Autumn has covered Park Grič with leaves, and today’s story is right beneath them. What is now a park was once a cemetery. It was in use from the late 15th to the early 17th century, during a period of Ottoman expansion.
Archaeological excavation uncovered 225 graves. Anthropological analysis of skeletal remains from some of the graves revealed interesting information about the life and health of the deceased.
Among those buried were residents of Gradec and probably also foreign soldiers involved in military campaigns. The presence of soldiers may also be linked to syphilis in the city during the 16th century. Skeletal changes associated with the disease were observed in several individuals.
For more information, see The Forgotten Cemeteries of Zagreb (2023).
Text and photographs: Petra Rajić Šikanjić
