Page 195 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

SLA VONIA AND BAR ANJA  193

commemorate the victory in in bronze representing Victory
the countryside surrounding commemorates the fallen of
Topolje. The location has World War II. It is the work of
particular charm as the one of the great Croatian artists
church is set among trees of the 20th century, Antun
standing alone among a Augustinčić (see p24).
patchwork of fields of maize
and tobacco. The church was
sacked, however, and nearly
completely destroyed in the
conflicts following the break-up
of former Yugoslavia. The
building is now undergoing
extensive restoration although
the splendid furnishings have
sadly been lost.
Here, as in Darda (right),
there are several Hungarian
communities, who, together
Naive sculpture on show at Ernestinovo with the Croats, are gradually
returning after their exile during Mansion of the Esterházy barons, now the
u Ernestinovo the Yugoslav occupation. The Town Hall of Darda
Hungarian-style houses with
Map F2. * 1,200. k Osijek, p Darda
20 km (12 miles). @ from Osijek. their overhanging roofs add a
n Regional: Kapucinska 40, Osijek, distinctive character to the area. Map F2. * 5,400. k Osijek, 15km
(031) 214 852. _ Open-air exhibition In the autumn, long strings of (9 miles). @ from Osijek. n Regional:
of sculpture (Aug). chilli peppers can be seen Kapucinska 40, Osijek, (031) 214 852.
hanging out to dry in the sun.
For many years, well-known An elegant mansion built by the
sculptors have been meeting Environs Esterházy barons in the second
in Ernestinovo to present their Around 10 km (6 miles) east of half of the 18th century, now
work in a summer show. This Topolje is the town of Batina. renovated and used as the
small village is now famous for In Roman times this was the Town Hall, is the only evidence
its open-air exhibitions. The site of a fortress on the banks of Darda’s history. Darda was
first exhibition was organized of the River Danube and was once a fortified city, represented
in 1976 by the sculptor Petar known by the name of Ad on 17th-century maps as a
Smajić. It took place in exile Militarae. Until the war of 1991, large fortress, connected to
from 1991 to 1996 and which depopulated this small Osijek by the 8-km (5-mile)
returned to Ernestinovo the town set among hills and bridge of Solimano. Built in
following year. Many works vineyards, there was a bridge 1566 to cross marshland, the
of art are displayed and connecting Baranja with bridge was destroyed in 1664
offered for sale in the village Hungary and Vojvodina, but by Nikola Zrinski (see p181) to
galleries. Ernestinovo was since its destruction, both river block the Turkish army. On that
badly damaged during the and road traffic have stopped. occasion the city was
war in the 1990s. On one of the small hills near subsequently devastated.
Topolje, a tall monument in In the recent war in the 1990s,
white stone with a female figure two 18th-century churches
i Kopački Rit were destroyed: the Catholic
Nature Park church of St John the Baptist
(Sv. Ivan Krstitelj) and the
See pp198–9. Orthodox church of St
Michael (Sv. Mihajlo).
o Topolje Environs
Bilje, 4 km (2 miles) south
Map F2. * 200. k Osijek, 46 km
(28 miles). £ Beli Manastir, 16 km (10 of Darda, is the site of the
miles). @ from Osijek. n Regional: information office for the
Kapucinska 40, Osijek, (031) 214 852. Kopački Rit Nature Park (see
pp198–9). It is housed in a
In 1687, after the victory in palace built by Prince Eugene
Vienna over the Turks, Prince of Savoy, who was granted the
Eugene of Savoy, commander small town of Bilje after the
of the Imperial forces, decided Hungarian-style houses with chilli peppers victory in Vienna over the
to build a church to hanging to dry, Topolje Turks (1687).

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