And They Just Drove Away into the Sunset
Ever since a clever guy named Carl Benz patented a crafty little work simply known as a 'car', 3 billion of cars have been made worldwide. Until this day, a car is still the most sophisticated example of craftsmanship. At least, I think so. That is why I went to Trešnjevka, a neighborhood just near the Zagreb student center, of which we wrote just recently, but you would know that because you are with us every week, aren't you my dear and precious reader?
Well, if you are not, we will forgive you because we are not done unraveling Zagreb's titbits. My anxious little Vans sneakers couldn't hold the speed while entering the Nikola Tesla museum in order to see what I have come for – oldtimers. Not sure about you guys, but I want to believe that there is a little nostalgic critic in every one of us. That longing for some other better times (during which, to be honest, I wasn't even in my parents plans) was my main motivation to see the history of an invention which made our lives so much easier – it's majesty, the automobile. If we are to believe our dear author Marian Schuman Hreblay, there has been over 10,693 car manufacturers worldwide and the initiative was there since 1770. That is pretty impressive, at least in my opinion.
Image credit: Tehnical Museum Nikola Tesla
And this museum tried to cover it all – car as a culture, car as a synonym for mobility and a general placement of an automobile in our daily lives. Just think how many people were somehow marked with a vehicle. Just seeing all those photographs of old Zagreb and drivers (men and women) perfectly fitting in the architecture and zeitgeist was worthwhile, not to mention all the memories of past times, like driver's helmet and old billboard commercial for cars from crazy sixties, and even some fountain pen ink bottles shaped like an automobile. Even though I am not an art historian, a Jeremy Clarkson fan or a driver per se, this visit was quite a refreshment. Just think, James Dean and Isadora Duncan ended their lives in them, but how many of people were saved thanks to them? I believe a lot. But, this is not an existential postulate, it is just a rumination inspired by some really pretty cars. Does the year 1898 ring any bells? If not, it is not important, but I just wanted to let you know that this is the year when the first automobile was driven in Croatia.
Image credit: Tehnical Museum Nikola Tesla
It was imported by a nobleman from the city of Varaždin, a count named Marko Bombelles. But Croatians needed to be patient and wait until 1906 till the first automobile club was founded in Zagreb. One of its initiators was the famous Ferdinand Budicki who was, in fact, the first driver instructor in Croatia. Zagreb even got a museum named after him, and you can guess what the content of that museum is. Cars, of course! But that is not the theme of this story. Even if it's not 1906, my eyes still shine every time when I see a gem like this. It is a Ford from the 1920's. Even if it can't drive 120 kilometers per hour, this car is by far one of the most impressive pieces of art that I have ever seen.
Image credit: Technical Museum Nikola Tesla
Why do I say art? Well, you should see it – everything is so shiny, and precisely made so you just can't resist not to touch it. And, nothing is automatised. Just imagine the solutions that Ford had to make just to get the engine start! But, that is not the only beauty that the Technical Museum of Nikola Tesla hosted - a pretty cool Jaguar Roadster from 1963 and a Citroen DS from 1951. Actually, there is a pretty cool story behind this red beast. The rumor is that this car had to be presented at the World Fair in Geneva, but the car wasn't ready at the time of shipping. There weren't a lot of things to do except to sit in a car and drive across Europe into the sunset. The story is, that the creator team drove about 220 km per hour and that is a hell of a lot at that time. So, they did not make it for the opening of the exhibition, but they did impress everyone there when they arrived few hours later. And to think that the museum holds a gem like this just makes you want to drive into the sunset with your sunglasses on pretending that now are those simpler and happier times. You got to #lovezageb.
Header image credit: Technical museum of Nikola Tesla
Author: Lana Suša