| Capital of an independent state since 1991, ZAGREB has
served as the cultural and political focus of the nation
since the Middle Ages. The city grew out of two medieval
communities, Kaptol , to the east, and Gradec , to the west,
each sited on a hill and divided by a river long since dried
up but nowadays marked by a street known as Tkalciceva.
Kaptol (meaning "Cathedral Chapter") was a religious centre
and the seat of an archbishop; Gradec was ruled by a group
of Croatian nobles. The two communities became bitter rivals,
and remained so until the sixteenth century, when the threat
of Turkish invasion caused them to unite against the common
enemy; they took the name Zagreb, which means, literally, "behind
the hill". Zagreb grew rapidly in the nineteenth century,
and the majority of its buildings are relatively well-preserved,
grand, peach-coloured monuments to the self-esteem of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire. Nowadays, with a population topping
one million, Zagreb is the boisterous capital of a newly
self-confident nation. A handful of good museums and a
vibrant nightlife ensure that a few days here will be well
spent.
The City
Modern Zagreb splits neatly into three parts. Donji Grad or
"Lower Town", which extends north from the train station to
the main square (Trg bana Jelacica), is the bustling centre
of the modern city. Uphill from here, to the northeast and
the northwest, are the older quarters of Kaptol (the "Cathedral
Chapter") and Gradec (the "Upper Town"), both peaceful
districts of ancient mansions, quiet squares and leafy parks.
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