After months of uncertainty, Zagreb is entering the final phase of removing one of its most visible urban scars: the high-rise of the former media complex “Vjesnik” will be demolished after a devastating fire left the structure unsafe and beyond repair.
Heavy machinery and work crews have already appeared on site, while the interior of the complex is being cleared. The building had previously been used to store furniture from the Croatian Parliament during the renovation of the parliamentary premises.
A key step has now been completed: authorities have signed a contract covering both the preparation of project documentation and the full demolition of the tower, along with its western annex. According to Croatian media reports, a 90-day deadline for complete demolition and site clearance runs from the date of signing, setting May 19, 2026, as the final target.
Traffic infrastructure is also part of the timeline. The underpass on Slavonska Avenue—one of the city’s busiest transport arteries—is scheduled to reopen no later than March 19, 2026, aiming to restore normal traffic flow in the area.
Before deciding on the demolition method—controlled implosion or mechanical dismantling—engineers are conducting additional structural assessments. Concrete samples and other materials are being tested to determine how much vibration and heavy equipment the fire-damaged structure can withstand. Prolonged exposure to rain and low temperatures has further weakened the already compromised building. Earlier engineering analyses concluded that complete removal is the only safe option due to the risk of progressive structural failure or partial collapse.
The fire that sealed the fate of the tower broke out on November 17, 2025. Prosecutors later charged two 18-year-olds, alleging that they deliberately started the blaze, endangering lives and causing extensive material damage. Croatian media report that the suspects have been released from investigative custody and placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring while court proceedings continue.
For decades, the “Vjesnik” tower stood as a visual anchor in western Zagreb—a modernist 67-meter-high building with 16 floors and a distinctive copper-toned glass façade constructed between 1963 and 1972. In its heyday, it served as the hub of a major publishing and printing system, housing editorial offices and media outlets that shaped Croatia’s public life. Market shifts and ownership changes later led to the complex’s long-term financial and functional decline.
Now, following the fire and the final structural assessments, the once-proud symbol of a media era will be erased from Zagreb’s skyline—its story closing not with headlines but with demolition crews and deadlines.
