An armed assailant entered a care home for older people in central Croatia and opened fire on Monday killing six people and wounding six others Detained suspect retired military police officer Kresimir Pahoki is assisted by police as he is transferred for interrogation in Bjelovar The suspected gunman in a mass shooting at a nursing home in Croatia is facing 11 criminal charges after he was accused of killing six people Detained suspect retired military police officer Kresimir Pahoki looks from a police van as he is transferred for interrogation in Bjelovar A police officer stands outside the cafe where the shooter was arrested An armed assailant entered a care home for older people in central Croatia Monday and opened fire killing five people and wounding several others A police officer stands near the crime scene in Daruvar Police and forensics gather near the crime scene in Daruvar “The 51-year-old walked into the nursing home in Daruvar where he opened fire with the intent to kill multiple people,” police said in a statement The statement said he “committed 11 criminal acts,” including murder and attempted murder which refers to women being killed because of their gender Police charges are a first step in the criminal proceedings against a suspect Prosecutors are yet to open a formal investigation; that would precede filing an indictment that could lead to a trial Monday’s shooting raised questions about gun control in a country where many people kept their weapons after the end of country’s 1991-95 war one of the conflicts unleashed by the breakup of the former Yugoslavia “The man was illegally armed and a lot of people knew that That weapon should have been taken away from him,” President Zoran Milanovic “He should have been prevented and stopped.” The town of Daruvar declared Wednesday a day of mourning for the victims who were five residents of the nursing home and one employee we are all shaken,” Mayor Damir Lnenicek said Police said the suspect is a former fighter from the war Croatian media reported that he was angry about money problems including bills for the nursing home where his mother had been living for the past 10 years Many Croatian veterans have suffered from war trauma and suicide rates among former fighters were high for years in the postwar period More than 10,000 people died in the war that erupted after Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 The shooting suspect was transferred to detention in the regional center of Bjelovar some 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the capital Zagreb Handcuffed and walking with the help of a crutch the suspect was brought to the police station in Bjelovar for questioning later on Tuesday The shooting happened shortly after 10 a.m Five people died on the spot while another person died later in a hospital The gunman walked out of the nursing home after opening fire and went to a nearby bar where he was arrested Photos published on Tuesday by Croatian media showed a black flag hanging outside the nursing home The remaining residents have been transferred to another facility Doctors at the nearby hospital where the wounded were treated said they were in stable condition on Tuesday and have been offered psychological help Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has said Police have said that the suspected gunman in the past faced complaints of public disorder and domestic violence but they said no weapons were involved Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said police sent an expert team from the capital This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker and one employee killed in shooting in town of Daruvar A gunman has opened fire in a nursing home in Croatia Five residents and one employee were fatally injured when the gunman entered the private nursing home in Daruvar in north-east Croatia on Monday and began shooting in a rare instance of gun violence in the Balkan country The gunman fled the scene and was later arrested at a cafe where he was carrying unregistered firearms The man had a police record for disturbing public order and domestic abuse Officials first reported that five people had been killed during the shooting but Milina confirmed a sixth victim had died after being taken to hospital the mother of the killer had been in the nursing home for 10 years.” police sealed off the private nursing home located along a quiet street where a small crowd gathered and watched as a forensics team entered the residence Police said they were informed of the incident at 10.10am local time (0810 GMT) and confirmed the suspect had entered the nursing home and used a firearm Local media reports described the suspected shooter as a retired military police officer who had fought in Croatia’s war of independence during the breakup of Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995 a quiet town of about 7,000 people that has long been a popular spa destination thanks to the area’s thermal springs told the N1 regional broadcaster: “It’s hard for me to understand that this can happen in our town About 20 people lived in the nursing home at the time of the shooting It’s difficult to say – it will be determined by the investigation,” he added “It is a terrifying warning and a last call to all competent institutions to do more to prevent violence in society including even more rigorous control of arms ownership,” he wrote on social media Shootings in Croatia are rare, with Monday’s incident among the worst such killings in the country’s history. Last year in neighbouring Serbia, the country was rocked by back-to-back mass shootings, including a massacre at a school in Belgrade in which 10 people were killed. The carnage stunned Daruvar, a spa town of some 8,500 people in central Croatia, and sent shock waves throughout the European Union country where such