Like many places in the Balkans, Croatia has a turbulent history. War and discord have provided the backdrop for many of its recent tragic events, with a large number of its citizens carrying the recent memory of conflict with them in their day-to-day lives.
Zagreb, Croatia’s capital city, has born witness to many of these acts of violence and oppression.
But it also boasts a counterbalancing record of stoicism and resistance. Those who lost or gave their lives for what they believed in, religious or political, were not forgotten, and have been immortalised in numerous sites of remembrance throughout the city.
Here is our list of the most essential dark tourism sites and museums in Zagreb. Even with only one day in Zagreb, you can easily fit most of these into any itinerary!
Related: Dark Tourism: What Is It and Why Is It Important?
Memorial Centre of the Rocket Attacks on Zagreb 1991/1995
Throughout the Yugoslav wars, Zagreb suffered two aerial attacks.
The first was on 7 October 1991. This attack hit the Banski Dvori, the house of the Croatian government, which is across from the popular St. Mark’s Church in the old town.
It was intended for the then Croatian President Franjo Tuđman and other Croatian political leaders. Luckily everyone managed to escape before the attack, however one civilian was killed and several others injured.
Because the attacks targeted the Croatian government, it was suspected to be an attack by the Yugoslav government based in Belgrade. The Yugoslav government vehemently denied this. Nevertheless, the next day the Croatian parliament voted to secede from the Yugoslav federation. Although this vote was likely despite the attack, it did nothing to alleviate tensions between the two nations.
The second attack started on 2 May 1995 and lasted two days. It was far more vicious than the first as it used cluster bombs. Unlike the first attack, this one was targeted at civilians and killed seven people, injuring over 200. The attack was in retaliation for Croatia’s Operation Flash, which was swiftly re-seizing territory from the Serbs.
As its intention was retaliatory, the targets were very different. Rather than government buildings, this attack hit a children’s hospital, a retirement home, and the National Theatre where ballet dancers were rehearsing.
The memorial centre is rather small, but comprehensive. Everything is in Croatian and English and the staff are incredibly friendly and willing to answer any questions. If it isn’t busy, you might even get a mini-tour.
I thought it was particularly fascinating to see the destroyed couches from the Banski Dvori, and the recovered cluster bombs.
Address: Ul Frana Petrića 4, 10000, Zagreb
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 to 19:00, Sunday 10:00 to 14:00, Closed on Mondays
Cost: Free
**Please note, no photos are allowed at the Memorial Centre
Image of War – War Photography Museum
About a five minute walk from the Memorial Centre, Image of War – War Photography Museum is a rather new addition to Zagreb’s dark tourism list, having only opened in 2018. But it is an important museum with a story that needs to be told – and remembered.
The museum’s motto is that ‘War Belongs in Museums’, and it hopes to promote peace and tolerance and raise awareness through the harrowing photographs that line its walls. These photos document the moments of despair, turmoil and rage through ruined buildings, lines of refugees, buses full of prisoners, and crying men, women and children. But amidst all the heartache, there are flickers of joy, as well as the odd child smiling while playing in rubble.
Don’t worry if you are unfamiliar with the Croatian War of Independence (or the Yugoslav Wars in general) – there are placards with some information to accompany the photos.
In addition to the photographs, there are videos available telling the story of a few survivors. I believe there are also regular special exhibitions (but don’t quote me on that).
The Image of War – War Photography Museum is truly harrowing. The founder of the museum, Danilo Gregoric, has reported seeing many visitors leave visibly upset or in tears. It is a true must-see museum in Zagreb – for dark tourists and non-dark tourists alike.
Address: Ul. Andrije Hebranga 4, 10000, Zagreb
Opening Hours: Open daily 10:00 to 20:00
Cost: Adults: 50 kn; Students, retired, veterans: 40 kn; Couples: 80 kn; Groups of 10 or more: 30kn per person; Children up to the age of 12: free
**We felt weird taking photos here, but if you want to see photos, you can see more at their website, or on Google.
Mirogoj Cemetery
The Mirogoj Cemetery was established in 1876 on the outskirts of Zagreb. One cool thing about the Mirogoj Cemetery is that because it was state-owned – rather than church-owned like most cemeteries at the time – it accepted burials from all religious backgrounds. Today it houses over 300,000 people.
Mirogoj is Zagreb’s largest and most important cemetery. Although cemeteries aren’t really viewed as dark tourism sites in Croatia, Mirogoj has several memorials that would be of particular interest to dark tourists. Plus, it is an absolutely stunning cemetery, so anyone who enjoys visiting cemeteries will consider it well worth a visit.
