While you are in Osijek you should also visit Đakovo and explore the history of the world-renowned Lipizzaner horses who make their home in the region. With their muscular, Baroque build and elegant features, Lipizzaners are beautiful to behold and watching them move is a spectacular sight. Usually thought of as white horses, they are actually born dark and have dark skin, but their coats turn lighter every year until the hair turns snowy white as the horses reach adulthood.
Lipizzaners are perhaps best-known for the aerobatic, dance-like manouevres they perform to classical music at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, a world-famous center for the sport of classical dressage. The school takes its name from the fact that Lipizzaners were bred as military and riding horses for the nobility by the Habsburgs from Andalucian stock. The Habsburgs in 1580 established an imperial stud at Lipica, Slovenia, and this is how the breed gained its name. Currently operating in two locations, Pastuharna and Ivandvor, Đakovo's stud farm is representative of Croatia's excellent horse breeding tradition, making Đakovo's Lipizzaner horses an important facet of Croatia's cultural heritage. Lipizzaner horse teams can be seen at cultural events throughout eastern Croatia, including Đakovački vezovi, a folklore festival of the regions of Slavonia and Baranja that takes place every July in Đakovo and is a showcase of traditional folk costumes, dancing and singing groups, and local customs. Visitors are welcome to the stud. Please call in advance if you would like a guided tour.
Admission 10 - 20kn, 20 - 30kn with guide.
