Capital of Croatia, with 800,000 inhabitants, one quarter of Croatia's population and is the political and cultural centre. Not a very pretty city with a lot of graffiti and cracked and dilapidated facades, but has some magnificent architecture too.It could be a truly lovely city if they had the money to fix up many of the beautiful buildings. The neo-gothic St Stephens Cathedral was stunning and even had the sarcophagus of Cardinal Aloysius in all his splendour. We had an excellent local guide , Smjezana, who gave us a potted history of Croatia, which has a very chequered history, having gained Independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, along with Slovenia and Macedonia. Bosnia- Herzegovina gained independence in1992, but the Bloody War then intervened.Serbia-Montenegro didn't gain Independence until 2006 and Kosovo in 2008. Smjezana had a wonderful sense of humour eg the statue of Ban Jelacic on his horse in Republican Square is a common place for lovers to meet 'under the tail'!! (see photo)The Croats are very proud of their nation and their sportsmen. You see their red, white and blue colours everywhere. Note the roof of the Town Hall.
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