There are at least seven larger memorials in Mirogoj, including the Monument of the “Voice of Croatian Victims: Wall of Pain” (Monument to Croatian victims of the Croatian War of Independence), the Tomb of the People’s Heroes, the Monument to Fallen Croatian Soldiers in World War I, and the memorial grave for the victims of the plane crash at Zagreb on 10 September 1976 (the worst plane crash in Croatia’s history, which killed 176 people).
The Monument of the “Voice of Croatian Victims: Wall of Pain” is a large geometric structure with an eternal flame before it.
Mirogoj Cemetery is still on the outskirts of the city and can easily be reached by bus from the Kaptol bus station. Alternative, if you are doing a road trip through Croatia and have a car, it’s easy enough to drive and park in the lot.
Address: Aleja Hermanna Bollea 27, 10000, Zagreb
Opening Hours: Open daily 6:00 to 20:00
Cost: Free
Grič Tunnel
Under the hill of Gornji Grad, right bang in the middle of Zagreb city centre, lies Grič Tunnel. Originally devised as a public bomb shelter in 1943, the tunnel has not had the healthiest of lives (a fate that has befallen many a civil engineering project).
The project was beset by delays and overspending, partially due to wartime inflation, and was opened behind schedule in 1944. After WWII ended, the tunnel was renovated in 1947 before being used as a food storage warehouse just two years later. By the mid-fifties, it had fallen into disuse, and squatters began to use it as a meeting place and a general refuge from the elements.
Then, in 1993, it was used as the setting for a 3,000 person rave, which cannot have been that healthy for it, I shouldn’t think.
Finally, in April 2015, after sixty-odd years of neglect and misuse, plans were made for a new renovation, and in 2016 Grič Tunnel became open to the public, fully furnished with rubbish bins, public toilets and water fountains.
The tunnel can be accessed right next to the Zagreb Funicular, just to its left as you face it on Tomićeva ul., with a couple of entrances in the art park (where there’s some excellent street art!).
Address: Mesnička ul. 19, 10000, Zagreb
Opening Hours: Open daily from 9am-9pm
Cost: Free
The Memorial Dotrščina
This geometric obelisk is the main monument that introduces visitors to Zagreb’s Antifascist Dotrščina Memorial Park – the area where the worst mass war crimes in the modern history of the city of Zagreb were committed. The monument was designed by Vojin Bakić and Josip & Silvana Seissel, and unveiled along with the rest of the park (designed by architect Josip Seissel) in 1968.
Between 1941 and 1945, the fascist Ustaše authorities of Zagreb murdered 7,000 people on this site. The victims were mostly Jews, Serbs, Roma and Croatian anti-fascists from Zagreb and the surrounding areas.
The Memorial Park was designed by architect Josip Seissel in 1968, and is home to other such monuments as the Monument to the Fallen in Zagreb Liberation, the Monument to Revolutionaries Before the War, Monument to Zagreb Citizens Killed in WWII and the ‘Valley of the Graves’.
The heavily forested area is beautiful and very peaceful to walk through, I’m pleased to say. There are also plenty of dog-walkers, which we always appreciate.
Address: Štefanovec ul., 10000, Zagreb
Opening Hours: 24 hours
Cost: Free
Villa Rebar
For me, Villa Rebar holds an enticing combination of history and spookiness.
Located to the north of Zagreb city proper, the site was once the grand home of former Croatian dictator Ante Pavelić. Sadly, Pavelić was not on the good side during World War II, and during his leadership he led a puppet government in Croatia that was loyal to Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. When things turned ugly for the Axis powers in 1945, Pavelić fled Croatia, abandoning Villa Rebar in the process.
Following the end of the war, the villa was briefly remodelled into a mountain resort, but in 1979 a fire razed it to its bare stone bones, and it has remained abandoned ever since.
But those stone walls are still there, and can be visited today. The house itself is quite eerie; the floors are covered with dead leaves and litter from previous visitors. The lack of roofs means that weeds have infiltrated the main courtyard areas, and there’s a fair amount of graffiti.
But the creepiest parts, for me, are the tunnels.
Oh, yes. Whilst living there, Pavelić had his house connected underground to military bunkers that were situated in the nearby hills. But he also made sure that some extra tunnels were built that could be used to escape through should the villa be attacked directly. These tunnels are also still there, and we ventured down them as far as we dared.
The first tunnel we tried just led to the outside on another part of the hill; the second led to a chamber where we found some of the more unnerving graffiti. One particularly long tunnel just went down and down and then round to the left – out of sight of daylight – to a destination unknown. We were going to explore it further before one of us bravely decided we should turn back immediately before some kind of monster ate us.
Reaching Villa Rebar requires a little bit of a walk uphill, but is otherwise easily accessible by getting a tram to the Mihaljevac hub, then a bus up to Markuševečka cesta and following the road/path the rest of the way.
Address: Nad Tunelom 24, 10000, Zagreb
Opening Hours: Always open (but would you want to go at night?)
