[en] A hybrid technique consisting of modal summation and subsequent finite differences modelling is applied for the computation of synthetic accelerograms along a profile crossing the city of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Assuming known source geometry, the amplification properties of underlying soil may be determined by comparison of synthetics and their response spectra computed for a simple bedrock model with the ones obtained under the assumption of a realistic laterally varying local model. The peak ground acceleration is larger by a factor of up to 3.5 than when compared with the value obtained for the bedrock model. The amplification of the response spectra is most prominent for frequencies below 2 Hz, and increases sharply to the SW from the mapped fault running through the centre of the city. (author)