Zagreb Cathedral safe to receive worshipers again after 2020 earthquake

Zagreb Cathedral

ZAGREB, 10 Dec (Hina) – Damir Lazarević, author of the Zagreb Cathedral reconstruction plan, said on Tuesday that the cathedral, badly damaged in the 2020 earthquake, is now safe to receive worshippers.

Damir Lazarević of the University of Zagreb’’ Faculty of Civil Engineering told public broadcaster HTV’s main evening news bulletin that there are no remaining safety obstacles to Zagreb Cathedral reopening its doors to worshippers and visitors, possibly already for the Christmas Eve Mass.

“As far as the construction profession, structural engineers and contractors are concerned, there are no more obstacles,” he said.

All works required under the urgent measures have been completed, he added.

Heavy scaffolding has been removed, and cleaning and preparing the interior is under way. “Safety is complete. The tunnel leading from the site entrance into the cathedral will also be finished soon,” he said.

He also explained how much the cathedral has now been structurally reinforced compared with the period before the earthquake.

Zagreb Cathedral

“It’s hard to express that in figures, but it is certainly safer than before 2020. Public safety is in no way at risk. If an earthquake were to occur during Mass, no one would be harmed,” Lazarević said.