According to tportal.hr, the Zagreb Holding announced today that the Grič cannon, one of the most famous Zagreb sights and important tourist attractions with a tradition of more than 140 years, will be fired again on February 14th, after a long period of silence.
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 will finally return to work on Monday, had been inactive since then.
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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