shootings have been rare despite many weapons left over from war in the 1990s. “The 51-year-old walked into the nursing home in Daruvar where he opened fire, with the intent to kill multiple people,” police said in a statement. Six others were wounded. The statement said he “committed 11 criminal acts,” including murder and attempted murder. It said the charges also include femicide, which refers to women being killed because of their gender. Police charges are a first step in the criminal proceedings against a suspect. Prosecutors have yet to open a formal investigation; that would precede filing an indictment that could lead to a trial. Monday’s shooting raised questions about gun control in a country where many people kept their weapons after the end of the country’s 1991-95 war, one of the conflicts unleashed by the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Croatia became an EU member in 2013. World & Nation A new pressure point built up along Europe’s migrant trail Thursday as Croatia found itself overwhelmed by thousands of asylum seekers heading north and said it could handle no more. “The man was illegally armed and a lot of people knew that. That weapon should have been taken away from him,” said President Zoran Milanovic. “He should have been prevented and stopped.” The town of Daruvar declared Wednesday a day of mourning for the victims: five residents of the nursing home and one employee. “It’s been a sleepless night. We are all shaken,” Mayor Damir Lnenicek said. Details about the motive remained sketchy. Police said the suspect is a former fighter from the war. Croatian media reported that he was angry about money problems, including bills for the nursing home where his mother had been living for 10 years. Many Croatian veterans have suffered from war trauma, and suicide rates among former fighters were high for years in the postwar period. More than 10,000 people died in the war that erupted after Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. The shooting suspect was transferred to detention in the regional center of Bjelovar, some 40 miles from the capital, Zagreb, officials and media reports said. The shooting happened shortly after 10 a.m. on Monday. Five people died on the spot while another person died later in a hospital. As of Jan. 1, Croatia will use the EU’s common currency and join its borderless travel area, a milestone since gaining independence 31 years ago. The gunman walked out of the nursing home after opening fire and went to a nearby bar, where he was arrested. Photos published on Tuesday by Croatian media showed a black flag hanging outside the nursing home, a small house with a neat garden, now riddled with bullets. The remaining residents have been transferred to another facility. Doctors at the nearby hospital where the wounded were treated said they were in stable condition on Tuesday and have been offered psychological help. The victims were in their 80s and 90s, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said. Police have said that the suspected gunman in the past faced complaints of public disorder and domestic violence but they said no weapons were involved. He used an unregistered gun, officials said. Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said police sent an expert team from Zagreb to review police conduct. Two mass killings last year in neighboring Serbia, including one in an elementary school, left 19 people dead and 18 wounded. Politics California Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Most of the victims were in their 90s, according to reports Gabrielle Rockson is a staff writer-reporter for PEOPLE. She joined PEOPLE in 2023 and covers entertainment and human interest stories. She's interviewed David Beckham, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet and many others. Her previous work can be found in OK! Magazine, MyLondon, GRM Daily, and more. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An armed assailant entered a care home for older people in central Croatia on Monday and opened fire but the police soon caught him in a cafe near the facility in the town of Daruvar The victims were five residents of the care home and one employee Police said they were informed of the attack on Monday morning The suspect is “under police supervision,” said a statement by the regional police office N1 regional television reported that the shooter was born in 1973 and that he was a former policeman who took part in the 1991-95 war in Croatia and a relative of one of the nursing home residents Media reports said that one of those killed was his mother who had lived in the care home for the past 10 years The attack has left the quiet town stunned and grieving That will be determined by the investigation,” said Lnenicek adding that the tragedy happened in a private home where about 20 people are housed Daruvar is a spa town in the municipality of Slavonia Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said he was “shocked” by the “savage “It is a frightening warning and a last call to all competent institutions to do more to prevent violence in society including even more rigorous control of gun ownership,” he said Police officials said that the assailant used an unregistered gun. There are many weapons kept in private homes in Croatia after the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies govt and politics"},{"score":0.793362,"label":"/society/crime"},{"score":0.775571,"label":"/society/crime/personal offense"},{"score":0.773313,"label":"/society/crime/personal offense/homicide"},{"score":0.763825,"label":"/law govt and politics/law enforcement"},{"score":0.707608,"label":"/society/crime/personal offense/assault"},{"score":0.605962,"label":"/law Croatia (AP) — A gunman entered a nursing home in a quiet Croatian town on Monday and opened fire said five people