September the 5th, 2026 – One of the most significant lowland fortresses in all of Croatia is currently being restored, with two lakes also set to be arranged alongside it.
There are few historical fortresses and castles for which most people’s first association is an animal, but that is exactly the case with Đurđevac. The Old Town of Đurđevac is inseparably connected with the rooster, and the famous legend of the Picoki has marked its identity. Lana Mindoljevic writes for Putni kofer however that this fortress is much more than that legend, and a thorough restoration is currently underway that will restore its former glory and bring a series of new contents.
a rare example of a preserved fortress between the drava and the sava
This defensive bastion protected the town from enemies for centuries, and today it is a meeting place and one of the most important galleries in northern Croatia. It does not impress with its size, but with the stories it hides. Its walls tell of sieges, the legendary rooster, and also of a gallery thanks to which this castle could easily find itself on the cultural map of much larger European cities. The Old Town of Đurđevac was built at the end of the 15th century, at a time when Ottoman threats were an everyday reality. Situated on a sandy elevation and surrounded by marshes, it was strategically conceived as a defensive point in the lowland part of Podravina. Today it is one of the rare preserved lowland fortresses between the Sava and the Drava, and precisely this context gives it additional weight. It was never a nobleman’s castle, but a fortress of the community.
a realistic restoration process
As the City of Đurđevac announced on its Facebook page, the reconstruction of the ramparts of the Old Town is restoring the fortress’s recognisable appearance. Works are in progress, and intensive work is currently under way on the construction of the rampart tower, which will soon be fully completed. The restoration of the ramparts is, they write, an important step in restoring the historical vista of the Old Town, but also in creating new contents that will further enrich the city’s tourist offer. More than 1.3 million euros has been secured for the revitalisation of the complex. “The restored ramparts will also receive a new tourist function. As part of the project, the arrangement of a Podravinoteka with an offer of products from local producers is planned, while through the Green Infrastructure project the surroundings of the fortress will also be arranged. The area around the Old Town will be enriched with new walking paths, lighting, a stage and auditorium, as well as two lakes that will further emphasise the historical and landscape value of this space,” state the City’s representatives on the Facebook page.
the story of a rooster that sent the ottomans packing
We mentioned at the beginning that the identity of the fortress is inseparably linked to the legend of the Picoki, which perfectly illustrates the importance it had for the community. You can read the full (and extremely heartwarming) story here.
The Old Town of Đurđevac itself was built simply, but very thoughtfully. It has a recognisable polygonal ground plan with an inner courtyard and a strong defensive tower that dominates the space. Although it was extended and adapted over the centuries, it has preserved its original defensive appearance and character. Unlike many historical fortresses that have remained merely a backdrop of the past, the Old Town of Đurđevac today has an exceptionally lively cultural function. The Museum of the City of Đurđevac operates in it, as does an interpretation centre dedicated to the Picokijada, and gallery spaces that attract visitors from all over Croatia. In recent years, works by Pablo Picasso, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró have been exhibited here! Of course, these are their lesser-known works, but that did not bother the thousands of people who visited the exhibitions in the slightest.
the home of some of the most important croatian works of art
The attic of the fortress also hides a true artistic treasure. “A turning point in the museum, cultural and tourist sense was contributed by the Donation of the Croatian painter Ivan Lacković Croata, with more than 2,000 museological units, works from the art collection of Croatian authors and authors from numerous countries of the world,” it is stated on the website of the Tourist Board of Đurđevac. Visitors can see works by Vlaho Bukovac, Bela Čikoš Sesija, Menci Clement Crnčić, Ljubo Babić and many others here. Precisely this concentration of top artistic names makes Đurđevac an unexpected but extremely valuable cultural destination.
Croata’s donation today forms the permanent exhibition of the Museum of the City of Đurđevac; it is located in the authentic attic of the fortress and numbers 163 masterpieces of Croatian artists from the end of the 19th and the 20th century, from paintings and graphics to sculptures and posters. “It is one of the most valuable artistic donations in Croatia, and the collection itself is often described as a ‘small Croatian Louvre,’” states the Tourist Board of Đurđevac.
Đurđevac is a quiet and gentle Podravina town that, together with its surroundings, has a little fewer than 7,500 inhabitants. Yet this small place hides an incredible history and attractions that you will not find anywhere else in Croatia! The best-known is, of course, the “Croatian Sahara.” True, its size, compared with the African original, is like a grain of sand. But the modest size does not diminish its special character. The Đurđevac Sands are a unique reserve, and right next to the Old Town of Đurđevac a zoo called Croatian Sahara has been arranged where you can see real camels, as well as goats, sheep, horses, llamas and more. This is a fairly unusual place, without a doubt one of the most unusual attractions of continental Croatia. Đurđevac is not a place you will just rush through. Get to know it at leisure, surrender to its stories, and if you want to experience a real celebration, head to the town in June and take part in the legendary Picokijada.
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