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One of communism's legacies is its distinct architecture. Whichever ex-communist country you visit, you'll always find buildings that are evidently built for the New Man, as no living non-reeducated human being would want to live in an apartment block that is a pain to the eye.
Zagreb has its fair share of ugliness too, even in the historic center. The city government allowed in the 1950s the construction of a skyscraper on Jelačić Square (Trg bana Jelačića), which was already a jumble of architectural styles before they decided to make it even worse. With 16 floors it is a modest building, but it nevertheless dominates the center. When you are in the Upper Town, having a view over the Lower Town, you think: "How could they!".
In 2007 they started to tear down the building. That's what I thought at first, but to my dismay it was renovated. Today the building is still ugly and out of tune with its surroundings, but now it shines. I guess Zagreb people are attached to their "neboder", as a skyscraper is called here. It was popular with suicidal people too, by the way.
The good news is that the husband of former tennis star Iva Majoli will open a Japanese restaurant on the top floor. There was once a visitors' platform on the top floor, but it did not survive the renovation. Now you need to order sushi, sashimi or tempura to see a panoramic view over Zagreb. Restaurant Sora, meaning "sky" in Japanese, will be a luxurious Japanese restaurant and it took the owner a year to find a original Japanese cook. That's such a relief. I was afraid that yet another affordable Asian restaurant would join the scores of exotic eating places in Zagreb.
Apart from Chinese restaurants, Zagreb now has two Japanese restaurants, one Thai, one Indian and two fusion Asian. How much variety can a city bear?
Zagreb has its fair share of ugliness too, even in the historic center. The city government allowed in the 1950s the construction of a skyscraper on Jelačić Square (Trg bana Jelačića), which was already a jumble of architectural styles before they decided to make it even worse. With 16 floors it is a modest building, but it nevertheless dominates the center. When you are in the Upper Town, having a view over the Lower Town, you think: "How could they!".
In 2007 they started to tear down the building. That's what I thought at first, but to my dismay it was renovated. Today the building is still ugly and out of tune with its surroundings, but now it shines. I guess Zagreb people are attached to their "neboder", as a skyscraper is called here. It was popular with suicidal people too, by the way.
The good news is that the husband of former tennis star Iva Majoli will open a Japanese restaurant on the top floor. There was once a visitors' platform on the top floor, but it did not survive the renovation. Now you need to order sushi, sashimi or tempura to see a panoramic view over Zagreb. Restaurant Sora, meaning "sky" in Japanese, will be a luxurious Japanese restaurant and it took the owner a year to find a original Japanese cook. That's such a relief. I was afraid that yet another affordable Asian restaurant would join the scores of exotic eating places in Zagreb.Apart from Chinese restaurants, Zagreb now has two Japanese restaurants, one Thai, one Indian and two fusion Asian. How much variety can a city bear?
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They attempted to reconstruct it but city conservationists demanded it should be left as it was built.
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