died immediately and another died in a hospital Five were residents and one was an employee The suspect fled but police caught him in a cafe near the facility in the town of Daruvar Authorities were investigating the motive behind the attack N1 regional television reported that the suspect was born in 1973 and was a former policeman who took part in the 1991-95 war in Croatia and was decorated as a war veteran Officials said he was known to police after causing several incidents in the past Officials said the suspect’s mother had lived in the nursing home for 10 years Daruvar resident Zlatko Sutuga told Nova TV he knew the suspect from the war era The attack left the town stunned and grieving Relatives of residents gathered outside the modest one-story building to inquire about loved ones told N1 TV the facility was an excellent one that housed about 20 people “That will be determined by the investigation.” Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said he was shocked by the “savage unprecedented crime.” He added it was ”a last call to all competent institutions to do more to prevent violence in society including even more rigorous control of gun ownership.” Police officials said the suspect used an unregistered gun Many weapons are still kept in private homes in Croatia after the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s Private gun ownership is legal with a mental health check Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic and Jovana Gec in Belgrade The Spouse of the President of the Republic of Croatia Dr Sanja Musić Milanović met today in Daruvar with the spouse of the President of the Czech Republic who is visiting the Republic of Croatia at the invitation of the Czech Cultural Centre in Daruvar where the pupils of Jan Amos Comenius Czech Primary School in Daruvar performed a programme of song dances and recitations featuring traditional songs and dances of the Czech national minority in Croatia In addition to the spouses of the Croatian and Czech presidents the programme at the Czech Cultural Centre was attended by the Czech Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia Milan Hovorka the deputy-prefect of Bjelovar-Bilogora County Tanja Novotni Golubić the president of the Association of Czechs in the Republic of Croatia Ana Maria Štrumlová-Tučkova and MP of the Czech and Slovak minority in the Croatian Parliament Pavlová talked at a working lunch hosted by the spouse of the Croatian president for her guest from the Czech Republic Pavlová came to visit members of the Czech national minority one of the topics of conversation was precisely the position of Czechs in Croatia but also the position of Croats in the Czech Republic they also discussed the situation in healthcare where the problem of obesity and mental health in children Musić Milanović was the Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas Paul Bradbury 2023 – Less than two hours east of Zagreb lies a fabulous healthy foodie destination arguably the greenest town in Croatia – the spa town of Daruvar was superb on so many levels Apart from some destinations in Istria that I will visit next month Daruvar was the last place on my list of places on mainland Croatia that I had not yet visited And you know what they say – save the best till last… My guide to Daruvar contributed massively to the experience as Karin Mimica and her Gastronaut crew have done many times over the last decade introducing me to the treasures of the lesser-known parts of Croatia and its fabulous cuisine But that is to take nothing away from the natural beauty of Daruvar – is there a town in the region with more trees in and around its centre BiH and Macedonia on a 2-day culinary and cultural voyage of discovery in partnership with the excellent Daruvar Toplice spa Daruvar-Papuk Tourist Board and participating gourmet partners from Daruvar in a very cool destination project called 6-i-elementi (6 elements) The 6-elements project is implemented by the Daruvar-Papuk Tourist Board in cooperation with Gastronaut All Daruvar caterers gathered and created their gastronomic interpretations of the topics: Dishes that strengthen immunity Each of the Daruvar caterers offers at least one dish that “drives away” viruses based on some of the ingredients that strengthen natural immunity – sage As a large number of athletes come to Daruvar for recovery and training Daruvar restaurants offer a special offer of dishes with a high protein content whose nutritional values are in accordance with the needs of the people who train 6 elements combine dishes with ingredients from the Daruvar area with specific craft beers or with Daruvar wines and natural lemonade and homemade yogurt Both topics – dishes that strengthen immunity and the pairing of food and beer appear for the first time in Croatia at the destination level but was it just a marketing trick or was there some real quality cuisine behind the hype After checking in to the Ljecilisni Spa Hotel and enjoying an excellent melon schnapps from the local Wise Grus distillery Not only is a spa hotel a very relaxing starting point but just the introduction was enough to more than whet the appetite Each participating restaurant set out the food in buffet style over the next two days and I would need a book to mention them all but the opening lunch at the hotel’s Taverna restaurant was a stunning opener washed down the Daruvar Badel Sauvignon was one heck of a first mouthful with most opting for a swim in the outdoor thermal pool – was it really late October A little info about Daruvarske Toplice from the official resort website: Daruvarske toplice – Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation People throughout this area have taken care of their health for two millennia Tourism has been developed owing to protected environment and optimal combination of