From Idea to Realization The Zagreb funicular was the city’s first public transport system. It began operating in 1890, while the first horse-drawn tram was introduced a year later, in 1891. The funicular connects the Upper Town and Lower Town, and its construction is credited to Osijek-based entrepreneur David William Klein.

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In 1888, Mr. Klein began observing pedestrian traffic along Bregovita Street (today known as Tomićeva Street) leading up to the Upper Town. Based on his findings, foot traffic was sufficiently heavy, leading him to conclude that building a funicular would be a worthwhile investment. He applied to the City of Zagreb for permission, which was granted very quickly. Construction began on May 6, 1889, though not without difficulties. During the first test run in February 1890, the main bearing of the machine failed, causing the entire mechanism to break down. However, a second test run was successfully completed in less than a month.

From Its Beginnings to the Present Day The funicular officially opened on October 8, 1890, without any special ceremony. It originally operated on steam power, with two cars running alternately, and the engine room located at the upper station. The first passenger cabins were divided into three sections. The front sections, offering views of Grič or Ilica, were considered first class, while the middle section, with a poorer view, was designated as second class. Regular service was established only on April 23, 1893.

Over the years, the funicular experienced frequent breakdowns, and passengers occasionally had to step out and push it. In 1929, it came under the ownership of the City of Zagreb. Steam power was replaced by electricity in 1934. Due to wear and the need for renovation, operations were suspended in 1969. A new funicular was put into service on July 26, 1974. The Vienna-based company Waagner-Biro was responsible for the drive system and vehicles, while Siemens handled the electrical components.

To ensure reliable operation—and to spare passengers from ever having to push it again—the funicular undergoes regular annual maintenance. Currently, as part of the “Revitalization of the Zagreb Funicular” project, comprehensive restoration works have been underway since January 20, 2025, and are scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2026. In addition to modernizing the drive system and installing new cabins, the project also includes improvements in accessibility.

Interesting Facts Because it has preserved its original exterior appearance, structural design, and most of its technical features, the Zagreb funicular is legally protected as a cultural monument. It is maintained and operated by Zagreb Electric Tram (ZET).

It is among the shortest funicular railways in the world used for public transport. The track is 66 meters long, and the ride lasts just 64 seconds.

In addition to numerous presidents, members of parliament, mayors, archbishops, and dignitaries, the funicular also carried Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in 2016.

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We explore what social life was like in the past, when balls were the main form of social gathering. They were places where people presented themselves, met one another, and socialized. Unlike today’s social events, these occasions were far more complex. Everything had its purpose and its proper place.

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In the 19th and early 20th centuries, dance balls in Zagreb were key social events. Newspapers devoted lengthy articles to them, and dance was both a fashion and an essential social skill. Balls were organized to mark important celebrations or cultural events, and the dance school served as a place where young ladies and gentlemen prepared to appear at balls with polished dancing skills and refined manners.

The First Dance School in Zagreb

The first dance school in Zagreb was founded by the Italian ballet artist Pietro Coronelli. He arrived in Zagreb in 1859 at the invitation of Count Ambroz Vranyczany, in order to teach dance to his daughter Clotilda. Soon after his arrival, Coronelli established a permanent dance school that offered instruction in both dance and etiquette for the city’s citizens. The first advertised announcement of his school appeared in the newspapers in 1860.

The first private school of dance and etiquette in Zagreb began operating in the palace of Ambroz Vranyczany at 2 Jelačić Square. The school later moved to the old shooting range at Tuškanac, and its last known location was at 2 King Tomislav Square. In addition to these venues, 19th-century Zagreb had various spaces for dancing, ranging from private palaces and social salons to large public halls such as Stanković’s Theatre (today the seat of the Zagreb City Assembly) and the Narodni dom at 18 Opatička Street.

What Did One Have to Learn?

The classical dances that were taught and performed most often included the Viennese waltz, the English waltz, the polka, and the mazurka. These dances formed part of the standard repertoire of dance education and social events, symbolizing elegance and refinement.

In addition to dance, one also had to learn proper etiquette. This encompassed everything that enabled a person to move, communicate, and dance in public with dignity, self-control, and social acceptance. Correct posture was essential, as were the manner of walking through a salon, entering a ballroom, and moving among guests. One learned how to sit, stand, and turn—always without sudden or improper movements. Everything was precisely prescribed: how a gentleman invited a lady to dance, how an invitation was accepted or declined, the order of dances and respect for the dance card, conversation during the dance, and the avoidance of excessive closeness, leaning in, or loud laughter. In short, everything was meant to be discreet, calm, and measured.

Zagreb and Viennese balls

If we compare Viennese and Zagreb balls of that era, we can say that traditional Viennese balls are known for their highly formal etiquette, marathon waltzing, and ceremonial openings with strictly synchronized choreography, often held in grand halls. Zagreb balls, by contrast, were social events shaped by local customs, closely tied to the city’s cultural and civic life, and not necessarily as formal or as grandiose as their Viennese counterparts.

In essence, the Zagreb ball was a place for social networking, a ritual of young people’s entry into society, and a marker of belonging to European bourgeois culture.

After Coronelli’s death in 1902, the dance school continued to operate under the leadership of his daughters, Elvira and Bianca, until around 1970.

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Christmas Eve of the distant year 1874 forever changed Zagreb’s winter landscape. On the site of today’s Ivan Mažuranić Square, accompanied by the music of a military orchestra and the flickering light of hundreds of paraffin lamps, the city’s first organized public ice rink was ceremoniously opened. It was a winter fairytale that instantly captured the hearts of Zagreb’s residents.

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An ice surface sunk a meter below street level

This impressive ice rink, measuring 110 x 70 meters, became a true social stage of old Zagreb.

Forget modern ice-making machines. The maintenance technology was, to put it mildly, pure “manual labor.” Firefighters heroically poured water from the nearby Tuškanac stream, and the harsh winters of the time guaranteed rapid freezing.

The lighting was a story of its own. Since there was no electricity, more than three hundred paraffin lanterns and lamps illuminated the rink. Some skaters even carried their own lanterns, creating an unforgettable, romantic atmosphere that remained recorded in the city chronicles.

Viceroy Mažuranić on the ice: the elite and the people together

The opening of the rink was the event of the season, covered by all Zagreb media. But the greatest attraction on the ice was none other than the Croatian Viceroy himself, Ivan Mažuranić.

The Viceroy, a skilled skater, visited the rink as early as Christmas Day and became a regular guest. His presence was a clear sign that skating had become a fashionable activity, accessible to and appreciated by all social classes.

The popularity of the rink was astonishing. In mid-February of the following year, at one of the parties, a thousand skaters were recorded. This was an enormous number, considering that Zagreb at the time had only about thirty thousand inhabitants in total.

A place of meetings, charm, and first loves

The rink was not just a sports ground; it was the heart of winter social life and display of elegance where new friendships were formed, and first loves were born. Young men competed in skill to impress young women, while those less inclined to the ice enjoyed themselves along the edges, holding a warm drink in hand.

This modern urban pastime placed Zagreb on the map of European metropolises.

A tradition that lives on today

Although paraffin lamps have been replaced by LED lighting and Mažuranić Square has gained a different purpose, the tradition of skating lives on. From Šalata and the Sports Hall (Dom sportova) to the popular Ice Park at Tomislavac, the ice remains a place of meeting, laughter, and memory-making, preserving a heritage more than a century and a half old.