Do you know the story of Krvavi Most - Bloody bridge in Zagreb?
Did you know that in the very heart of Zagreb, a mere 100m from Jelačić square there used to stand a bridge... and not just any bridge. This was a bridge that as a result of the numerous conflicts that took place on its wooden beams, was given the horrific name «Krvavi most» or, the Bloody bridge.
The story of the bridge spanning the Medveščak creek began in the distant past of 1093 when the diocese of Zagreb was founded. The oldest part of Zagreb, which in Latin was referred to as «Villa Zagrabiensis», was located in present day Kaptol. At the end of the 12th century, the county of Zagreb was created and on the hill to the west of Kaptol, the city «grad» was born. Perhaps it would be better to call it a fortified manor, around which settlements began to emerge. It's name of Gradec, taken from «grad» first appeared in 1201 as «Castum Grec juxta Zagrabiam», which in translation would mean «Grec fortress (the shortened form of Gradec) by Zagreb».
The development of these two small settlements, the secular Gradec and the churchly Kaptol, goes undisturbed until the arrival of the Mongols in 1241. The Croatian-Hungarian king Bela IV sought shelter and safety from the Mongols in Zagreb. The entrance of the Mongols into Zagreb marked the beginning of 1242, they proceeded to burn down all of the houses and churches, and butchered all those who did not manage to escape to the hills surrounding Zagreb. King Bela managed to escape to Dalmatia. When the Mongols left Zagreb, Bela returned to Zagreb, and found a wasteland. In a sign of thanks to the people of Zagreb, he pronounced Zagreb to be a free and regal city. In a document bearing the name «Zlatna bula», he gave Zagreb property and privilege, in an attempt to initiate growth and development. That document did not include Kaptol, which remained a separate district.
The creek Medveščak ran the route of today’s Tkalčićeva Street. In those days the street was known as «Potok» meaning creek. The creek served as a natural border between Gradec and Kaptol. Many of the residents from both sides of the border had mills at the creek. This often led to conflict. A major source of the conflict was «Popov» tower– commissioned by king Bela IV and a number of political divisions between the people of Gradec and Kaptol. The intolerance was so great, that the bishop of Kaptol, Ivan Smilo, punished his enemies, the residents of Gradec, on the 8th of January 1397 with the, so called, Interdictom - church curse, in which he banned the residents of Gradec from receiving sacrament. The curse lasted until the 12th of April 1397, when it was abolished in the church of St. Mark.
The bridge was covered with wooden planks until the year 1899. Leaving Šoštarska Street (today Radićeva) one could cross the bridge to Skalinska Street, on to Opatovina and finally Kaptol. It was called «Pisani most» or the painted bridge, due to it's lively colours. The bridge was often the site of violent and bloody battles. One such occasion happened on the 14th of December 1667 when the soldiers of the vice-roy Zrinski were in town. The residents of Kaptol convinced them to attack the citizens of Gradec. The records show that the soldiers were under the influence of alcohol, and had failed their duty. The residents of «Gornji grad» or the upper-town gathered in great numbers at the bridge in order to defend their land. It resulted in a battle in which the creek waters ran red. The soldiers forced their way into «Podgrađe» today’s Ilica Street, and looted everything in their path. For this act of aggression, the city of Zagreb filed a complaint with king Leopold I. This document known as «Protocollum civitatis Zagrabiensis» is to this day stored in the state archives.
After the regulation of the creek and the construction of Tkalčićeva Street, the bridge was demolished in 1899. The short street of the same name, which today connects Radićeva with Tkalčićeva, safeguards the memory of the bridge. It was in Krvavi Most Street, that in 1887 the first telephone switchboard in Zagreb was put into use. Today this address houses a library. Today, instead of a stream of water, there is a stream of people. One that does not ponder the once violent, now peaceful past of a quaint street that hides within its name the ghosts of long ago.
Written by: Marko Vrdoljak
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