where Croatia and Zagreb are, when Advent variegation began to appear on the streets of Zagreb, and we briefly described the components of Advent in Zagreb as it was until the last winter: locations in the city, food, drinks, souvenirs, cultural and other events. There is a line about Zagreb and the people of Zagreb as well,” describes Dečak.

They immediately decided to make the book bilingual – in Croatian and English, because Zagreb has been especially popular among tourists from all over the world in recent years, as evidenced by the three consecutive titles of the Best Christmas Fair in Europe in 2016, 2017, and 2018 awarded by the European Best Destinations organization.

Advent in Zagreb 2019 / Romeo Ibrišević

‘Books can preserve the content’

However, at the time they started writing it, the authors could not have guessed that the world would be hit by a pandemic and that there would be no favorite Zagreb Christmas fair, except in a symbolic form. This makes this book special because this year it will at least partially replace Advent in Zagreb.

Dečak notes that “Advent in Zagreb”, in addition to beautiful photographs, brings three interesting additions. The first of them briefly describes Croatian Christmas customs. The second brings interesting facts about Zagreb, such as the shortest funicular in the world, the Linen Book of Zagreb (the longest Etruscan inscription in the world that wrapped the mummy in the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb), and the world-famous Professor Balthazar. The third edition describes the short history of Zagreb and Croatia, where the authors chronologically described the most important events in Zagreb, but also in the Croatian history so that tourists and other foreigners can learn something about us.

“We tried to say very succinctly, but clearly, the main thing about the key events and people of the 20th century, because in the world, there are still a lot of distorted views of Croatia, its people, and recent history,” said Dečak.

Rich offer of Croatian traditional products on the stands of Advent in Zagreb 2019 / Romeo Ibrišević

The book can be ordered in the editorial office of the publishing house “Meridijani”, and it is possible to get a 20 percent discount until November 27. After that, the book will be available on the premises of “Meridijani” in Samobor (Obrtnička 26), on their webshop, and in bookstores.

“Media articles are scattered, but in a book, something can still be conjoint and permanently preserved, and at the same time easily accessible. Admittedly, some predict that books will die out, but I don’t believe in that,” says Dečak confidently.