Valpovo


Valpovo is a town in Slavonia, Croatia. It is close to the Drava river in the region of Slavonia, northwest of Osijek. The population of Valpovo is 7,406, with a total of 11,563 in the municipality.

Name

In Hungarian the town is known as Valpó and in German as Walpach. In antiquity, it was called Iovalum. There are several suggested etymologies. One is that it comes from the Latin root *Iov-, meaning "divine". However, the ending can't be explained by Latin. One explanation is that it comes from the Indo-European words *yow and *h2elut, so that it means "magical beer." The other, more likely, is that it comes from the Indo-European roots *yow and *h2elom, so that it means "magical herb", whatever plant that signified. Perhaps the simplest explanation is that it comes from the Indo-European word *wel, meaning "valley", whatever "Io-" meant.

Demographics

The settlements in the municipal area of Valpovo are:
In the census of 2011, the absolute majority were Croats.

History

The town is first mentioned in 1332. It was captured by Ottoman Empire in 1543. It was initially kaza centre in Sanjak of Pojega till 1601. It was later in sanjak centre in Kanije Eyalet till Austrian conquest in 1687.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Valpovo was part of the Virovitica County of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. Shortly after the end of World War II, officials in the communist Yugoslav regime established a labor camp for Germans which operated until May 1946.

Economy

Economy is based on farming, livestock breeding, forestry, wood and timber and foodstuffs industries; close to the town are oil and natural gas deposits. Valpovo lies on a regional road that connects it to Osijek and Donji Miholjac, as well a road to Belišće and to Bizovac through Ladimirevci.

Attractions

Located close to the banks of the Drava river, Valpovo was an ancient dwelling of feudal families. Major tourist attraction include important cultural and historical heritage, and a landscaped park, protected as a horticultural monument. Prandau-Normann Castle: Count Normann-Ehrenfels and Baron Prandau-Hilleprandt had a magnificent castle that was rebuilt seven times. They planted 121 herbal sorts on 250,000 square meters. Valpovo's park is one of the most beautiful in Slavonia.
The most important annual event is the Valpovo Summer, attended by a number of cultural clubs with folklore, music, theatrical and other performances. Angling opportunities are provided on the nearby rivers Karašica, Vučica, Drava, as well as on lakes and fishponds; hunting grounds are offered nearby. Slavonian specialities, venison and freshwater fish, and quality wines add to the visitor opportunities of the Valpovo region.