Lenucijeva potkova - the Lenuci Horseshoe, Zagreb

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What a great introduction to Zagreb. Stepping out from Zagreb's main train station (beautiful building in itself) on a sunny day and you are greeted by a lovely well-laid out city park. King Tomislav's Square is the first in a line of three city parks and houses the beautiful Art Pavillion. An interesting note on the Pavillion is that it was not designed or even built in Zagreb. It was built in Budapest for the international exhibition in 1896 but was later dismantled and brought to Zagreb where it was reconstructed in its present location in Trg Kralja Tomislava.
Also located in the square is a statue of King Tomislav I situated just in front of the train station facing the Art Pavillion.

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Trg Nicole Subica Zrinski is one of the most beautiful squares in the lower town. The square is named after a national hero who fought against the Ottomans in the battle of Szigetvar and later in the defense of the city of Vienna.
The square is laid out in a beautiful park with a band stand pavillion in the centre of an avenue of mature maple trees. A triple water fountain is found on both sides of the square which is surrounded by many imoressive buildings some of which house the embassies of several countires.

Strossmayerov Trg is the second of the line of three parks/squares leading from the train station. The square is the smallest of the three and isn't as beautiful as the parks either side of it but it does house the Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters. The square also has a large statue of Josip Strossmayer, a Catholic Bishop who was born in Osijek, Croatia. (The German name is explained by a German grandfather) Strossmayer donated his private collection to the Academy of Arts.
The Gallery of Old Masters is located on the first floor of the Academy of Arts building and houses Italian, (Veronese, Bellini, Tintoretto, Ghirlandaio, and Carpaccio) Dutch and Flemish paintings as well as a few works by Croatian artists (Mestrovic, Medulic, and Benkovic).

Open - Tuesday to Sunday 10.00 - 13.00

Yes, it seems a bit odd to add a train station to the list of sites, but Zagreb's main station is a beautiful example of neo-Classical architecture that faces off the manicured lawns of Tomislavov trg. You won't really notice it until you cross the street and stare at it from the square, at which point you can really appreciate the beauty of the station's façade. Taking pictures is a bit tricky, however, because of the mass of trams at the station's entrance.

Zrinjevac is the northern-most park in the Horseshoe and is the first one you will encounter if you're going from Trg bana Jelacica toward the station (the last one if you are coming from the station). unlike Tomislavov and Strossmayer trgovi, Zrinjevac doesn't have any museums or art galleries, so you will have to be content with the sculptures and park benches here. It is a nice little park to relax in. I was there in late spring and the foliage was very pretty. I've seen pictures of it in the fall and it is equally as appealing as during the warmer months of the year.

Strossmayer Square is named for Bishop Juraj Strossmayer, who was the Bishop of Dakovo in Eastern Slavonia. Strossmayer was a proponent of 19th Century Croatian nationalism - a nationalism that used Yugoslavism as a means of defeating Croatia's then traditional enemies, the Hungarians and the Austrians. The Square has a sculpture of the Bishop by Ivan Mestrovic.

The Art Pavilion was constructed by Hapsburg-era architects and is in the same yellow colour that seems to have been favoured by the architects of the National Theatre and the Museum of Arts and Crafts. It crowns Tomislavov Trg and blends in nicely with the manicured lawns. The interior is only mock-marble and it hosts temporary art exhibitions.

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Tomislavov Trg is named after the 10th Century King Tomislav, whose statue is at the beginning of the park (near the train station). The lawns of this square are beautifully manicured and there are gravel paths for you to promenade around the large fountain in the centre. This is an ideal place for anyone looking to burn a bit of time before a train, as the Square is usually pretty quiet and the flowers and lawns are a nice way to relax before being cooped up on the train.