When You Wish for a Respite: “Tkalča” Awaits You
When you enter Tkalčićeva Street from the main square, it feels as if you took a time machine to travel to the past and now you are watching it during the day while sitting at a coffee shop or a restaurant or you are enjoying a dynamic night out.
Just a few steps away from the central Ban Josip Jelačić Square you will find Tkalčićeva Street and an entirely new world of interesting history. Tkalčićeva Street or “Tkalča”, as it is affectionately nicknamed by citizens of Zagreb, is a historical street with a special atmosphere which can be enjoyed at any time of the day. By day, citizens and visitors of the city stop there for a coffee or lunch, and by night they have a blast in one of its bars.
The street was built where a stream used to divide two inhabited hills of the old Zagreb, called Kaptol and Gradec so until early 20th century, this street was called Stream Street. What used to be a street inhabited by poor workers and servants of rich citizens of Gradec or church dignitaries of Kaptol, is today one of the symbols of the city which is as appealing to citizens of Zagreb as it is to tourist.
There is another interesting fact in the rich history of this street: in early 20th century almost every house in Tkalčićeva Street was a brothel. To be discreet but also to mark the location, all windows had to have opaque glass and red lamps so Zagreb was the first city in Europe with a real red district.
Today this interesting street, which is an integral part of all tourist tours, is named after Ivan Krstitelj Tkalčić, a catholic priest and historian who was born in 1840 and died in 1905.
In the street, which kept its original architecture, there are many boutiques and traditional shops so it is easy to find interesting souvenirs, unique practical objects and many other items. Today you can see an old sun dial made in 1955. A statue of Marija Jurić Zagorka, the first Zagreb journalist and writer of a strong personality, is also there. With her lifestyle and work, she brought down many barriers and established social norms from late 19th and the first half of the 20th century.
There are many more stories being created in this old and for many the most romantic street in Zagreb. Some of them are considered the most interesting images of Zagreb by the city’s visitors. “Tkalča” awaits you.