Park of Vladimir Nazor, Zadar

The Park of Vladimira Nazor, formerly Blažeković Park, is the largest park in Zadar.

It was created on the former city fortress of Forte, the size of which is about 5.5 ha. The fortress was built on the site of the city's suburb - Varoš in the 16th century according to the plan and under the supervision of the Venetian general Sforza Pallavicino. Several barracks, warehouses, powder rooms and cisterns were built in it.

The Park of Vladimir Nazor was built from 1888 to 1890 thanks to the Austrian Governor for Dalmatia Dragutin Blažeković . After its opening in 1890 , it was called the Military Park. Although it was open to the public, it was still under military administration. In order to maintain the right of ownership of the fort or the park, the army closed the park to the public for one day a year, usually in the spring. It would be reported in the papers that it was closing for a military exercise, but it was probably a good opportunity to do some fine-tuning before the vegetation moved.

Since Dragutin Blažeković retired in the same year, and died three years later, the park was named Perivoj Blažeković in his honor. Although slightly damaged, the construction of the park is still evidenced by a stone plaque that reads:

In the park, paths lined with sandstone and boar have been arranged, benches and lighting have been installed . According to the plan from 1906, the ground floor was richly planted, and there was also a rich collection of roses . Alleys of cypresses are still visible today, as well as century-old pines and some other species. Only the laurels over time grew from bushes into large trees and began to dominate the lawn, and somewhat covered the flowery parterre with a dense set of crowns. The park was entered through the former entrances to the fort from the western and eastern sides. As the fort was once surrounded by defensive channels with the sea, and the sea coast, the park was also called the "Green Island". The eastern canal was buried before the opening of the park, while the western one, between the Grimani bastion, i.e. the Gradski park, and Forte, i.e. the Blažeković park, still existed.

In 1909, a new, northern gate was opened in the meadow, which enabled easier access to the meadow, and it was opened because a new road was built there. At that time, the washroom was partly remodeled and the layout of the trails in that part was changed. A pond with a waterfall in the middle was built near the entrance.