Zagreb Art Nouveau building at Kurelčeva ul. 1
The building at Kurelčeva ulica 1 in Zagreb represents a modest yet distinctive example of Art Nouveau (Secession) architecture, a style that flourished in Croatia during the early 20th century.
While the structure is relatively simple in form—featuring a rectangular block with a pitched roof and regular rows of windows—its decorative details reveal the influence of the Secessionist movement that shaped much of Zagreb’s architectural identity around 1900.
On the façade, you can see stylized floral and geometric reliefs, particularly concentrated around the corner bay and beneath the windows. These ornaments, though now weathered and partly eroded, once added rhythmic elegance and visual interest to the otherwise restrained exterior. A small wrought-iron balcony with decorative motifs emphasizes the Art Nouveau preference for combining functionality with artistry.
Above the windows, remnants of stucco panels and mascarons suggest symbolic embellishments, typical of the style’s interest in integrating natural and human-inspired forms into architecture. The vertical emphasis of the reliefs near the corner is also characteristic of Viennese Secessionist influence, which spread widely throughout Zagreb at the turn of the century.
Though the building shows signs of age and wear, with patches of damaged plaster and faded details, it still conveys the spirit of early modernist design—bridging the ornate traditions of 19th-century historicism with the new artistic vision of the 20th century. Together with other Secessionist façades nearby, it contributes to the rich architectural fabric of central Zagreb, making Kurelčeva Street an understated but meaningful part of the city’s Art Nouveau heritage.
Location: Kurelčeva ulica 1, Zagreb Croatia