The Lotrščak Tower and Grič cannon

If in Zagreb you hear the blast of cannon fire, fear not, it simply means it’s midday. This auditory onslaught is not an elaborate pigeon-scaring scheme. According to one legend, a cannon shot from the Lotrščak tower soared over the river Sava and landed in the Turks’ encampment, right on a platter of chicken that was being carried to the Pasha for his lunch. The Pasha decided against attacking a city of fearsome sharpshooters so Zagreb escaped invasion. Since this ace shot was fired at noon, a cannon has been fired at that time from the same tower ever since. Sited in the Upper Town, the tower originally was part of the city’s defences, and later served as a prison. Nowadays, it houses a gallery and an art shop, and the view from the top is well worth the climb.