Monument to Ban Jelačić on horse Emir, with a Turkish saber

The monument on Ban Josip Jelačić Square was officially inaugurated on December 16, 1866, seven years following Jelačić’s death. His successes in military campaigns against Hungarian forces significantly benefited the Habsburg Monarchy, leading to the naming of the square in his honor in 1848, during his lifetime. The statue portrays Josip Jelačić on horseback, with a drawn saber in his right hand.

Ban Josip Jelačić (1801-1859)

Josip Jelačić belonged to the noble Jelačić family and is considered a highly influential figure in Croatian political history of the 19th century and overall. His significant actions include the abolition of serfdom and the convocation of the first elections for the Croatian Parliament. As a military leader, he won numerous battles against revolutionary movements within the Habsburg Monarchy during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. He is recognized as a national hero in Croatia.

Jelačić, alongside Field Marshal Windisch-Grätz and Field Marshal Count Radetzky, played crucial roles in preserving the Habsburg Monarchy. Radetzky suppressed the Italian revolution, Jelačić the uprisings in the Kingdom of Hungary and Vienna, and Windisch-Grätz the revolt in the Czech.

The high regard for this trio within the Habsburg army is evidenced by soldiers engraving the acronym WIR (for Windisch-Grätz, Iellachich, Radetzky) on their swords, signifying “we” in German.

His standing in the Monarchy is further illustrated by Johann Strauss I dedicating a march to him, which the composer performed after Jelačić was declared an honorary citizen of Vienna.

The Orientation of the Statue

A common narrative in Croatia suggests that the statue of Ban Jelačić, before its removal by communist authorities in 1947, faced north, symbolically pointing towards Hungary due to historical conflicts. However, the original orientation, as intended by the sculptor Fernkorn in his 1865 communication to the Zagreb Committee for the monument’s erection, was towards the most populated area of the city at that time – the Upper Town. Consequently, the statue currently faces south.

Removal and Reinstallation

Despite his role in abolishing serfdom, the communist regime removed the monument in 1947, citing his noble origins and the strong nationalist sentiments associated with his memory. Over four decades, the dismantled statue was stored in the Glyptotheque of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. In 1990, the monument was ceremonially returned to its original location. The date chosen was October 16th, the date of Jelačić’s birth. The event was attended by a large public gathering and was officiated by Mayor Boris Buzančić and the first Croatian President Franjo Tuđman.

Emir the Horse

The statue features the Ban riding his white horse, Emir, a gift from Mahmud-beg Bašić of Bihać. Jelačić rode Emir during his enthronement in Zagreb in 1848. Emir died ten years after the Ban and served as the model for Fernkorn’s 1866 sculpture.

The Saber and Arabic Inscription

The saber held by Ban Jelačić bears an Arabic inscription, a gift to the Ban from Omer Pasha Latas. The inscription reads: “I have relied on Allah” and “There is no hero but Ali, and no sword but Zulfiqar.” Ali was the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, and Zulfiqar was Muhammad’s notable double-bladed sword. This gift indicates a mutual respect between the two military figures, both with origins in the Lika region, despite their opposing sides.

The Ban Jelačić monument is a significant historical marker and a symbol of resistance and the enduring identity of Zagreb and Croatia.