natural healing factors and sophisticated treatments of rheumatic diseases medical rehabilitation and sports recreation the first springs of healing thermal water were arranged in 288 BC Daruvar has developed special type of health tourism just because of these natural benefits We are specialised in the treatment of rheumatic diseases It has also long tradition in the treatment of gynaecological diseases using natural healing factors – thermal water and mineral mud My first association with Daruvar was back in 2004 and it was related to the famous Daruvar brewery I was a real estate agent back then and had a buyer for an apartment on Hvar there was a lien on the property from the Daruvar property and it took 10 years to resolve the final purchase But now I was in the brewery for all the right reasons for an interesting overview of the brewery’s history I also solved something that had puzzled me for years I could never figure out why Croatia had a beer called Starocesko (Old Czech) but here I learned of a Czech community dating back to the 18th century Any you know what happens when you put Czechs and beer together It would have been all the more enjoyable if my Glas Slavonije colleague Slobodan Kadic hadn’t come up with the bright idea of lacing proceedings with ‘just another rakija’ every 10 minutes none more so than this steak and beetroot puree And I will just leave one of the desserts out there Croatian restaurant and hotel food can be quite repetitive and uninspiring at times Breakfast on Day 2 was followed by an interesting tour of the spa The resort has an excellent range of wellness and treatment services at very affordable prices One more reminder of the year-round potential of the Croatian medical tourism industry We were also given the opportunity later in the day to try out the rehabilitation services on offer and this ageing correspondent enjoyed some relief to a dodgy knee What a lovely combination of historic low-level architecture and trees First stop was the Daruvar Beekeeping Association souvenir shop with a truly exceptional range of innovative products one of the many lovely natural products that grow locally And if you are looking for a stylish way to ask someone to be your best man (kum in Croatian – thanks for asking and the perfect addition to my Bench Tourism concept This gorgeous ginkgo tree was voted European Tree of the Year in 2019 standing guard in front of the magnificent Jankovic Castle a smaller but equally elegant tree of a certain age its immediate magic was to be found below in its impressive cellars including a reacquaintance with that marvellous Sauvignon and the tasting included the Korlat Cabernet Sauvignon from Benkovac with grilled and drunk carp the main stars And what better way to relax than with a healthy cup of tea with hot thermal water straight from the source My knee a little recovered after my 30-minute electric therapy it was time for dinner at Terasa restaurant where there was more of a Czech emphasis to the menu But also some innovative things I had not come across before A late night swim in the thermal outdoor pool But Daruvar was not done with its surprises I slept so well that I completely missed breakfast there seems to be always a culinary option perhaps – which was voted as home to the best burek in Croatia And the cheesecake and homemade lemonade were not far behind a nice addition to the Daruvar dining scene and a fitting end to what was a rather astonishing 48 hours as did the cooperation between public and private sector and it is exciting to see them polishing it into one big diamond with a strong and diverse tourism offer Looking for a weekend break less than two hours from Zagreb and website in this browser for the next time I comment Total Croatia News and I am a bar consultant and cocktail event manager I own a company called Cocktail Empire that focuses on improving hospitality standards in Croatia through education and events I promote the usage of locally grown products connecting local producers with cafes and restaurants and I am trying to implement new creative ways to use existing products in cocktails while lowering costs and making the business sustainable After I finished University in Opatija in 2014 and I lived abroad until the pandemic started in 2020 I visited 61 countries and lived in 5 countries Ever since I moved out of the country 8 years ago I thought about what it would be like to actually go back to Croatia and work there Money was not the main reason I left (even though it was an important factor) the situation itself was with my university diploma I actually had to know people to get a good job And I worked hard and learned along the way The decision to come back home was pretty much straightforward I was forced to return to Croatia because of the pandemic I barely managed to leave the country because I was on vacation in Alaska when it was decided that the border between Canada and the US was about to close the following day so I rushed to the airport to return to Canada before it happened The restaurant I worked at closed permanently the same week so there was no other option but to go back to Croatia for My family always wanted me to come back and to be closer to them even though they supported me in my travels They were always here for me when I needed them I haven’t seen my parents or my friends back in Croatia for 2 or 3 years sometimes neither they nor I knew it was going to be for good And we all thought the pandemic was going to end in a couple of months and everything would be back to normal I had 2 flight cancellations and barely managed to get out of Vancouver to Montreal and from there to Brussels only to realize that there was a huge earthquake in Zagreb that same morning and my parents left a car for me at the airport and I drove back home to Daruvar to self-isolate