Osijek
Osijek Baranja County
Events in Osijek
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Ruined castles
Croatia is dotted with hundreds of castles, some intact but most in various stages of ruin. The Osijek area is no exception. Originally, they were built as redoubts against the Tartars (Mongols), who ravaged central Europe in the mid 13th century. Most were subsequently expanded and refortified to defend against the Ottoman Turks. By the 17th century, advances in military technology had rendered castle fortresses obsolete. Besides, noble ladies by that time were refusing to live in cold, drafty, isolated, stone castles or forts. Those that weren’t destroyed in battle were abandoned and fell into ruin. Exploring these ruins can be a fascinating experience. As they usually were built on hill or mountain tops, the views and the architecture can be spectacular. And wandering through them conjures up visions of what might have transpired there over the centuries.It’s possible to see a good sample of Osijek area fortress ruins in a day trip. Thirty-five kilometers east of Osijek are the ruins of Erdut Castle. You can reach them by following route 2 towards Borovo and Vukovar but then turning left on route 213 towards Bijelo Brdo and Erdut. Once you reach the village center of Erdut you turn east towards the Danube River to find the castle. There is a café in the center of Erdut where you can get refreshments.Built in the 14th century, Erdut Castle lies on a bluff 70 meters above the Danube. The surrounding area below the bluff is completely flat, so it’s easy to see why nobles built the castle on this spot – it provided an excellent view of any marauding hordes invading from the east. Crossing the meandering Danube in Medieval times was a lengthy process, so after spotting the aggressors the castle’s inhabitants were given a good chance to prepare their defenses, or to flee. It also didn’t hurt that the alluvial soil near the river is some of Central Europe’s finest, so your serfs could grow a cornucopia of crops, including grapes to make the area’s renowned wines.The area around Erdut is a prime nesting site for storks. During spring and summer often you will find a nesting pair in the castle, standing like sentinels on the ramparts.The second stop on our day tour of Osijek area castle ruins is Korođ, a good example of a lowland fortress. Unlike Erdut and other hill top castles, for defense it relied on walls 2.5 meters thick, a berm and a moat rather than cliff top inaccessibility. Its walls and moat form a nearly perfect circle. Korođ is located just south of Osijek near the village of Brijest. To get to Korođ retrace your route towards Osijek from Erdut, turning left (south) on route 518 towards Brijest, Antunovac and Vinkovci. Before you get to Brijest there is a small sign on the right (west) side of the road pointing the way to Korođ. You have to drive about a kilometer on a dirt road to reach the fortress, the walls of which are made of red brick.It’s believed that Korođ was constructed in the 13th century. The fortress is named after the Hungarian noble family that first owned it. In the 14th and 15th centuries Korođ’s ownership changed hands several times. The Turks occupied the Osijek area in 1529, but curiously never bothered to capture Korođ itself. Their lack of interest probably stemmed from its location in the middle of a swamp. Lacking secure supply routes, the Hungarians had to abandon Korođ in 1537, and the fortress fell into ruin. The surviving walls underwent partial restoration between 1967 and 1973. Legend has it that the treasure of 18th-century Slavonian soldier of fortune Baron Trenk is buried on the grounds of Korođ, so the fortress retains some of its mystique.The third castle ruin on the day tour is Bedemgrad, which consists of a spectacular tower and a moat. You can drive a vehicle right up to Erdut and Korođ, but you need to hike to Bedemgrad. To reach the site, retrace your route from Korođ towards Osijek, but turn left (west) on route 2 towards Našice, which is a sizable town with several cafes and restaurants. From there go south on route 53 towards Slavonski Brod. Near kilometer marker 10 on route 53 there is a sign on the right (west) side of the road that says “Bedemgrad 30' “ [' = minutes]. From there a marked trail gently ascends to the castle. If you go in late spring, summer or early fall it's advisable to wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt as some brambles and nettles lurk along the trail and around the ruin. To enhance the feeling of adventure and exploration, a machete would be handy. Bedemgrad is thought to have been built by Templar knights in the 14th century. Could it be that the brambles are there to protect the Holy Grail? Alas, this author's search was unsuccessful, although a more persistant reader may have more luck! Like most castles and fortresses in Central Europe, Bedemgrad was built for defensive purposes and so is perched on a cliff. A moat 70 meters in diameter also provided protection. Under the southern edge of the cliff there was an ancient road from the Roman settlement of Inicero (near what is now Požega) through Stravianis (near Našice) to Mursa (near Osijek). Below the ruin archeologists have found several items from the Roman era: a sacrificial vessel, tombstone and bricks marked with the second Roman legion's insignia.Bedemgrad's first owners were the Aba family of Našice. Later owners were the noble family, Lacković, from Gorjani and Ilok. The Turks captured Bedemgrad in 1541 and after that it fell into ruins. The only parts visible today are the entrance tower and the moat.Aside from seeing three castles, by traveling to Erdut, Korođ and Bedemgrad you can learn a bit about the region's turbulent history, and you get to see much of the breadth and variety of Osijek Baranja County: the Danube River in the east, vineyards and forested, mountainous terrain in the west.
