One of the most engaging tours I have been on in recent years was a historic tour and quest of the upper town of Zagreb by Iva Silla of Secret Zagreb. From the moment we met, she was in character as the Black Queen, who wakes up from her slumber once every 100 years.
She took us up the funicular to the upper town, wondering how things had changed, as there used to be three classes of carriage in the short ride. We would really enjoy the view from the top, she assured us – the cornfields in the distance were very beautiful, just past the city limits of the Croatian National Theatre.
The Black Queen was horrified by what she saw and how Zagreb had changed while she had been asleep. The kids were hooked – a truly brilliant and engaging tour guide and an excellent tour, about which you can read more in Secret Zagreb, a Masterclass in Innovative Tours, Engaging Guiding.
The tour prompted me to look out for old footage of the capital as it used to be, and I came across this rather excellent video snapshot of Zagreb in 1930, when the city looked stylish indeed. It is also the first time in my life that I have seen the Zagreb cathedral not under construction as well…
Continuing our look at how Croatia looked in the past, here is Zagreb in 1930. If you have any video links to different parts of Croatia (outside the main hot spots perferred), along with a brief explanation about the year and the content, then please contact us at [email protected] Subject Old Videos.
For more on the latest of life in Zagreb today, follow the dedicated TCN section.
