Restoration Delays Continue for Zagreb Cathedral

The news in Croatian

1. zatvoriti
   Onemogućiti pristup ili upotrebu nečega zatvaranjem. ↩︎
2. potres (m.)
   Iznenadno podrhtavanje tla izazvano tektonskim kretanjima i vulkanskim procesima. ↩︎
3. obnova (f.)
   Radovi na vraćanju nečega u prvobitno stanje, često nakon oštećenja. ↩︎
4. zbog
   Pokazuje razlog ili uzrok nečega. ↩︎
5. potres (m.)
   Iznenadno podrhtavanje tla izazvano tektonskim kretanjima i vulkanskim procesima. ↩︎
6. mještanin (m.)
   Osoba koja živi u određenom mjestu, obično manjem naselju. ↩︎
7. služba (f.)
   Organizirana aktivnost ili rad na nekom području, poput vjerskih obreda. ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: Why has Zagreb Cathedral been closed for almost five years?

Question: How do local people feel about the cathedral being closed?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
zatvoriti	close
obnova (f.)	renovation
zbog	because of
mještanin (m.)	residents
služba (f.)	service
potres (m.)	earthquake

Read the full story

The cathedral’s restoration has become the largest and most complex project of its kind in Croatia. Over 24,820 reinforcing rods have been installed, and all unstable sections threatening collapse have been removed. Now, the focus has shifted to fortifying the structure’s earthquake resistance, ensuring it can withstand future seismic events. Milan Crnogorac, the project reviewer, emphasized the importance of preserving the cathedral’s original design and aesthetics while enhancing its structural resilience.

The team, consisting of fifty seasoned workers, is cautious about offering a precise timeline for completion. “Exact predictions are challenging,” remarked chief engineer Ante Mlinar, stating that the main goal is to reopen the cathedral for religious services as soon as possible. However, the reconstruction of the towers will be an extended process spanning several years.

Locals express nostalgia and frustration with the prolonged restoration. From the nearby Dolac market, where vendors long for the bustling crowds that once accompanied cathedral events, there is a sentiment that the process lacks urgency. Some, like Ljubica, worry that they may not witness the project’s completion in their lifetime.

Despite earlier promises to open the cathedral doors, these commitments have repeatedly fallen through, leaving the sacred site in a prolonged state of reconstruction. As the “skeleton” of the cathedral towers above the city, it remains a poignant symbol of fragility and resilience in the heart of Zagreb.

Info: ‘Croatian Learner News’ is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Croatian’, our dedicated Croatian language school offering a variety of online courses. Our aim is to help learners at all levels engage with the Croatian language in a flexible and accessible way.