The Strossmayer promenade (Süd-Promenade) is the first public promenade in Zagreb on the southern side of the Upper Town.The Croatian bishop and general of the Artillery Ignjat Gyulay and his wife Julia gave the inspiration for the landscape.
Construction started in 1812 and finished the following year. In 1890 the Funicular Railway was put into operation – the oldest public transport vehicle and the shortest railway line in the world connects the Lower and Upper town, and it is the easiest way to reach the promenade from Lower town.
Today’s look of Strossmayer’s promenade has remained the same since 1912. The promenade is also famous for the Lotrščak Tower, from which, every day for the last 100 years a cannon fires every day precisely at noon.
The promenade was named after one of the most famous Croats in the world. A very influential Croatian personality of 19th century Josip Juraj Strossmayer was a Croatian bishop and politician who was most significant in establishing some of the vital Croatian scientific and cultural institutions.
On the romantic promenade in the center of the city, there is also a very famous sculpture of Antun Gustav Matoš, a great lover of the town, who is considered to be a central and essential personality of Croatian modernity. He introduced changes to Croatian literature by introducing modernism, symbolism, and impressionism with the most significant emphasis on French literature with authors such as Baudelaire and Barres.
Today, Strossmayer‘s promenade has a well-designed offer and a rich content based on a large number of delighted visitors who are happy to confirm a good selection of concerts, events, workshops, film projections. An exciting project “Summer on Stross” – (Strosmartre) lasts for 120 days, and with its carefully selected program, it is a favorite place for a night out in hot summer days. The excellent music program that mainly focuses on jazz music and music from the ’50s,’ 60s and ’80s confirms the status of “Summer on Stross” as one of the most popular cultural events in Zagreb! The program will last until the first week of September, so hurry up to the Upper Town because you only have a couple of days left to enjoy the evening entertainment with art workshops, theater performances and concerts of local and foreign musicians.
