Medvešcak (creek)
Encyclopedia
Medveščak (ˌmed.veʂˈtʂǎːk, also called Crikvenik) is a creek
in central Zagreb
, Croatia
. It flows from Kraljičin zdenac in Podsljeme
down along the southern slopes of the Medvednica
mountain to the Manduševac Fountain, its mouth. The creek was covered in 1898 and today forms part of the Zagreb sewer system. Medveščak has long served as an important geographical feature of historic Zagreb, delineating the border between the often warring twin cities of Gradec
(Gornji Grad) and Kaptol
between the 11th and the 19th century and causing many violent floods which often decimated houses on its banks. Most of the stream is located in the Gornji Grad - Medveščak
city district, running underground under Tkalčićeva
and Medvedgradska Streets.
The creek today plays a minor role in the Zagreb sewer system, having ceased powering the Manduševac Fountain in 1882. However, it gave its name to the Medveščak neighborhood.
and Kaptol
. The two cities often had disputes about the creek's sovereignty and the ownership of mills
built on it. One of the relics remaining as the evidence of these tumultuous times is the Krvavi Most, a former bridge and currently a very short street in the Zagreb pedestrian zone, whose name can be translated to English as "Bloody Bridge." It has been the site of several battles between the twin cities.
Medveščak has been the center of Zagreb industry since the early days of the city, spawning numerous watermills. The watermills caused the development of Zagreb industry, easing the construction of Zagreb's first cloth, soap, paper and liquor factories and later animal skin industry. The watermills were often the subject of feuds between the twin cities, Kaptol and Gradec. A 1392 peace treaty forbade construction of new watermills along the shared city border, between today's southern end of Medvedgradska Street and Ban Jelačić Square
, leaving only two mills within the city. Both mills were owned by a Cistercian monastery
. However, they were both razed during the 1898 covering of the creek.
The creek often produced catastrophic flood
s until 1898, at which time it was covered by the Creek Road and became part of the new sewer system
. The most tragic flood was the one in 1651, when 52 people were confirmed to have drowned in the creek. The creek thus earned the name "Krvavi Potok" ("Bloody creek"), as described by the notable Zagreb historian Baltazar Adam Krčelić in his work Annuae.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
in central Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. It flows from Kraljičin zdenac in Podsljeme
Podsljeme
Podsljeme is in the foothills of Zagreb's mountain Medvednica and its name means "under Sljeme" . It has the status of četvrt and as such has an elected council. The historic Medvedgrad castle is located in the district of Črnomerec, west of Podsljeme.Podsljeme had 17,744 residents in 2001...
down along the southern slopes of the Medvednica
Medvednica
Medvednica is a mountain in central Croatia, just north of Zagreb and marking the southern border of the historic region of Zagorje. The highest peak, at 1,035 m, is Sljeme. Most of the area of Medvednica is a nature park , a type of preservation lesser than a national park...
mountain to the Manduševac Fountain, its mouth. The creek was covered in 1898 and today forms part of the Zagreb sewer system. Medveščak has long served as an important geographical feature of historic Zagreb, delineating the border between the often warring twin cities of Gradec
Gradec, Zagreb
Gradec or Grič is a part of the Zagreb, Croatia, and together with Kaptol it is the mediaeval nucleus of the city. It's situated on the hill of Gornji Grad.- History :Gradec was given a royal charter by King Bela IV in 1242...
(Gornji Grad) and Kaptol
Kaptol, Zagreb
Kaptol is a part of Zagreb, Croatia in the upper town and it is the seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop of Zagreb.-History:The existence of Kaptol, the settlement on the east slope, was confirmed in 1094 when King Ladislaus founded the Zagreb diocese. The bishop, his residence and the Cathedral...
between the 11th and the 19th century and causing many violent floods which often decimated houses on its banks. Most of the stream is located in the Gornji Grad - Medveščak
Gornji Grad - Medvešcak
Gornji Grad – Medveščak is one of the districts of Zagreb, Croatia; Gornji Grad translates as Upper Town. It is bordered by four other districts: Donji Grad in the south, Črnomerec in the west, Gornja Dubrava in the east and Podsljeme in the north...
city district, running underground under Tkalčićeva
Tkalciceva Street
Tkalčićeva Street is a street in the Zagreb, Croatia city center. Extending from the vicinity of the central Ban Jelačić Square to its northern end at the Little Street , the street flows between the Gornji Grad in the west and Nova Ves in the east...
and Medvedgradska Streets.
The creek today plays a minor role in the Zagreb sewer system, having ceased powering the Manduševac Fountain in 1882. However, it gave its name to the Medveščak neighborhood.
History
One of the best known roles of Medveščak is as the border between the two cores of modern downtown Zagreb, GradecGradec, Zagreb
Gradec or Grič is a part of the Zagreb, Croatia, and together with Kaptol it is the mediaeval nucleus of the city. It's situated on the hill of Gornji Grad.- History :Gradec was given a royal charter by King Bela IV in 1242...
and Kaptol
Kaptol, Zagreb
Kaptol is a part of Zagreb, Croatia in the upper town and it is the seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop of Zagreb.-History:The existence of Kaptol, the settlement on the east slope, was confirmed in 1094 when King Ladislaus founded the Zagreb diocese. The bishop, his residence and the Cathedral...
. The two cities often had disputes about the creek's sovereignty and the ownership of mills
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
built on it. One of the relics remaining as the evidence of these tumultuous times is the Krvavi Most, a former bridge and currently a very short street in the Zagreb pedestrian zone, whose name can be translated to English as "Bloody Bridge." It has been the site of several battles between the twin cities.
Medveščak has been the center of Zagreb industry since the early days of the city, spawning numerous watermills. The watermills caused the development of Zagreb industry, easing the construction of Zagreb's first cloth, soap, paper and liquor factories and later animal skin industry. The watermills were often the subject of feuds between the twin cities, Kaptol and Gradec. A 1392 peace treaty forbade construction of new watermills along the shared city border, between today's southern end of Medvedgradska Street and Ban Jelačić Square
Ban Jelacic Square
Ban Jelačić Square is the central square of the city of Zagreb, Croatia, named after ban Josip Jelačić. The official name is Trg bana Jelačića...
, leaving only two mills within the city. Both mills were owned by a Cistercian monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. However, they were both razed during the 1898 covering of the creek.
The creek often produced catastrophic flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
s until 1898, at which time it was covered by the Creek Road and became part of the new sewer system
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
. The most tragic flood was the one in 1651, when 52 people were confirmed to have drowned in the creek. The creek thus earned the name "Krvavi Potok" ("Bloody creek"), as described by the notable Zagreb historian Baltazar Adam Krčelić in his work Annuae.