The Lenuci’s Horseshoe of Zagreb receives European silver for landscaping

The string of parks in central Zagreb, forming what is known as Lenuci’s Green Horseshoe, has recently received a great award: the silver plaque and a special international prize at the Golden Flower of Europe 2013.

Anyone who has walked through Zagreb’s parks that form Lenuci’s Horseshoe will not be surprised to learn that this extraordinary park complex has won a silver plaque for landscaping amidst the fierce competition of 2400 European cities with a population over 500,000 inhabitants. This award for horticultural landscaping, tourist offer, development and maintenance of green spaces and parks, ecologic awareness of the citizens and fostering ecologically and environmentally sensitive development projects is awarded by the European Association for Flowers and Landscape (AEFP). Zagreb has also won a special international prize for outstanding green spaces, which makes it the only city next to Birmingham that has won two awards.

The special prize for outstanding green spaces was awarded for the park architecture of the seven city parks that form Lenuci’s Horseshoe, whereby the panel of judges has recognized efforts invested in the tidiness and upkeep of public parks in Zagreb. The panel particularly valued and rewarded the attitude of Zagreb’s administration, the corporate world and the citizens towards the preservation of the beautiful park architecture in Zagreb’s Lower Town.

A walk across Zagreb’s Green Horseshoe, as the park complex is lovingly dubbed, is a truly unique and pleasant experience for all of Zagreb’s citizens and their guests. The complex of parks known under the common name Lenuci’s Horseshoe, after the landscape artist who designed them, is located in the vicinity of Zagreb’s main square of Ban Josip Jelačić. The array of parks, which are actually landscaped city squares, stretches from the city centre towards the main train station, past the Botanical Gardens, on to Marulić and Marshall Tito squares. The entire area is a treasure trove of statues, galleries and museums, a real gem for art aficionados where they can enjoy horticultural beauties as well as exquisite art at the same time. Showing a different face during each season, the parks forming Lenuci’s Horseshoe are perfect for walks and relaxing during the summer heat, and a place for enjoying an idyllic atmosphere during winter, especially in Zrinjevac Park, which features various summer events as well as Advent programmes in wintertime.