December the 2nd, 2024 – New life is set to be breathed back into the old upper Sljeme cable car station as Zagreb’s Medvednica Nature Park undergoes a revamp.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the City of Zagreb recently launched a public procurement procedure for a contractor to reconstruct and convert the old upper Sljeme cable car station.
The lower station of the old cable car has already been made available to the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS), while the old upper Sljeme cable car station will now be converted into an interpretation centre for the Medvednica Nature Park. That upcoming centre will also serve as an information and education point, as well as an educational centre for children through the city’s wider “School in Nature” project.
“With this project, we want to attract visitors to Medvednica throughout the year, as well as educate them about Zagreb’s beloved nature park. The facility will also house a mountaineering museum and a centre and club space for mountain bikers,” said the Mayor of the City of Zagreb, Tomislav Tomašević.
Funds for the reconstruction and conversion works are being provided for in the programme of capital investment in facilities for social activities. Money is also being utilised for the reconstruction of buildings damaged by the March 2020 earthquake. The estimated value of the works stands at 1.3 million euros.
“Our goal is to create natural and cultural attractions and various forms of recreation as accessible as possible, all while respecting sustainability, and maintaining the natural and cultivated features of Medvednica. That’s why it was initially declared a nature park,” explained Deputy Mayor Danijela Dolenec.
“So far, we’ve carried out a number of improvements across the wider Medvednica area, as well as at its summit zone. The entire road up Sljeme has been renovated, and that was financed from the Solidarity Fund. The connecting road from Tomislavov Dom to the new upper station has also been renovated, the summit zone has been paved, the lookout point in the tower has been activated, and a designer and contractor for the new four-seater has been selected using the design&build model. In addition to all of that, a 10-kilometre cycling trail is currently being built,” added Deputy Mayor Luka Korlaet.
It’s worth noting that the City of Zagreb is the centre of the Zagreb Urban Agglomeration, which, in addition to the City of Zagreb, consists of 29 other cities and municipalities across Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje Counties. The development of the visitor infrastructure of the Medvednica Nature Park is a common interest with the aim of affirming the area as a green oasis of health and adaptation to climate change.
