• In 1911, when Croatia was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Građanski (Citizens) were founded in Zagreb by player Andria Mutafelia and his friends. When World War II ended in 1945 HŠK Građanski was disbanded and FD Dinamo was founded in its place to act as its unofficial successor. In the Yugoslav league in the inaugural season 1946–47 they finished second and the following season they won the title. The club won three more championships and seven Yugoslav Cups, and after the breakup of Yugoslavia, in 1991 they left to join the Croatian league.
• Dinamo are to this day the only Croatian team to have won a European trophy, the 1966–67 Exhibition Cup, beating Leeds United in the final. They also finished runners-up in the same competition in 1963, losing to Valencia.
• Until the early 1990s, its year of foundation was considered to be 1945, but amid the political turmoil of the breakup of Yugoslavia, the club began to claim direct descent from the pre-World War II clubs Građanski Zagreb and HAŠK. So in June 1991 it was renamed to HAŠK Građanski and in 1993 to Croatia Zagreb, until February 14, 2000, when it returned to Dinamo Zagreb.
• Their first time in European competition was in the qualifying round of the 1958–59 European Cup, where they were eliminated by Dukla Prague. In the 1960–61 Cup Winners’ Cup, Dinamo reached the semi-finals where they lost to Fiorentina.
• In the late 1990s, Dinamo played two consecutive seasons in the UEFA Champions League group stage without advancing, while also competing in two consecutive UEFA Cup seasons (in 1997 they managed to reach the third round, where they were eliminated by Atlético Madrid).
• The club’s «Golden Age» is considered to be the period from 2000 to 2015. They won five championships, six Croatian Cups, four Croatian Super Cups, made decent appearances in Europe and introduced among others, Luka Modric, Vedran Čorluka, and Tomislav Butina to the world.
• In the 2010–11 Europa League, Dinamo came very close to finishing third in the group, behind PAOK and Villarreal, however in their last game against PAOK in Maksimir they were beaten 1-0 by Salpingidis’ goal. The game at the Toumba was also PAOK’s, as the hosts won 1-0 with Ivić scoring.
• The 2016–17 season is regarded as the most unsuccessful in the club’s history, as they failed to win the league for the first time since the 2004–05 season, as well as the cup for the first time since 2014. Although they qualified for the Champions League group stage (with Juventus , Sevilla and Lyon), they conceded 15 goals without scoring themselves. In 2018, Nenad Bjelica took over and returned the club to greatness.
• The team’s traditional color is blue. Some great players have worn the blue shirt of Dinamo, such as Zaecs, Boban, Suker, Mandzukic, and Prosinecki.
• Their biggest rivals are Hajduk Split and the game between them is referred to as the «Eternal Derby». It is considered as the battle of north and south Croatia. As for the traditional rivalry with Partizan and Red Star, it borders on hatred.

Stadion Maksimir

Next to the wonderful Maksimir Park is Dinamo Zagreb’s home ground. The Maksimir Stadium is one of the largest stadiums in Croatia with a seating capacity of 25,912 and a maximum capacity of 35,423, and it is the home of the Croatian national team. Built 111 years ago, in 1912, the stadium was renovated in 1948, 1998 and 2011 and has four stands, North, East, West and South.

