At the crossroads of old worlds and legends, the Spačva Forest hides archaeological wonders such as Virgrad, the mysterious Zvjezdangrad and natural phenomena such as Čistine. This area, rich in history and natural beauty, offers not only walks through a green oasis of peace, but also the opportunity to explore the past through the remains of ancient forts and stories that live in the hearts of the locals.
In the Spačva Forest, at the border of Otok and Bošnjaci, just next to Otočki Virovi, you will find the remains of the old Virgrad, an archaeological site and a protected cultural monument. In the 12th century, Virgrad was a medieval fortress with a triple moat, important for the defence of as many as 39 villages. However, it was destroyed during the Ottoman invasion of these regions. Today, Virgrad is a small forest oasis where walks in the woods often begin and end.
When a young prince of Virgrad came with his entourage to the neighbouring town of Otok to ask for the hand of a beautiful princess, the princess’s father, an arrogant and extremely rich prince of Otok, took offense at such poor suitors and told the young man that he could only hope for his daughter’s hand in marriage if he sailed to Otok on decorated galleys brimful with gifts. Not wanting to give up on the princess without whom he could not imagine his life, the prince of Virgrad started looking for a solution on how to reach Otok by sailing on land.
He gathered all his serfs, an entire army, and dug a canal wide and deep from Virgrad to Otok, today’s Virova, which was soon filled with water from the surrounding forests of the Spačva basin and the River Sava. The prince also built several galleys, decorated them with flowers, wreaths, scarves and traditional clothes, then sailed triumphantly to Otok to propose. This legend can still be heard in some villages around Otok and Bošnjaci, someone adds something to the story and embellishes it, but in that lies the legend’s true charm.
The Čistine pasture of 120 hectares in the immediate vicinity of Otok, and at the entrance to the Spačva Forest, is a location with which the people from Otok have been connected since ancient times. In addition to being a pasture, this area is also a plantation of wild apples and pears. During the spring months (May and June), when Virovi spills onto forest surfaces due to large amounts of rainfall, Čistine becomes a natural carp hatchery, one of the last such hatcheries in eastern Croatia. When your journey brings you to the Tourist Board of the Spačva Forest Area in spring, you now know where you will be able to see this natural attraction.
Deep in the Spačva rainforest along the very River Studva, across which Serbia is located, surrounded by deep and muddy canals like on an island, once upon a time the ancient city of Zvjezdan stood guard. Although in folklore there are many stories and legends that associate it with fairies, templars and knights of the Slavonic plain, little is known about Zvjezdangrad and only few know its location.
Its size and chronology are still a puzzle for historians, because the archaeological research of this fort only started, but was not continued. What has been confirmed is that the medieval Zvjezdangrad was built on very old foundations, with three archaeological layers recovered so far. The expert assumes that the huge inner moat around the fort, due to its size, can only belong to the ancient Romans, and not to the Middle Ages.
The moat is now 10 meters deep and 23 meters wide. The remains of the walls, domes and underground corridors speak of a truly significant fortress that was destroyed in the wars over the centuries. The last time it was destroyed in the 15th century, to be rebuilt again later. Until research is finished and more is learnt about the ancient Zvjezdangrad, all visitors can enjoy the Sportsko i rekreacijsko izletište Zvjezdangrad (the Zvjezdangrad Sport and Recreation Picnic Area).
