As World War II ended, so called Pioneer towns were build all over eastern Europe. They were meant to be a place where children were raised in a 'communist way'. One of these was build in Zagreb, Croatia in 1951. It consisted of a residential area, a restaurant, a hotel for the visitors, a library, an infirmary, post office, many sports facilies and was able to bed more than 400 children.
photo: Pioneer town in the 1950s
The location of the town was chosen according to strict rules. It had to be in a 'clean and natural environment with a healthy climate'. It was placed close to Zagreb, on the southern slopes of the mountain Medvednica close to a forrest. Today, as the city of Zagreb has evolved, it's actually located in one of the Zagreb neighborhoods - Dubrava.
photo: Greenery and one of the residental buildings
Since the break-up of Yugoslavia and the communist regime in the 1990s , the Pioneer town lost its purpose. It has since then been used as an elementary school, temporary accomodation for police and military during the Croatian War and other things. Almost no money was invested since then and the town is slowly rotting to the point that it is barely usable. Many of the residential buildings are destroyed and others are very damaged. Now its mostly used as a place to spend a weekend afternoon in the nature.
photo: Destroyed residential building from the outside
photo: Entrance to one of the destroyed residential buildings
photos: Inside one of the destroyed buildings
I visited this place last weekend for the first time and I was amazed. Both by the mystic feeling of all the devastated buildings and the history they hold as well as by how pretty the whole setting is. It has enormous potential to become a very nice sports and recreational center, a trip/picnic spot or a place for elementary school kids to visit for a week or two.
photo: One of the better preserved residential buildings and the environment
Hope you liked it,
Frajer
