The Grič Tunnel (Tunel Grič) is a 350-metre pedestrian tunnel that runs under the hill of Zagreb's Upper Town, from Mesnička Street in the west to Radićeva Street in the east. It was dug from 1943 as an air-raid shelter, lay neglected for decades, hosted one of Croatia's first big raves in 1993 and has been open to walkers since July 2016. Today it is a free shortcut under Gradec that doubles as an exhibition space.
The Grič Tunnel at a glance
- Where: under the Gradec (Grič) part of the Upper Town (Gornji grad). The main entrances are on Mesnička Street and in a courtyard on Radićeva Street, with side exits towards Tomićeva Street, next to the funicular, and Ilica.
- Built: 1943–1944 as a public bomb shelter; reopened to the public on 6 July 2016 after renovation.
- What it is today: a free pedestrian passage and a venue for exhibitions, fashion shows and light installations during Advent in Zagreb.
- Time needed: 10–15 minutes to walk through, longer if an exhibition is on.
From bomb shelter to rave venue to city shortcut
In 1943, fearing Allied air raids, Nikola Mandić, prime minister of the wartime Independent State of Croatia (NDH), ordered a public shelter to be dug under the Upper Town. The works ran far over time and budget: planned for 90 working days and 141.2 million kuna, the cost rose to about 490 million and the opening slipped into 1944. The city's building committee criticised the project, and Mayor Ivan Werner rejected the plan for a large central hall, so at first only the east–west corridor was dug.
After the war the tunnel was waterproofed in 1947, and from 1949 the food company Malina used it as a warehouse; the central hall seems to have been added later, although the records are unclear. For decades it was mostly locked, used by homeless people and surrounded by urban legends. During the Croatian War of Independence in the early 1990s it served as an air-raid shelter again, and in 1993 more than 3,000 people came to the Under City Rave, one of the first raves in Croatia. Renovation started in April 2016, and the tunnel opened to the public on 6 July 2016.
What to look for
- The main corridor: about 350 metres long and 3.2 metres wide, a straight run of bare concrete from Mesnička Street to Radićeva Street.
- The central hall: a wider section about 100 metres long and 5.5 metres across, where most exhibitions and installations are set up.
- The side passages heading south: they come out in back courtyards on Ilica and Tomićeva Street, one of them in the small Art Park beside the lower station of the funicular.
- The cool, slightly damp air: the tunnel stays noticeably cooler than the streets above, which makes it a pleasant detour on a hot summer day.
- In December, the Advent light installations: the tunnel is decorated as part of Advent in Zagreb, with a different theme each year.
On screen and in rumour
Because the tunnel stayed closed for so long, Zagreb gossip filled it with secret passages and mysteries; in reality, it is the only part of the wartime tunnels under the Upper Town that is fully open to the public, while the others remain closed. Its long concrete corridor has also found work as a film set: the pilot episode of the American TV series FBI: International was shot here in 2021.
Tips for your visit
- Use it as a shortcut: enter from Mesnička Street and come out on Radićeva, the old street that climbs to the Stone Gate, so you cross from the west to the east side of the Upper Town without going over the hill.
- Bring a light layer even in summer; inside it is cooler and can feel damp.
- In December the tunnel gets busy with Advent visitors, especially in the evening. Go in the morning for a quieter walk.
- Exhibitions change through the year, so look at the posters by the entrances to see what is on.
Nearby
- Zagreb Funicular: running since 1890 between Tomićeva Street and the Upper Town, it is one of the shortest public funiculars in the world, right next to the Art Park exit.
- Lotrščak Tower: the 13th-century defence tower at the top of the funicular, where the Grič cannon is fired every day at noon.
- Stone Gate (Kamenita vrata): the last surviving gate of old Gradec, at the top of Radićeva Street, with a shrine to a painting of the Virgin that survived the great fire of 1731.
- Ban Jelačić Square: Zagreb's main square, a few minutes' walk down Radićeva Street or along Ilica.
See Zagreb with World City Trail
Our Zagreb scavenger hunt turns the city centre into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 42 minutes of walking. Along the way it includes the Botanical Garden and the Croatian National Theatre in the Lower Town.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Zagreb.
Play the Zagreb scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Zagreb →
Play the outdoor escape game in Zagreb →
Facts checked in October 2026.