Sights

SCULPTURES AND MEMORIALS AFTER HAULIK’S TIME

One of Park Maksimir's symbols is by all means Mogila a kind of a monument-hill built in 1925 for the occasion of marking the one thousand years of Croatian kingdom. Mogila was designed by Aleksandar Freundenreich, and built by Croatian hawkers association as a memorial of III. Croatian all-hawkers rally held in occasion of this historical jubilee in Zagreb from August 14 to 16, 1925. It was placed on the location where Umbrella pavilion used to be. It was constructed from lumps of soil brought from 155 different Croatian locations in which some significant event during thousand years of Croatian history occurred. Items from Croatian historical heritage were buried in the base of the hill, significant books, newspaper, periodicals and memorials of all hawkers association, which participated in construction of Mogile. Description of the place and historical significance that happened on the place from where the land for Mogila was taken is recorded in the memorials. On August 15, 1925 representatives of hawkers associations were lined around half built Mogila hill with bags of land in their hands, which they poured on the hill accompanied by fanfares reveille songs. Guardian from Knin poured the last bag with the words: »I LAY THIS HEAP OF HOLLY LAND THAT BORE THE FIRST AND LAST CROATIAN KING«. Ten lime trees were planted around the hill as a symbol of 10 decades of Croatian public life, Croatian sovereignty. Mogila was completed in 1926. Toward its top lead narrow steps, and the top is decorated with a simple stone on which a bronze statue of a hawk with folded wings made by sculptor Ivo Kerdić should have been placed. After two years the hawk got broken in sculptor's atelier. This barbaric act was a sign of the end of Croatian hawkers, which unfortunately happened in 1929. At the incentive of Group »Brothers of Croatian Dragon« Mogila was renovated in 1994, and Ministry of Defense of Republic Croatia placed a sculpture of a hawk initially made in clay by sculptor pater Marijan Gajšak, on May 28, 1995, Armed forces day. Untimely death stopped him from finishing his work. Led by the initial idea, academic sculptor Mladen Mikulin models and completes a new sculpture. During renovation, Mogila hill was enriched with a lump of Croatian land blessed by the kiss of Pope John Paul II, on September 10, 1994 in Zagreb 's airport.

/ Mogila, source: archive PIM /

On the protected area of Park Maksimir today we can find sculptures STEPS, MOTHER WITH CHILD, TOUCH, CRUCIFIX WITH A SCULPTURE OF CRUCIFIED CHRIST, OUR LADY OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, FOUR LIONS (LION BRIDGE), EGYPTIANS and DISK THROWER.

/ Steps, source: archive PIM /

Sculpture Mother with a child sculptor Ćiril Mihanović, was placed in 1958 on the west side of Park Maksimir, next to Bukovačka street near parish church St. Jeronim. Sculpture is made of bronze.

/ Sculpture Mother with a child, source: archive PIM /

Sculpture Touch work of sculptor Ivan Briski was placed in 1989, on the right side of Maksimirska street in the direction of Dubrava, behind east stands of Dinamo stadium. Sculpture is made of marble.

/ Sculpture Touch, source: archive PIM /

Crucifix with a statue of crucified Christ is placed on a high pedestal on the corner of Maksimirska street and Faculty estate, at the end of Druid's grove. The cross is made of stone, and sculpture of cast iron. At the top of the cross stands I.N.R.I (Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews). On the pedestal of the cross a Latin text is carved in:

CRUX FIDELIS INTER OMNES
ARBOR UNA NOBILIS
NULLA SILVA TALEM
PROFERI FRONDE FLORE GERMINE
ANNO REP. SAL. MDCCCXLVII

/ Crucifix with a statue of crucified Christ, source: archive PIM /

Sculpture Our Lady of Immaculate Conception made by Josipa Glanz's Viennese foundry is located today next to parish church St. Jeronim, although it was initially placed on the east corner of Bukovačka and Maksimirska streets. On the pedestal a Latin text is carved in:

QUOD HEVA TRISTIS ABSTULIT
TU REDDIS ALTO GERMINE
INTRENT UT ASTRA FLEBILES
COELI RECLUDIS CARDINES
ANNO REP.SAL. MDCCCXLVII

/ Sculpture Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, source: archive PIM /

Sculptures Four lions made by sculptor Jozo Turkalj were placed during the period 1925 - 1928 on the Lion bridge in the ZOO. The bridge is located in the immediate vicinity of lion's cage. Sculptures are made of concrete.

/ Sculptures Four lions, source: archive PIM /

Sculptures Egyptians made by sculptor Jozo Turkalj were placed during the period 1925 - 1928 in the ZOO next to the reptile building. They are made of concrete.

/ Sculpture Egyptians, source: archive PIM /

Sculpture Disk thrower made by sculptor Vanja Radauš was placed in 1957 in the park part of the corner of Maksimirska street and Svetice. Sculpture is made of bronze (sculpture's bronze is an alloy of copper, tin and zinc).

/ Sculpture Disk thrower, source: archive PIM /