Croatia Jan.2014 | Page 7

For the record, the Ban Josip Jelacic statue was previously facing north in protest against the invasion Hungarian, today turned by the south. An anecdote concerning Mandusevac fountain, the legend says that throw a coin into the fountain, your wish come true, another said that you drink its water casts a spell so that you never forget Zagreb and you will come back. After the heart of Zagreb, here the lungs, Zagreb is full of parks that gives this city at all times of the year with opportunities to walk around and discover another angle. The four corners of the city, these parks are open to all. The main ones are: Botanical Garden (photo cons) located in the city center, near the railway main station in Zagreb, it is part of the "horseshoe" green Zagreb. With an area of 4.7 hectares, you will find more than ten thousand plant species from Croatia and the entire world, and also many endangered species. This garden was founded by Antun Heinz (1861-1919). The first plants were planted in the botanical garden in 1892. Much of the garden is occupied by the arboretum. It is built in the style of an English garden, while the central and western part of the park was formed in a historicist style. Maksimir Park, located him in the eastern part of the city and built in an oak forest, it takes its name from its founder, the Bishop of Zagreb Maksimiljan Vrhovac (1752 - 1827) who took care of the organization park with the help of Archbishop Haulik. When opened in 1794, he was the first and the largest park in Europe open to the public. Landscaped with paths, different constructions built in several different styles, and you can discover a Swiss pavilion, gazebo, pavilion of the echo and an impressive collection of sculpture scattered throughout the park. Walking through the park, you will discover the Zagreb Zoo, one of three zoos in Croatia but also the oldest