for 2 weeks I was reading Croatian media wherever I lived in the world But when you start reading the news about the country you live in you realize that the news is the same everywhere there’s a problem in the past with previous regimes but so is in Canada or New Zealand It was hard for me to think about Croatia when I made all the other places my home and the hardest decision I made in my life was to leave New York I never imagined myself living back in Croatia I can see Croatia as a wonderful place to live in And I try to hang out with people who think alike and really want to work on making this place even better and I didn’t want to live there at that time nor do I live on the seaside where opportunities to get better-paying jobs are abundant After 6 months of being in Croatia in 2020 I realized that covid was not going to go away quickly so I started looking for a job as a bartender I thought salaries must be much higher now than they were in 2014 The sheer disappointment I felt at that moment as I was walking away from a cocktail bar in Zagreb I just had an interview made me think about moving away again and I had to think hard about what I wanted to do with my life I saw the opportunity to start my own business and apply all the things I learned abroad to the Croatian hospitality scene in order to improve it I decided to stay in Croatia for good this time What I love about Croatia is that it is really beautiful and it’s easy to make new friends there is a big potential for business growth especially if you have something unique to offer to the market Every part of Croatia has something unique to offer in regard to food and sights It’s awesome to go to places like Baranja and Istria and Dalmatia and experience great food and meet friendly people I like the way of life here and being close to my family and friends I do feel it is getting more and more westernized with a fast lifestyle and the constant run for the money What I don’t like is that it is a relatively small market so unless you have something original or are extremely good at what you do Another thing I find interesting is that Croatians always think of themselves as really hard-working but not in the amount we like to tell ourselves The thing I feel is the most annoying in Croatia is that you need to know people to get good jobs and that people think and talk about other people’s lives too much what I hate in Croatia is the lack of railroad infrastructure and the lack of long-haul flights from Croatian airports If you need a relaxed lifestyle and are thinking about moving to a slower-paced country that has great food you will find that Croatia has everything you need eat quality local food and hang out with friendly people It is extremely safe and well-connected with the rest of Europe I think the Croatian government missed the opportunity to keep Croatians that returned to Croatia during the pandemic in the country I am one of the rare ones who decided to stay and build my life here I think we should work on “stopping” the people from leaving Croatia permanently in the first place It’s great for people to go abroad to study there or to get some work experience and we should offer those people some benefits to come back to Croatia to use that knowledge to improve the local economy and we should all work together to get rid of it as much as possible That is probably the main reason Croatians are leaving Croatia Thanks, Denis, and good luck with www.cocktailempire.hr https://www.facebook.com/cocktailempireDV https://www.instagram.com/cocktail.empire https://www.instagram.com/denis.vlahovac You can follow the TCN Croatian Returnees series here What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning – Business and Dalmatia Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn. Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Croatia Adam graces the front of Castle Janković in Daruvar along with his faithful companion, Eve - and they're the oldest trees of their kind in Croatia. The pair was brought from China to adorn the baroque-style castle and its grounds, which were completed in 1780. Adam is the second Croatian tree to become a finalist in European Tree of the Year awards' 10 years of existence. The other Croatian finalist was a 500-year-old plane tree from Trsteno, which won 7th place in 2018. Congratulations Adam, many fans rooted for you! facebooktwitterinstagramAbout us Sitting quite close to the only significant stretch of mountain in Slavonia, you could have guessed some Davuvar residents would be keen on wandering into their nearby Nature Park and its peaks you would surely never have known that Daruvar Mountaineering Association is Croatia’s largest it counts every 25th resident of the town as a member The Daruvar Mountaineering Association ‘Petrov vrh’ has 400 members making it not only the largest sports association in the city but the largest mountaineering association in Croatia ‘home turf’ for Daruvar Mountaineering Association Petrov vrh © Papuk Nature Park Daruvar Mountaineering Association ‘Petrov vrh’ had only about fifty members Its rapid growth can be attributed to a willful pursuit of younger town residents a change in their programme and the embrace of modern communication methods The Daruvar Mountaineering Association built its own website set up a Facebook page and began attracting younger members Its communication with town residents had previously involved only printed pieces of news pinned to a public bulletin board in Daruvar Their organised group excursions grew in ambition – trips in recent years have taken Daruvar Mountaineering Association members to climbs across Croatia with some of the peaks tackled being over 3000 metres it wasn’t solely in the difficulty of the climb and the distances travelled in which they increased their ambition The excursions were programmed