Zagreb is one of the best cities in Europe where to explore the transformation of Art Nouveau into the more geometrical architecture of the 1910s. Earlier examples of the style can be found as well. The Kallina House and the building of the Croatian State Archives are the most impressive of all of them.
The content of my portfolio is relatively random, but it contains all the Art Nouveau buildings which I found some information about online before my stay in Zagreb. The buildings which I was able to date are presented first, followed by those about which I found no information. I took the photos on September 12 and 13, 2015.
You will find the locations of the mentioned buildings on the map below.
1. First Croatian Savings Bank and the Oktogon
Ilica 5
Josip Vancaš, 1898-1900
This eclectic building shows some influence of Art Nouveau. It contains two covered passages which connect in an octagonal atrium in the middle. This Oktogon is clearly more attractive than its namesake square in Budapest.
2. Kallina House
Masarykova ulica 21-23
Vjekoslav Bastl, 1903-1904
This house, one of the finest Art Nouveau buildings in Zagreb, was built for Josip Kallina, a wealthy industrialist. Kallina owned a ceramics company, where all the tiles used for this building were produced. Because the façade is entirely covered with tiles, a connection to Otto Wagner’s Majolikahaus in Vienna can be established.
3. Bauda House
Mihanovićeva ulica 38
Aladar Baranyai, 1903
This type of building could be easily found in Budapest.
4. Bauda House
Trg Marka Marulića 7
Aladar Baranyai, 1905
This building is located in the same block with the previous one, was designed by the same architect and has the same name, this most probably belonging to the same owner.
5. Croatian Real Estate Bank
Mihanovićeva ulica 32 / Gundulićeva ulica 61-63
Aladar Baranyai, 1908-1909
This corner building reminds me slightly of the house on Lāčplēša iela 51 in Riga.
6. Croatian State Archives
Trg Marka Marulića 21
Rudolf Lubynski, 1911-1913
This building is stunning with its strongly emphasised verticals, making me think of Gothic cathedrals. It represents, however, the late period of Art Nouveau, which was influenced by Neoclassicism. It is one of my absolute favourite buildings in Europe.
7. Building on Trg kralja Tomislava 15
This building must be from the earlier phase of Art Nouveau.
8. Building on Haulikova ulica 3
The freshly renovated façade of an impressive Art Nouveau building that I ran across
9. Building on Ulica Ignjata Đorđića 1
The plant carpet on this façade reminds me of Villa Rädisch in Sarajevo.
10. Building on Gajeva ulica 49
This building is, together with its neighbour, an example of perpendicular Art Nouveau.
11. Building on Gajeva ulica 51
Another building illustrating the late period of Art Nouveau
12. Building on Boškovićeva ulica 3
This building has a number of interesting details, such as the ‘clips’ holding the rectangular panels between the first- and second-floor windows and the semicircular awnings above the bay windows.
13. Unknown building
I haven’t been able to found of where this building is located and when and by whom it was built.
grande flânerie 