Lake Bundek has come a long way from the original gravel pit and wild beach to the now spacious landscaped park in New Zagreb, along the south bank of the river Save. The Big Lake becomes a beach in the summer, and the Little Lake is reserved only for animals, mostly birds. Unlike Lake Jarun, which is more sports-oriented, Bundek is a real little family paradise. Children enjoy the equipped children’s playgrounds, and adults come here to grill. For lovers of activities there is a trail for cycling and rollerblading and they are all that is needed for a quality trip in nature.
In the eastern part of Park Bundek, there are two courts for beach volleyball and handball. Bundek has thus become a favorite family recreation area over the years. On the Great Lake, there is a great coastline 10 square meters where during the summer season the safety of bathers is taken care of by the rescue service and the medical service. Bathing water quality is regularly monitored during the bathing season. The entrance to the lake is adapted for people with disabilities built a ramp that allows access to wheelchairs. The small lake has been left as a natural habitat for many plant and animal species.
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Lake Bundek was created due to the excavation of gravel
Bundek was completely renovated in 2006 and has been a favorite picnic spot for the people of Zagreb ever since, but few remember how Bundek was created. Back in 1955, gravel was excavated for the purpose of building the pavilion of the Zagreb Fair. Excavations continued for the next five years because after the fair, gravel was also used to build the Freedom Bridge. And so a lake was created, which already quickly became a bathing place. At that time it was almost half a kilometer long and half as small, only about two hundred meters wide.
In the 1970s, Bundek was a favorite meeting place of the people of Zagreb, but also the first and most favorite swimming spot, but in the early 1980s, due to poor sanitary conditions, swimming was prohibited. Since then, this area begins to deteriorate and turns into a thicket that was visited only by a few fishermen. If the stories of the Novi Zagreb couloirs are to be believed, Bundek was named after Josip Bundek. This resident of Zapruđ was unfortunately the first person to drown on the lake, which was a gravel pit at the time.
Old Zagreb residents remember Bundek in the seventies with nostalgia. They claim that at that time Bundek was like the sea, and swimming was a special experience. Young people who do not remember this time agree that today Bundek is an excellent excursion destination that offers facilities for all generations.
There is also a 700-meter-long Health Path around a large lake in Bundek. This trail attracts walkers all year round, as well as those who prefer jogging or Nordic walking. Swans are also regular visitors to the lake, which makes children's enthusiasm for this lake even greater. If you don't have the opportunity to escape the city for the weekend, Bundek is always an option for a great trip and quality time spent with your family in nature in the fresh air.
