August Šenoa: The Writer Who Helped Zagreb After the Great Earthquake
Some people become part of a city's history through the stories they write. Others leave their mark through what they do when their city needs them most.
On the morning of 9 November 1880, Zagreb was shaken by a powerful earthquake. Buildings were damaged, church interiors lay in ruins, and familiar streets suddenly looked very different. Among those who went out to assess the destruction and help the city's residents was a man better known for his novels than for public service: August Šenoa.
His story offers a different way to discover Zagreb — through the life of a writer whose connection with the city extended far beyond the pages of a book.
A writer who belonged to Zagreb
August Šenoa was born in Zagreb on 14 November 1838. He became one of the most influential Croatian writers of the nineteenth century, working as a novelist, poet, journalist, literary critic and editor.
He was also deeply involved in the everyday life of his hometown. Alongside his literary work, he held municipal responsibilities and served as a city official. His knowledge of Zagreb's people, streets and institutions informed much of his writing.
Šenoa helped shape Croatian literature at a time when language, cultural identity and the development of national institutions were important public issues. His historical novel The Goldsmith's Gold (Zlatarovo zlato), published in 1871, is closely associated with Zagreb and its past.
But in the autumn of 1880, the city he wrote about became a place of urgent human need.
Ten seconds that changed the city
At approximately 7:03 a.m. on 9 November 1880, an earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 6.3 struck the Zagreb area, with its epicentre near Medvednica, the mountain north of the city.
The damage was extensive. Almost every building in Zagreb suffered some degree of damage, and around 12.6 per cent of the city's buildings were severely affected, according to the City of Zagreb's historical account.
The cathedral suffered major structural damage. Churches, public buildings and homes were affected, while residents faced the difficult task of finding safe shelter and restoring their lives.
For Šenoa, the disaster was not simply a dramatic event to describe in a newspaper. It was a crisis unfolding in the streets of his own city.
From the written word to practical help
As a city official, Šenoa helped inspect damaged buildings, document destruction and support efforts to assist displaced residents. He spent long hours visiting damaged properties and examining the conditions in which people were living.
He also wrote about the earthquake and its aftermath for the Croatian literary journal Vienac. His account captured not only the physical destruction but also the emotional shock of seeing a familiar city suddenly transformed.
Šenoa's health was already weakened by his demanding workload. The strain of the disaster response and the conditions in which he worked further affected him. He never fully recovered and died in Zagreb on 13 December 1881, aged just 43.
It is important to remember him not only as a writer who documented a disaster, but also as someone who took responsibility for the people around him.
How the earthquake helped reshape Zagreb
The earthquake caused serious damage, but the rebuilding that followed also influenced the city's later development.
The Zagreb Cathedral underwent a major reconstruction under architect Hermann Bollé, whose work helped give the building much of the appearance associated with it today. Restoration continued into the early twentieth century.
New buildings, public spaces and architectural projects gradually changed the city's appearance. The Zagreb visitors explore today therefore reflects many different periods — including the recovery that followed the earthquake of 1880.
Looking at historic façades, churches and public buildings with this event in mind adds another layer to the experience of walking through the city.
Where to discover August Šenoa in Zagreb today
One easy place to begin is Vlaška Street, where Šenoa was born. A monument to the writer stands near the junction with Branjugova Street.
You can also learn more about his life and his relationship with Zagreb at the Zagreb City Museum, which includes material about Šenoa and the city's history.
If you walk through central Zagreb, take a moment to look beyond the façades themselves. Some buildings tell stories of wealth and ambition; others carry traces of destruction, restoration and survival.
Šenoa's life reminds us that a city is more than its landmarks. It is also the people who care for it, record its history and help it recover when things go wrong.
A local perspective: The next time you walk through Zagreb, remember that beneath its elegant streets and historic buildings lies a story of resilience — and of a writer who devoted much of his life to the city he loved.
Historical sources: Zagreb's official earthquake history; the Zagreb City Museum; and the Croatian Encyclopedia. The original Croatian article that inspired this story was published by Zagreb moj grad.