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What to see and do in the city of Zagreb, Croatia's capital
Zagreb is the largest city in Croatia, and it is also the capital. It is the center of the political, economic, and cultural aspects of the Republic of Croatia. A great deal of history also accompanies this city, which dates all the way back to 1094. It is for these reasons that so many holidaymakers come to the capital city every year. In 2018 World Happiness Report placed city of Zagreb in the 5th position of the happiest cities in the world, after Helsinki, Copenhagen, Luxmebourgh and Tallinn.
As is the case with the city of Split, there are a few theories as to how the name "Zagreb" came about. In Croatian language it means to scoop or scratch the soil or earth.
The name of Zagreb seems to have been first used in the 11th century. One legend has it that a medieval knight looking for water was told by a local girl "zagrebi", meaning to scratch or dig the soil for water. Upon doing so, he found the water and the place ended up with Zagreb name.
On a more serious note, the origin of Zagreb name seem to be coming from the Roman period, with some Hungarian and Habsburg influences. Irrespective of how it came about, Zagreb is slowly but surely becoming a Croatian destinations of its own, away from the coastline and the islands.
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Zagreb city centre features and array of old buildings, housing private apartments, offices and commercial properties. The city's main modes of public transport are blue trams and blue city buses, which are regularly available throughout the week and on the weekends. Plus a number of taxi companies. |