specifically with families in mind and thought put into entertaining young members on each trip Over 100 members of the Daruvar Mountaineering Association ‘Petrov vrh’ are underage climbers Although last year the Daruvar Mountaineering Association was unable to make its planned trips to Hungary and Montenegro because of travel restrictions, the sporadic closure of cafes and bars in Daruvar helped membership increase further, according to local news in moj.portal Who knows how many this year will be taking to the hills with Petrov vrh January 7, 2024 – Congratulations to Advent in Varazdin, Daruvar and Oroslavje, voted the best Advents in Croatia for large, medium and small towns, reports Gradonacelnik.hr “After eight days of voting and over 55 thousand likes on our FB page alone we have the winners of this year’s 3rd election for the Most Beautiful Advent in Croatia which we held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports As many as 64 Adventists from 48 cities and 16 municipalities took part in the selection were seen by 2,111,868 FB users in these eight days “The most likes and the title of the most beautiful were won – in the category of large cities by Advent in Varaždin is the convincing winner in the absolute category as well Advent in Daruvar and Advent in Oroslavje applied for our selection for the first time this year and triumphed in their respective categories – Advent in Daruvar with 2,690 likes won the category of medium-sized cities and Oroslavje with 2,513 likes is the winner among small towns Nina’s magical shhhuma – Advent in the Municipality of Velika also triumphed in the category of municipalities this year with 1,713 likes.” Congratulations to all winners, including Nina’s magical shhhuma in Velika – by chance. I managed to visit all these four locations in the last 6 months on my travels – including shhhuma on a TCN teambuilding in Pleternica Katarina Anđelković As part of the project, the reconstruction of the existing accommodation units is planned, as well as the introduction of new accommodation capacities within the Spa Hotel Termal and the construction of new thermal pools within the existing complex, writes 24Sata The project includes the construction of a new facility for recreational and tourist purposes will include new and innovative wellness facilities and facilities based on virtual and augmented reality technologies It is fully focused on applying “green” principles and standards but also on the complete digital transformation of the Daruvar Spa by introducing the most modern technical and technological solutions and attractiveness of the tourist offer of the Daruvar Spa This will contribute to the strengthening of competitiveness in the domestic market the sustainable development of tourism in the area of the city of Daruvar as a tourist destination and the positioning of the Daruvar Spa as a market leader in the segment of health tourism in the Republic of Croatia The realisation of this project is of great importance not only for the Daruvar Spa as the project’s host but for the entire local community of the city of Daruvar as it will result in a number of positive effects They will be visible through the strengthening of cooperation and networking of the tourism and hospitality sectors but also the creation of a stimulating environment for the further development of the tourism sector and all sectors directly and indirectly related to tourism For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Travel section Croatia is on the second place by the European Tree of the year competition for 2020 with one the largest and oldest ginkgo trees in the country.  Among the sixteen candidates for this year's European Tree 2020 competition the Republic of Croatia was represented by the famous ginkgo tree from Daruvar the winner of the 2019 Croatian Tree National Competition The ginkgo tree in Daruvar is the largest and oldest in Croatia and also the second oldest in Europe With its lush canopy and trunk span of more than seven meters this tree enjoys protection under the Nature Conservation Act in the category of park architecture monuments This male species of the tree in Daruvar is nicknamed Adam and in “his” shadow grows a female specimen of a ginkgo tree named Eve The aim of the competition is to promote biodiversity and natural resources across the European Union the competition seeks to promote individual trees and their stories as natural monuments in the same way that UNESCO promotes World Heritage May 06, 2025 84 Interviews May 06, 2025 314 Dubrovnik May 05, 2025 288 Times Travel May 05, 2025 565 Dubrovnik May 04, 2025 1004 Croatia May 04, 2025 687 Opinion May 04, 2025 898 Croatia May 03, 2025 965 Dubrovnik May 03, 2025 1171 Croatia Croatia has an entry into the European Tree of the year for 2020 with one the largest and oldest ginkgo tree in the country The competition for the European Tree of 2020 started on February 1 the Republic of Croatia will be represented by the famous ginkgo tree from Daruvar This male species of the tree in Daruvar is nicknamed Adam and in “his” shadow grows a female specimen of a ginkgo tree named Eve.  