Zagreb • Culture

Architecture in Zagreb (A Walk Through the City’s Layers)

An architecture-focused guide to Zagreb: Upper Town history, Lower Town boulevards, parks-as-urban-design, and the modern side across the river.

Updated Dec 31, 202510 min readBrowse all guides

Read the city in layers

Zagreb’s architecture makes sense once you see it as layers: medieval Upper Town texture, elegant Lower Town boulevards, and modern Novi Zagreb across the river.

Upper Town: historic texture

  • Stone streets, quiet lanes, and landmark viewpoints.
  • St. Mark’s area as the iconic core.

Lower Town: boulevards + parks

The Lower Town’s parks and boulevards are the city’s comfort system: they connect museums, create walking routes, and keep the center green.

Landmarks that show the design logic

Modern contrast: Novi Zagreb

For modern architecture and a different scale, cross the river and explore Novi Zagreb’s wider streets and modern culture.

Keep exploring Zagreb

Use the guide list to build a trip that fits your pace — a few anchors, plenty of wandering, and at least one night walk.

Love Zagreb is an independent guide. For official updates, visit Zagreb Tourist Board and the linked official sources above.