Ban Jelačić Square
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The square seen from southwest. |
Ban Jelačić Square is the central square of the city of
Zagreb, named after
ban Josip Jelačić.
It is located below Zagreb's Upper Town and directly south of the old Dolac market on the intersection of Ilica street from the east,
Stjepan Radić street from the northwest,
Toma Bakač street from the northeast,
Nikola Jurišić street from the east,
Prague street from the southeast and
Ljudevit Gaj street from the southwest.
The square has existed since the 17th century. It features buildings belonging to different architectural styles ranging from
classicism,
secession and
modernism. The oldest standing building is situated at number 18 and was built in
1827.
The square features a large statue of Ban Jelačić on a horse, created by Austrian sculptor
Anton Dominik Fernkorn. The statue was originally installed on
19 October,
1866 by the Austrian authorities, despite protests from Zagreb councilmen. It was oriented towards the north at the time.
The statue was removed in
1947 as the new Communist government of
Yugoslavia denounced Jelačić as an Austrian collaborator. The statue was not destroyed because Dr. Antun Bauer, the custodian of the Gliptoteka gallery, kept it hidden in the cellar of the gallery.
In
1990, the statue was reinstated after Croatia regained independence and Jelačić's historic role was reevaluated. The reinstated statue faces south.
There is an urban legend that says that the monument always faces the enemies of Croatia, with the Ban's sword ready for action, but this is unsubstantiated.
Jelačić square is the most common meeting place for people in Zagreb. It is not particularly accessible by car, but it is the main hub for
trams and pedestrians.
ZET tram lines 1, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17 traverse it by day, and 31, 32 and 34 by night.
Many of the buildings on the square have antique facades which require renovation. This makes them a common target for advertisers, who cover the construction work with large posters.
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