7 August 2022 - ANCIENT WEATHER STATION STILL WORKS

 

ANCIENT WEATHER 

STATION STILL WORKS

G'day folks,

This 135-year-old weather station studies the effects of the climate on human health. 

Located in the last segment of the long green strip that connects the railway station to the old town of Zagreb, Trg Nikola Šubić Zrinski, also known as Zrinjevac, is said to be one of the most beautiful and romantic parks in the Croatian capital. It is also home to an unusual relic.

In 1884, the physician and amateur meteorologist Adolf Holzer built a meteorological column on the north side of the square, outfitted with scientific instruments to record temperature, humidity, and air pressure over time. 

 

Made of Istrian marble and designed by architect Hermann Bollé, this landmark reflects the habit of notable families to gift precious items to the city. But Holzer’s goal went beyond simply displaying his benevolence or gaining prestige. The data collected were used for his studies, which were viewed as revolutionary at the time, focused on better understanding the impact of a changing climate on human health. 

Today, more than 130 years after its construction, these extremely accurate, German-made instruments are no longer used for official measurements, but they continue to do their jobs, and people often stop by to check in on the local conditions. The weather station in Zrinjevac remains a valuable attraction for those who love to discover the most unusual places in the city.

 

27 July 2019 - THE SECRET TUNNELS OF VILLA REBAR IN CROATIA

THE SECRET TUNNELS 

OF VILLA REBAR 

IN  CROATIA

G'day folks,

This former estate of a fascist leader is now a burnt out ruin leading to a system of secret tunnels. 

 

Sitting on the edge of a thick Croatian forest, the Villa Rebar is a haunting ruin that looks more like something out of a horror movie than the former estate of a high-ranking fascist dictator/Nazi puppet who built secret tunnels connecting the place to military bunkers. Oh, wait, that’s pretty scary too. 

 

  

The Villa Rebar was first built in 1932, and would become the home of Croatian dictator, Ante Pavelić. During World War II, Pavelić led the Independent State of Croatia, a puppet government that was loyal to Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, and was responsible for genocidal actions against Serbians, Jews, and Romani. During his parts of his dark reign, he made the Villa Rebar his home. While living there, Pavelić had a system of tunnels built that connected the manor to military bunkers in the nearby hills, as well as some that acted as escape tunnels.

After the war, Pavelić fled, and the villa was eventually remodeled and turned into a mountain resort space, seemingly unafraid of it being the former home of genocidal monster. The final blow to the estate would be a fire in 1979 that all but razed the manor to its stone foundations. after this disaster, the property, along with its tunnels, were simply abandoned.

The above ground foundations of the home remain to this day, overgrown and marred with graffiti. Urban explorers have also taken to tagging up the tunnels beneath the estate. However exploring the tunnels beneath the ruins of a genocidal dictator’s former mansion is, obviously, not recommended.  

Clancy's comment: Mm ... Every  abandoned structure has a story to tell, eh?

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