Do you know the story about Dolac in Zagreb?
This is the story of a different centre of Zagreb – the gastronomic centre. It is the history of a part of our town that everyone, sooner or later, regardless of age and interests, comes to. This is the story of Dolac market, situated only 50 metres off the main town square, whose tempting smells and colours capture the attention of even the most work-absorbed business people.
Ever since its opening in 1930, Zagreb's Dolac – or the town's belly as it is sometimes called – has been known as a place worth visiting, if not to look for high-quality food, then to get in touch with Zagreb’s good spirit.
The construction of this charming part of town was begun under the mayor, Vjekoslav Heinzel, following a 1925 decision to build the new town market on the site of the old and run down Dolac housing estate, whose poor condition was not fitting for the town centre. The idea of building the market was not new, however. This project had been presented to the city fathers in 1909 by architect Viktor Kovačić in a tender for the regulation of Kaptol, but as it then seemed too large and costly it was put off until a more appropriate time.
In 1930, on the day of the market’s opening, the mayor, Dr. Stjepan Srkulj, in his address to the people of Zagreb, proudly stated: “During my visit to Holland this year, ladies and gentlemen, I can honestly say that I did not see a market that was as nice as this...”
Dolac became the pride of the town, a place for doing business, trading, negotiating, meeting people or running into friends. It also helped establish Zagreb’s reputation as the region’s gastronomic centre.
Today, the colourful Šestine umbrellas and parasols that cover Dolac are one of its trademarks; as well as looking so attractive they also protect the stallholders and the passers-by from the elements.
Dolac has recently undergone a complete renovation, but it has lost none of its old-Zagreb charm. The market is now divided into several parts: the outdoor part – with the stalls always packed with a colourful array of fruit and vegetables, and the indoor part – with dairy products, meat and meat products, nuts, fresh fish every day, a wonderfully fragrant and vibrant flower section, and a few other, smaller sections that we will leave you to discover for yourself.
Thanks to its location and wide selection of products, Dolac has become one of Zagreb's hotspots, a place where many come to see and be seen. Regardless of whether you go there on a Saturday or a weekday, the market has a wide range of high-quality goods on offer, and it is frequented by many of the city’s public figures. We warmly welcome you to Zagreb's gastronomic centre, to discover the smells and flavours of the old and the new Dolac.
