A couple of months ago I visited Osijek, Croatia’s fourth largest city, to attend a silent film festival. The film screenings were taking place in the heart of the town’s ancient fortress, Tvrđa.

Tvrđa (pronounced Tvar-ja) forms the town’s historic core. It is an ancient defence complex that was built by the Habsburgs after they drove out the Ottomans. This military base was built on the site of the then existing town centre. Reconstruction was a long drawn process. It involved moving all the standing institutions to another location (most of them were shifted to the present day Gornji Grad, or Upper Town), and constructing an elaborate military compound that comprised of military offices, barracks, watch posts, warehouses, monasteries and churches. The complex was completed in 1721.

While much of the fortification walls are gone, the heart of Tvrđa remains robust. The many military facilities though have made way for a more cultural and academic outlook. There are a number of galleries and museums worth visiting here, the most prominent of which is the Museum of Slavonia. Here, you can uncover the history of the region, from lost Roman artefacts fished out of the River Drava, to old Turkish cannons, carefully restored (as seen in the picture above).

Tvrđa is also the local entertainment getaway. From cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs, you’ll be spoilt for choice.  However as you walk around the cobblestoned streets, you’re bound to see bullet marked walls, remnants from homeland war that took place in the early 90s. Some Baroque structures are terribly ruined; others have been re-plastered and renovated.

Like I mentioned before, most of the old fort walls are long gone as are the town gates. Only one gate, the Water Gate, remains. Follow it out of the complex, past the graffiti – pop culture slogans and love proclamations, and towards the banks of the river Drava.

More Tips for Things to Do in Croatia

We’ve lots more tips on what to do in Croatia on Europe a la Carte.