King Tomislav Square is located in the Lower Town area, near the main railway station and the Hotel Esplanade. On the square stands the monument of King Tomislav, who was the first Croatian king, and the Art Pavilion.
Nearby is another place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, the Botanical Gardens. King Tomislav ruled Croatia just at the time when the great Hungarian invasions began. He heroically repelled the Hungarians against old Croatia and united it with Slavonia in the united Kingdom of Croatia. In 925, he was crowned King of the Croats with the blessing of the Pope. His death three years later was never explained. In the history of the Croatian state, King Tomislav is known as the most famous ruler. The equestrian monument was made in 1938 by the sculptor Robert Franges Mihanovic. However, due to controversy and the Second World War, it was not erected until 1947. The Art Pavilion, a place of extraordinary art events, was built as the Croatian Pavilion for the Millennium Exhibition in Budapest in 1896. Innovative iron construction at the time made it possible to move the pavilion to its current location and open it to the public two years later. The Esplanade Hotel was built in a very short time in 1925. The original intention was to offer superior accommodation to passengers of the Orient Express, a luxury train line that stopped in Zagreb on its way from Paris to Istanbul. Interesting and diverse social events took place there.
A guest appearance by black dancer Josephine Baker in 1929 drew particular attention as local ladies of virtue voiced their disapproval. The hotel also hosted the first Miss pageant in 1926. The winner was crowned Miss Europe the following year.