• The stadium was opened on 5 May 1912, and at the opening ceremony of the new stadium, HAŠK and city rivals HŠK Građanski Zagreb played several friendly matches to mark the grand opening.
• After World War II, HAŠK and Građanski were disbanded by the newly established communist regime of Yugoslavia and a new club, FD Dinamo Zagreb, inherited the colours, crest and stadium.
• The last match of the Yugoslav national team was hosted in Maksimir on June 3, 1990, and on October 17 of the same year, Croatia played the USA, in Croatia’s first match in the modern era.
• Maksimir holds an important record. After 1992 and for 16 years, the Croatian national team was undefeated at this stage. The record was broken on 10 September 2008, when England became the first team to beat Croatia in Zagreb, winning 4–1 and ending a thirty-match unbeaten run.
• Between 1997 and 2015, around 108 million euros were spent renovating the stadium.
• In the 2011 renovation, all the seats were replaced, a new drainage system was installed, underfloor heating was installed, while the surface was covered with blue artificial grass.
• The earthquake, which occurred on the morning of March 22, 2020, damaged the structural stability of the stadium, hence it was deemed «temporarily unfit».
• The East Stand, which is also the largest single stand by capacity, remains closed to spectators.
• The attendance record (64,138 spectators) in Maksimir is held by Dinamo’s match against Osijek on July 19, 1973.
• The stadium has hosted some big concerts. For example, there was the sold out David Bowie gig in 1990 and Robbie Williams in 2013.
• As of October 2022, a discussion has begun to fully rebuild Maksimir.

The refined architecture of Zagreb  

Damaged badly by the deadly 16th century fire that consumed it, the plague that decimated it, and scarred by the bloody history of Yugoslavia’s war, Zagreb is not just a city that stood on its own two feet. The capital of Croatia has evolved into a charming …European city, staying true to it’s medieval character and its Balkan identity, a mix that is reflected in its rich and complex architecture. It is a stately city, sophisticatedly traditional, modern and obviously, the absolute economic, political and cultural center of the country.

• The city has about 1,000,000 inhabitants and consists of three parts, the two oldest parts (Kaptol and Gornji Grad) located at the highest point («Upper Town») and Donji Gra («Lower Town») with extensive modern districts and industrial areas.
• A city of museums, Zagreb has around 30 collections in museums and galleries, containing more than 3.6 million exhibits. The Archaeological Museum contains almost 400,000 different works of art with the most famous being the Egyptian collection, the Zagreb mummy and the oldest Etruscan inscription in the world (Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis). After all, the National Historical Museum has one of the world’s most important collections of Neanderthal remains, with remains, stone weapons and tools of the prehistoric «Krapina man».
• The Gothic church of the same name, built in the 13th century, dominates the square of Agios Markos. Its roof resembles embroidery and its imposing tower houses the old town clock.
• During the time of socialist Yugoslavia, Novi Zagreb (New Zagreb) was created to house the people in the huge apartment buildings characteristic of the Eastern bloc. Today it is an …alternative area with modern shopping malls, cafes and bars and with its dominant point the Museum of Modern Art (MCA) built in 1920.
• Once a small village, Jarun is now one of the most popular areas of Zagreb with the large man-made lake a major attraction.
• Maksimir Park opened in 1794 and is one of the oldest in the world. It has 780 acres of oak trees, five lakes, streams, meadows and trails.
• The town’s central square is Trig Jelacia, with impressive 19th-century buildings.
• The Upper Town exudes a medieval atmosphere – after all, it dates back to the 11th century. It is wonderful, with 18th and 19th century houses in pastel colors, narrow streets and many galleries. The lanterns on the streets work with gas and are lit every night by a lantern!
• Completely different is the Lower Town or Donji Gra, it is the city center with Austro-Hungarian architecture, boulevards, squares, parks and a multitude of museums, at least seven in number. Here are located, among others, the Mimara Art Museum and the Archaeological Museum.
• The Stone Gate, once the entrance to Gradec, which burned in the fire of 1731, is now a temple. From that fire that almost burned down the city, the icon of the Virgin Child, miraculous for the Croats, was saved.
• A trademark is the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin (the Virgin Mary is the patron of the city) with its twin obelisks, dominating Kaptol.
• Perhaps the oldest and largest market in Europe is Dolac, which operates daily in Jelačić Square.
• In Zagreb there is also the Museum of Broken Relationships, with memorabilia of lovers whose love did not stand the test of time…
• The travel guides also recommend a cemetery, Mirogoj, a large green park, where the favorite child of the Croatians, Drazen Petrovac, is laid to rest.
• Try potato soup, strukli (traditional pie filled with cream and cheese), but also stuffed pork.