Cost: Free
Brestovac Sanatorium
Brestovac Sanatorium is an abandoned former tuberculosis treatment centre, built in the early twentieth century. Built intentionally high up in the mountains where the clear air would help make patients more comfortable, the Sanatorium was part of a personal mission for its co-founder and first director, Milivoj Dežman.
We have a full article, telling the history of Brestovac Sanatorium, the heartwarming story behind its creation, and how it came to be abandoned.
Address: ljemenska cesta, 10000, Zagreb
Opening Hours: 24 hours, though there may be paintball combat happening while you visit
Cost: Free
Monument to the December Victims
In April 1941, Yugoslavia was invaded and occupied by the Axis Powers. Bosnia and Croatia were renamed Nezavisna Država Hrvatska (NDH, or the Independent State of Croatia) and pro-fascist, Croatian nationalist, Ante Pavelić, was installed as leader (you may remember him as the owner of Villa Rebar, above). Pavelić’s aim was to create a nation of ethnically pure Croats (sound familiar to anyone?).
Pavelić supported the oppression of non-Croat groups, such as ethnic-Serbs, Romas, and Jews, as well as anti-fascist groups, including intellectuals, communists and any other dissidents.
Ante Pavelić appointed a Croatian ultra-nationalist group called the Ustaše to serve as his ruthless military. They were responsible for carrying out any orders issued by Pavelić, including violence towards the aforementioned groups.
As you can imagine, most Croats weren’t happy with their new fascist dictator and many joined Josip Tito’s Partisan armed resistance. However, to prevent people from joining the resistance, the Ustaše routinely rounded up people throughout the NDH. The people – typically prominent members of their communities – were held hostage and beaten. The Ustaše would threaten to murder them if any NDH or Axis supplies or bases were attacked by rebel forces.
But on 18 December 1943, Marijan Badel, commander of the Turopoljsko-Posavska Partisan Detachment, evacuated the residents of a village to the north of Zagreb and then blew up 8,500 tonnes of munitions and weaponry.
This was a massive blow to the fascist regime, who naturally acted with vicious reprisals (if you need a primer on how poorly the Nazis dealt with defeat, you can read about the reprisals in Lidice following the death of Reinhard Heydrich in Prague).
Two days later on 20 December 1943, 18 of the Ustaše’s hostages were removed from their prison cells and taken to the main square in Dubrava, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Zagreb. The victims were hanged from wooden utility poles by their necks. Their bodies lined both sides of Dubrava’s main road to warn locals what would happen if they were involved with the resistance.
The Ustaše denied any involvement in the hangings, and German Army General Edmund Glaise-Horstenau publicly condemned them.
Nevertheless, although the hangings had terrified people, they ultimately failed to quell the Partisan resistance groups, and in fact only wound up strengthening their numbers.
Address: Park prosinačkih žrtava, 10040, Zagreb
Opening Hours: 24 hours
Cost: Free
A Couple More Places of Interest
Although these aren’t really dark tourism, both of the below museums might be of interest to dark tourists visiting Zagreb.
Museum of Broken Relationships
The Museum of Broken Relationships is one of the most popular museums in Zagreb, but it is also incredibly unique. The museum showcases memorabilia donated from people all over the world (although admittedly, most are Croatian) and uses these items to tell the stories of lost loves, broken friendships and even the abandonment by a parent.
Although many of the stories are heartbreaking (including some stories of death and suicide), many also recount happy memories and tales of mis-matched lovers. However, reading about so much emotional loss, even positive, can be a bit of an emotional roller coaster. But there’s not a collection like it in the world.
Address: Ćirilometodska ul. 2, 10000, Zagreb
Opening Hours: Open daily from 9:00 to 22:30 (June 1st – September 30th) and 9:00 to 21:00 (October 1st – May 31st)
Cost: Adults: 40 kn; Children, students, retired: 30 kn; Groups of 15 or more: 30 kn per person
Tortureum (Museum of Torture)
While the idea behind this museum is to promote peace and educate, I’ve included it down here simply because it falls into the trap of most torture museums – it’s a bit gimmicky.
It also claims to be on the grounds of a former witch-burning site – and maybe it is – but I have my doubts as two Croatian friends have said this is inaccurate.
Still, it’s worth a visit if you want to learn more about different kinds of torture devices and how they were used. Parts of it are even interactive – although you of course can’t actually hurt anyone with the equipment. The really dangerous stuff is kept locked up!
Address: Radićeva ulica 14 1st floor, 10000, Zagreb
Opening Hours: Open daily from 11:00 to 19:00
Cost: Adults: 40 kn; Families (2 adults + children): 100 kn; Students: 30 kn; Groups of 5 or more: 30 kn per person
Have you been to Zagreb? Did you visit any of these Zagreb museums or memorials? What was your main takeaway from them? Let us know in the comments!
