Brod Fortress

Brod fortress was built through the first half of the eighteenth century on the northern bank of the Sava, directly opposite Ottoman-held Bosnia, as part of the Habsburg military frontier - a bastioned complex of some thirty-three hectares designed to hold a garrison of several thousand, among the largest baroque fortifications in this part of Europe. It never saw the siege it was built for. Sections were damaged and neglected through the twentieth century and it was shelled in the 1990s; restoration has been running since, and the restored parts now hold galleries, a concert space and the town's cultural programme.

What you actually see

• A bastioned complex of about 33 hectares - built for a garrison of thousands.
• Facing the Ottoman bank - the Sava as the frontier line.
• Never besieged - the fortress was not tested.
• Restoration in progress - galleries and events in the finished parts.

When to go

April to October, when the outdoor programme runs. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Large sections are still unrestored and closed off. The scale is hard to read from inside. Slavonski Brod is a working town without much visitor infrastructure. Interpretation is limited.

Nearby

The Sava and the Bosnian border are directly south; Pozega is north.