Zagreb Time Machine: History Living in Present

Until the very end of October characters and customs important for the history of the city but also its present will come to life in the streets of Zagreb.

Zagreb Time Machine is a traditional city manifestation and a collective name for several shows that present many aspects of the history of Zagreb. On weekends for as long as four months, until the very end of October, amateur folklore and drama groups breathe life into the history of Zagreb and familiarise us with renowned persons who shaped it in the Upper Town, Kaptol, Ban Josip Jelačić Square, Tkalčićeva Street and Zrinjevac and Maksimir Park. 

You will often meet members of folklore groups wearing national costumes in the city centre. They will remind you of the connection between the city and its surroundings, which traditionally provided it with food, though songs, dances and customs. 

Even though in recent decades a lot has changed in the way the city gets provisions, the connection between the life of the city and the places that surround it has been intense to this day. Citizens of Zagreb are happy to buy products of independent farmers and family farms from the surrounding area at farmer’s markets in the city. Therefore, this year’s Zagreb Time Machine will be a reminder of this connection but also of a healthy lifestyle and ecological production. 

Costumed characters from literary works as well as historical figures important for the city’s cultural and political life will be a reminder of the history of the city. Characters from novels and history as well as costumed groups will use words, music and stage performances in the Upper Town, Maksimir Park but also elsewhere to remind you of their role in history but also of the values of the urban Zagreb which shaped its present.