What is the main square in Zagreb called?
Quick answer
The main square in the center of Zagreb, Croatia, is Ban Jelačić Square (Trg bana Jelačića). It’s named after Josip Jelačić, the ban (governor or viceroy) of Croatia in the mid-1800s, whose equestrian statue stands in the square. Locals often just call it “Jelačić plac.”
The square sits where Zagreb’s Upper Town and Lower Town meet, and it has been the city’s busiest meeting point for centuries. Trams criss-cross it, and the famous Dolac market is just a short walk up the steps.
- 1641The square is first mentioned as a marketplace, known as Harmica
- 1848Josip Jelačić becomes ban of Croatia during a year of revolutions across Europe
- 1848The square is named after him
- 1866The bronze statue of Jelačić on horseback, by Austrian sculptor Anton Dominik Fernkorn, is unveiled
- 1947The statue is removed by Yugoslavia’s communist government, and the square is renamed Republic Square
- 1990The statue returns and the square regains its name
What to see
- The statue of Ban Jelačić, the square’s centerpiece
- The Manduševac fountain, linked to a legend about how Zagreb got its name: a thirsty commander asked a girl named Manda to scoop (zagrabiti) water for him
- The clock, a classic meeting point: Zagreb locals arrange to meet “pod satom,” under the clock
- Old buildings in styles from Classicism to Art Nouveau
Events
The square hosts concerts, public celebrations and the city’s popular Advent in Zagreb Christmas market, which has won several “best Christmas market in Europe” reader polls.
Visiting? Croatia uses Central European Time, the same as Germany. See what time it is in Germany.
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