Zagreb - Kaptol
The history of Kaptol is interwoven with the history of Zagreb and its Old Town. I have included a detailed history for the entire city on an associated page.
I started my tour of Kaptol at is southeastern corner. This was the closest location to my hotel, so it provided a perfect entry point to Zagreb's Old Town. The first, and probably most important, monument in the district is the cathedral. The original Romanesque cathedral was destroyed during the Tartar invasion of 1242. Little is known about this original church. Construction on the new cathedral, known locally as Katedrala Uznesenja Blažene Djevize Marije or the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, began during the second half of the 13th c CE. Based on the Eglise St. Urban in Troyes, France, the church was originally known as St. Stephen's. Designed in the Gothic style, the building's appearance has been altered many times. In the 15th c. CE, protective towers and walls were added to shield the church against Turkish attacks. The earthquake of 1880 damaged the church enough to facilitate a nearly complete reconstruction. This effort was led by Viennese architects Friedrich von Schmidt and Hermann Bollé. They gave the church a neo-Gothic feel, including a new Byzantine altar honoring Saints Cyril and Methodius.
|
|
|
| The façade of the cathedral, covered in scaffolding for renovation | One of the old protective towers, located to the north of the cathedral. All but this tower have been removed. |
I was not able to enter the cathedral as the daily evening Mass was being said. Peering through the windows in the narthex, though, did provide a glimpse of the building's magnificence. According to information posted in the narthex, the church's frescoes originate from the 14th c. CE. The Christ's Passion triptych at the alter was painted in the 15th c. CE and attributed to Albrect Dürer. The pulpit was carved in 1698 and attributed to Cussa. The stained glass window in the sanctuary was made in 1847 in Munich. The 78-octave, 6068-pipe organ was was constructed in 1855 by Wakker in Ludwigsburg (Germany); the same firm restored the organ in 1987.
The church also contains a number of memorials to important Croatians. One honors Toma Bakač-Erdödy, the viceroy of Croatia who freed the country in 1621 from Turkish rule. Another, supposedly more impressive crypt, honors Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, an ardent supporter of the Croatian separatist movement and the controversial head of the Croatian Roman Catholic Church during World War II. The latter monument was constructed by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović.
The cathedral's exterior was undergoing a renovation during my visit. As shown in the picture above, the north tower was covered in scaffolding and many of the ornamental sculptures have been removed. Those that I could see appeared to be a little worse for wear. I'm not sure if they will be refurbished or replaced completely. The picture below shows two of these statues after they had been removed from the cathedral.
|
|
|
| Two of the statues that had been removed from the cathedral's façade. Centuries of acid rain, enemy bombardment and earthquakes had faded their glory | The gilded Madonna and Four Angels sculpture by Fernkorn |
In the square to the west of the cathedral is a monument constructed by Fernkorn. Atop the marble column is a gilded statue of the Madonna. At the base are gilded statues of four angels. Unfortunately, I did not document who these four angels are; if you know, please email me. In my opinion, the importance of this monument is diminished by the circular road and adjacent car park. But the monument is still beautiful, in spite of the neighborhood disruptions.
Though Kaptol is home to a number of the country's Catholic institutions, it is also home to a number of bars and cafés. Most of these establishments are concentrated on the pedestrianized streets of Opatovina and Tkalčićeva north of Dolac. When I passed through this area, it was the time between work-ending and the dinner rush. Most cafés had only two or three tables occupied, but I'm sure the rest would become occupied as the evening grew later.
|
|
| Here are a few of the bars and cafés Opatovina ulica north of the Dolac market |
Speaking of Dolac: it is home to the city's daily market. This area was occupied by the Crkva Sv Marija, which was demolished in 1925 to make room for the market. One can find a host of vendors selling fruits, vegetables and meats. There are mostly temporary stalls that are disassembled at the end of each day. There are more permanent vendor stalls north of the market on Opatovina ulica; these merchants appear to sell cheaper and more kitschy merchandise. Unfortunately, the market had concluded for the day so everything had been disassembled already.
|
|
|
The remnants of the daily market at Dolac |
Proceed to Gornji Gradec or return to the Zagreb
Main Page