Public voting through the website www.treeoftheyear.org began on Saturday And you can vote for your two favourite trees from one email address by February 29 The winner of the competition will be announced in Brussels on March 17 2020 at a ceremony marking the tenth anniversary of the start of the competition By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Bjelovar-Bilogora county in Central Croatia has heaps to offer © Goran KatićThe brewery in Daruvar is not quite Croatia's oldest but it is the oldest brewery in the country that remains on its original site the brewery's production has been informed by members of the sizeable Czech community who began to make a home for themselves in the town Daruvar even having Czech language schooling for its children Having brought their brewing know-how with them the Czech community and their Croatian counterparts have since presided over an endeavour that has remained successful since its founding in 1840 this despite its independent standing within an industry now dominated by giant international brands Their oldest beer was popular in the days of Yugoslavia but suffered a substantial hit when the country fell apart perseverance and traditional working methods have paid off. It has once again found favour this time among those who appreciate the championed ales of Croatia's decade-old craft beer revolution Within this connoisseur's corner of small-production beers it stands alongside the brewery's other craft range which has as many as nine different beers and is one of Croatia's premium craft brands The brewery is also the chief instigator of the town's longstanding beer festival © Reinhard Thrainer The low mountains of Bilogora in Bjelovar-Bilogora county are home to some of the most highly prized cows in Croatia thanks not least to the free-roaming lifestyle they have and the rich land on which they graze this prize beef is hung and aged prior to being sold You'd be lucky to be able to buy some though as most of the region's prime beef is exported or sold to some of the best restaurants in Croatia the country's top chefs long having been aware of the fine quality of its succulent steaks and filets there are many restaurants in Bjelovar-Bilogora County who stock and know exactly how to serve this premium product don't ask for a Bilogora steak to be cooked well done you'll near ruin its best qualities and earn a terrible reputation for visitors is one of the oldest medieval cities in Croatia Built at the behest of ban Stjepan Šubić in 1256 both of which were surrounded by defensive walls It's perhaps not surprising that the 18 metre-tall of these remains extremely well preserved when you consider that its stone work is some two and a half metres thick Such fortifications were still not enough to keep the invading Ottoman army at bay and they set the city alight in 1545 Fruitful archaeological excavations were undertaken on the site metal and stone work discovered there can today be viewed in the Moslavina Museum in Kutina the medieval ruins lie on a popular route for hikers taking on the nearby Mount Moslavina The site is enjoyed by them as a picnic spot prior to the ascent or as a relaxing reward on the way down © © SalajLand - Božićna i Uskrsna priča obitelji SalajNot having the natural assets of an Adriatic seaside region Bjelovar-Bilogora county has to work that much harder to attract visitors and has developed an events calendar richer than almost anywhere else in Central Croatia Events in the county extend throughout the year such as the Bjelovar Spring and Autumn fairs which are significant to those across the country who work in agriculture More accessible to the layman are the famous Salaj Family estate events of Easter and Christmas There are festivals dedicated to astronomy there's a festival dedicated to brass band music which draws participants from across the Balkans and a week-long celebration of percussion too The music programme of the aforementioned Daruvar beer festival is also one of its best components There are celebrations of Czech and Hungarian culture the latter marked significantly on Terezijana which honours the empress who founded Bjelovar © Fraxinus CroatAlthough some claim their origins are from Hungary the Janković family are associated strongly with the eastern regions of Croatia the latter being where Mihovil Janković was banished after his capture by the Ottomans following successful defensive campaigns he led against them on behalf of Austro-Hungary This branch of the family returned to north-east Croatia and Hungary after the region's liberation from the Turks and in 1745 his descendant Antun acquired the northern part of the Sirac estate He decided to build the family seat there and is still considered the most significant person in the town's history not least because he also commissioned the construction of the famous spa building in the town It was this family estate which originally held the title of Daruvar or Crane's castle daru coming from the Hungarian word for crane the bird still visible today on the city's coat of arms The name extended to houses of Podborje village which lay within the estate eventually supplanting the village's original title some sixty rooms and a grand salon formerly used for concerts and dances the U-shaped castle was completed in 1777 and holds three wings and a grand central courtyard The style of the castle comes from the Baroque period although its Viennese architects have been restrained with outer decorations The Ginkgo biloba aka maidenhair tree which greets you at the entrance is protected The last surviving subspecies of a tree family which dates back as far as 270 million years this particular Ginkgo biloba has a trunk circumference of some seven metres and is the oldest of its kind in Croatia The castle itself is a nationally protected part of Croatian heritage and houses a celebrated wine cellar regularly used for wine tasting events most notably the Vinodar wine festival (the region itself is able to trace its winemaking industry back some 2000 years) Also contained within the castle are rooms open to the public which are dedicated to the area's Jewish heritage regional history from the Second World War and one dedicated to the more recent Homeland War © avemarioBjelovar-Bilogora county boasts the most unique landscape within the broader region of Slavonia in which it is located holding not only the typical flat land found throughout the huge Pannonian basin This makes the county perfect for a variety of different activities