March the 15th, 2026 – Slavonia is set to get its very first botanical garden, with Brod Fortress, once among Europe’s biggest, being the chosen grounds.
As Putni kofer writes, guarding the border along the Sava River, the beautiful Brod Fortress was once one of the largest in all of Europe. For over 240 years, this historic building has been a symbol of Slavonski Brod, and in recent years it has been rapidly changing, renovated and packed with new facilities. It’s been an increasingly representative space that is a real pleasure to stroll around and take a peek into its hidden corners. It won’t be long before Brod Fortress receives yet another facility that locals are eagerly awaiting. Slavonia is set to get its very first first botanical garden, and it will be located precisely at this historic and symbolic site.
A huge part of the Brod Fortress has been renovated today owing to EU funds, and various projects are still ongoing. Today, it is the home of the Centre for Intangible Heritage, which also includes an observatory. The construction of the botanical garden and its arboretum zone will make it even more alluring as a place to visit far from the glam of the coastline.
a step in the right direction for slavonski brod’s air pollution
Slavonia getting its very first botanical garden will be an impetus for many nature lovers, with work having actually begun on the arboretum last year. The development of the botanical garden and new green spaces in the city will be of great importance to residents as they contribute to improving air quality, reducing carbon dioxide concentrations and mitigating the negative effects of harmful climate change. It packs even more of a punch considering that Slavonski Brod often performs particularly poorly when it comes to air pollution.
At this point, construction work has been completed the construction of pedestrian paths in the northwestern zone of the arboretum, spanning a total length of 927 metres. The paths are 2.20 metres wide, and their total area is 2,039.00 square metres.
“100% of the planned plant material has been delivered to the construction site, which was planted in the early winter period, when vegetation is dormant,” the powers that be in Slavonski Brod revealed.
“In the northwestern part of the Arboretum, 132 trees and 123 shrubs have been planted, while in the northern part, 82 trees and 32 shrubs have been planted. In addition to historically represented and native species characteristic of the Brod Fortress environment, other acceptable species of the continental climate of lowland European areas have also been planted,” it was added.
This is the first phase of this commendable project, which encompasses the northern and northwestern part of the fortress, from the border crossing to the area of the Health Centre, the Hugo Badalić Elementary School and the Pčelica kindergarten, on an area spanning almost two hectares. The arboretum zone itself represents the foundation of the future Botanical Garden, the first such facility in the entire Slavonia area and beyond. This is an intervention that will further enrich the area of the Brod Fortress and significantly contribute to the creation of a greener, healthier and more sustainable urban environment.
