September the 25th, 2026 – The brand new Zagreb pedestrian zone has been presented as part of European Mobility Week.
Zagreb’s city administration has emphasised that the presented solution retains hospitality terraces as an important part of the social life of the Lower Town, but provides for their uniform design and better integration into the public space. Poslovni reports that three years after the temporary arrangement of the pedestrian zone in Masarykova Street, the City of Zagreb has presented the project for its permanent and comprehensive arrangement that covers Masarykova and Teslina streets as well as parts of Preradovićeva and Gajeva up to Berislavićeva Street.
The project envisages uniform paving of the entire space, divided into a pedestrian zone and a calmed traffic zone between Republic of Croatia Square and Gundulićeva Street, as well as the formation of new public focal points at key intersections and points within the zone. Special emphasis has been placed on the greening of the space. The planting of around 50 new trees connected into a continuous tree line between the two arms of the Green Horseshoe is planned, along with additional green surfaces, urban furniture, drinking water fountains and spaces for rest. The project also includes new bicycle parking, zones for short-term stopping and delivery, as well as a series of measures that improve accessibility for persons with disabilities and the safety of all users of the space.
a unique and well connected pedestrian zone in the heart of zagreb
The conceptual design was prepared by the Institute for Spatial Planning of the City of Zagreb, and an extensive participatory process included citizens, residents, business users and experts of various profiles, it was announced on Thursday from the Office of Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević.
Zagreb Deputy Mayor Luka Korlaet said that by arranging the pedestrian zone they are creating a complete public space intended for safer and higher-quality pedestrian movement, staying, socialising and public events. It is especially important, he says, that they are connecting the existing pedestrian spaces and expanding the pedestrian zone on the northern arms of the Green Horseshoe, from Republic of Croatia Square to Zrinjevac. In this way they are creating a unique, connected and passable pedestrian whole in the very centre of Zagreb, Korlaet emphasised.
Director of the Institute for Spatial Planning Nikša Božić said that an interdisciplinary team of the Institute worked on the project, which brought together architects, landscape architects, traffic experts and other collaborators.
“It is particularly important to us that through the preparation of the conceptual design we built on the tradition of arranging public spaces that the Institute developed in previous decades, participating in projects such as the arrangement of Jurišićeva and Draškovićeva streets, the Stock Exchange Square and other important city locations,” Božić said.
what are the top priorities?
He noted that in preparing the solution the Institute took into account the collected views, proposals and needs of citizens as well as the results of expert analyses of the space and its development potentials.
The results of a survey fully completed by around 3,400 citizens showed that 88.4 percent of participants support the comprehensive arrangement of the space. The temporary arrangement was rated as positive or extremely positive by 76 percent of respondents, while 72 percent of them supported the expansion of the pedestrian zone to Teslina and Gajeva streets. As the most important priorities citizens highlighted more greenery, benches and spaces for staying, as well as better organisation of traffic and delivery.
