The city of Daruvar, (45.5905556 latitude, 17.225 longitude, 190 m altitude) is in the western part of Croatian plains. It is in the foothils of the Papuk mountains, along the river Ilova. It is 125 km from the capital, Zagreb, and 130 km from Osijek, the easternmost and main city of Slavonia.
Within the city limits of (64 km²) are the suburbs Daruvarski Vinogradi, (vinograd=vineyard, grad=city in Croatian language), Doljani, Gornji Daruvar, Lipovac Majur, Ljudevit Selo, Markovac, Vrbovac. The closest cities are Pakrac, Lipik, Novska, Križevci, Bjelovar, Virovitica and Banja Luka.
People
Accordering to the census of 2001, the population was 12,853. In ethnic terms, the majority are Croats, then Czech, Serbs, Hungarians Germans and other. The Czech population is of significant size having its own schools, societies and clubs, (Jednota or Unity in Czech language), publishing company. The whole area is actually bilingual with Czech being the second official one. As for the religion, 74.5% are Catholics 12.7 % Orthodox, 10.5 % agnostics and atheist while the rest belong to Baptism, Islam, Calvinism and other. The first school was opened in 1856. With support of the Countess Ljudevita Janković, a school for women was opened here in 1866.
History
Archeaological findings here, (stone axes), could be traced back to the stone age. The history of Daruvar could be traced to the 4th century BC, when the first organized habitation emerged near the warm geothermal spas in today's Daruvar valley. Celtic - Pannonian tribes living here were familiar with water treatments benefiting health, such as Iassi (meaning healers), so called by both Greek and Roman writers.
As alies of the Roman Empire, the tribes provided support to Emperor Augustus during the siege of Siscia, (today's Sisak), and in 35 AD, Iassi were granted local autonomy know as Res Publica Iasorum. The center of it was 'Aqua Balissae, meaning very strong springs. In the year 124, during the reign of Hadrian, the area gained additional autonomy as Municipium Iassorum. Stretching between the rivers Sava and Drava, on the roads which ran between Siscia - Mursa, (Sisak - Osijek), Salona - Aquincum, Sirmium - Paetovium, it was easy to access. Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Commodus, Septimius Severus and Constantine I the Great all visited Aqua Balissae's decorated temple, its thermal complex, its forum and its amphitheatre.
In the 11th century the region became part of a mightier entity, that of the rapidly growing and politically important city of Križevci. Within, it became part of the archdiocese of Zagreb mentioned by legislators for the first time in 1334. Since the city was on a busy crossroads, there were four trading points within the valley--Četvrtkovac, Dimičkovine, Podborje and Toplice, (toplice=spas in Croatian). And, as it was more than millennium ago, pleasant spas kept attracting people. The population in that period of time was exclusivelly Catholic.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, all that changed. Expansion of the (Ottoman Empire) disrupted the steady development and Turks occupied lands here in 1543. The Monastery of St King Ladislaus was degraded, becoming a Turkish defensive post looking into the Krajina, military zone created to protect the Habsburg Empire just west of the city. Local people fled while Orthodox people came as servants of the Turks. They were expelled in 1699 and the now ethnically mixed area came under the rule of Vienna in 1745.
Podborje, Sirač and Pakrac were bought by count Antun Janković who in 1771 renamed Podborje to Daruvar, (daru= crane in Hungarian), after one building of his own he already called the Crane's castle. In 1837 Daruvar was declared a free city by decree of king Ferdinand I. Still empty lands were soon repopulated by people skilled in crafts, trade, agriculture from around Croatia and beyond. Germans, Hungarians, Czechs, Italians and others were invited to came.
Spas
In 1772 Janković started building around the springs, envisioning correctly that the town might become healing, leisure and recreation center. Numerous buildings were ercted at that time, many of them still functional -- (Anton's spa, Ivan's spa ). After 1897 newly opened railroad brought new visitors. Restaurant Teresa, Swiss villa, Villa Arcadia, Big mud spa with its prominent dome which has become a well known city mark were all built at that time. Today, Daruvarske Toplice is special hospital complex for rehabilitation specialized in treatment of the female fertility, (primary and secondary sterility, with two clinic s for esthetic surgery. Warm water, (33-47 degrees Centigrade), is also used in postoperative rehabilitation, treatment of inflamations, rheumatism, the trauma of hips, head, spine, and locomotion.
Nearby, in the park containing 65 different kind of trees, (Gingko biloba, Variagatum and other), is the Hotel Termal renovated and extended in 1996. The smaller one, Balisse is 10 minute walking distance from here in the downton.
Tourism
The Area is rich in monuments. Historic Kistalovac, Pavlovina, Sirač, Bagenovać, Dobra Kuća, Stupčanica are example s of numerous local castles belonging to the Croatian nobility of the times passed by. Franciscan monestaries like that ones of St. Margareth, St. Ana, St three kings, Church of Holly Trinity are witnesses of the rich religious culture.
Economy
German people who came here in the 18th century as well Czechs in the 19th were the keystone of the revival participating in agriculture, food processing plants, culture and education. In 1897 development of the city was accelerated by opening the railroad track from Banova Jaruga to Barcs in Hungary. The opening was witnesed by the emperor Franz Joseph. Since 1840 a brewery is producing today more than 250,000 Hl, (Hl=100l), of beer produced upon an old and famous Czech recipe s, with Old Bohemian, (Staročšesko pivo), brand being the most known. Zdenka of Veliki Zdenci is famous for its milk and cheese processing plant. Also, fish are cultivated in artificial lakes around Končanica and processed within Irida. Here are also local vine s, corn, wheat, meat and related local product s produced here. Growing is the importance of the trade.
Dalit, created in 1905, is a metal processing plant once one of the biggest in what was once Yugoslavia, employing today 320, but in the late 70es almost 2000 people. The graphics and printing, (Daruvarska Tiskara d.d., Logos). Textile plant Vesna is employing around 200.
Today there are more than 120 predomionantely smaller companies. 2300 people are employed one thirs of them women.