Flat areas lend themselves well to cycling and walking; you can easily spend the whole day happily touring a rural topography beautifully impacted by vineyards and other traditional agriculture Within Bjelovar-Bilogora county's rural flatlands you'll also find some of Croatia's best places for horse riding The more challenging mountains and hills are perfect for hikers © Secret Mapping ExperimentThe Monument to the Revolution of the people of Moslavina located in the eastern part of the village of Podgarić is one of the most striking and famous of all the Yugoslavian-era war memorials It stands ten metres tall and 20 metres wide The communist regime of Yugoslavia commissioned many famous sculptors and architects Jordan and Iskra Grabul to design similar modernist structures following the Second World War Many of the memorials hold a specific inspiration and meaning Podgarić became a key encampment for the Partizan army who were trying to free Croatia from the ruling A large field hospital was built in the village which accepted many hundreds of injured soldiers The monument itself is a tribute to the people of the area who assisted both in the care of the wounded and in the effort to defeat the fascists The Ustaša also interned thousands of Croatian Jews homosexuals and dissenters in concentration camps and they are commemorated at other monuments across the former Yugoslavia The monument was designed by Dušan Džamonja and is the main draw for visits to the village a benefit sadly not enjoyed in other locations where similar monuments were destroyed following the collapse of communism © Matej TurbićCompared to the global fame acquired by Italy and France's winemaking endeavours Croatian wines have been a wonderful secret the country's wines score highly at so many international competitions that the cat is finally out of the bag it is red wines from Dalmatia and the wines of Istria that pick up most of the plaudits meaning there's one more secret to keep hold of; the brilliant white wines of Slavonia The unique terroir of Bjelovar-Bilogora County helps to make some of the finest white wine you will ever discover in Croatia or indeed anywhere else and the county's vineyards and wineries are beautiful and informative places to visit and try them Graševina is perhaps the most famous wine made in Slavonia and you'd have to look extremely hard to find a less-than-great version of this varietal produced in the region Slavonia is also known for producing fantastic Rieslings and a limited production of very distinct their grapes left on the vines almost until the first all-encompassing frosts ensuring maximum flavour is derived from the fruits Loathe as we are to give up the very last remaining secret but this area also produces some of the greatest Sauvignon blanc wines you'll ever try A sharper and often more punchy white wine than that made here from the more commonplace and traditional varietals the Vinodar event also serves as the official evaluation of the region's Sauvignon production © Kid Crap / Hades / Etik / Saint / Skar / 43 JamLife in rural areas can be a stifling and boring experience for some youths sections of the young community living in Bjelovar-Bilogora county have risen to the challenge and created diverse and wholly contemporary manifestations on which to spend their time The large amount of rural space in the county lends itself well to partying far from the earshot of close-by neighbours Throughout the summer you'll find young people decamped in wooded or waterside locations where their barbeques flame throughout the night and their soundsystems blast out electronic music some of it being produced locally by DJ and music-making collectives and can be found holding regular sessions at the town's great skateboarding park one of Croatia's best and he's in a position to be able to invite some of his similarly well-practised peers from throughout the country to their chief BMX event in May the town of Bjelovar has become one of the best places in the country to see graffiti and street art Most of Croatia's best-known graffiti artists have visited and painted in the town as well as some hugely impressive international names They have left their mark on the walls of residential buildings business premises and on the walls surrounding public spaces; 240 huge are a constant reminder of the persistence of the youth culture in the county © Termalni vodeni park Aquae Balissae DaruvarJust because Bjelovar-Bilogora county is not by the sea that doesn't mean you have to sit in the dry and dusty heat during summer some of the earliest recorded mentions of the region detail its most-famous water asset The previously mentioned Daruvar Spa now houses some of these waters and it's a wonderfully-designed place Within the spa you can relax and pamper yourself taking advantage of health and beauty treatments or simply just enjoy the soothing thermal waters If relaxation is not the only thing you want from a pool the nearby Aquae Balissae complex has everything you and the family could want its outdoor area boasts over 2,000 square metres of water features including two large swimming pools a sunbathing area and various catering facilities there's the prettily-housed indoor pools which are positioned over 600 square metres and contain four large pools these baths use thermal water and also offer some health and beauty treatments Daruvar is not alone in its offer though as Bjelovar also has an open-air pool that is incredibly popular and a great place to spend the day swimming and sunbathing A short trip away, Veliki Grđevac offers attractive outdoor pools. Šandrovac is also known for its open-air swimming pool - one of the county's most beautiful its set on a grassy terrain surrounded by verdant farmlands Thanks for subscribing! 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