2013Castles of Croatia - Sheetlets

As town on the Danube river, at the border between Slavonia and Srijem, Vukovar is known for the archaeological site Vučedol, as a mediaeval settlement, for its transformation into a baroque style town and for its reconstructions in the 19th and 20th century. Recently, it is known also for the sufferings of its people and devastation during the Homeland War in the 90-ties. At the time of its baroque reconstruction in the 18th century, the castle of the counts Eltz, who bought their estate in 1736 and lived in Vukovar until 1945, was built. The estate was a majorat, meaning that it could not be sold or divided, but could only be inherited by the oldest son. In the 18th century Vukovar is a double town, composed of its medieval part and its new baroque part that began to be built in 1722. Within the new Vukovar during the 18th and 19th century the buildings of late-baroque and classicist features were built, among which the castle of the counts Eltz is the most distinguished.

The castle was built gradually, with many modifications, developing from a small and modest curia (from 1828) through many upgradings and reconstructions (1781, 1790, 1811and 1824) to a representative castle. Baroque-classicist features of the castle, its outbuildings, courts chapel and park – show a recognizable town planning and architectural idea. Its final look the castle got between 1895 and 1907 according to the project of the architect Viktor Siedek. A more important renovation took place between 1968 and 1970 when it was reconstructed to serve as the Museum of the town of Vukovar and between 2010 and 2012 when it was thoroughly reconstructed after demolition in the Homeland War.
The counts Eltz lived in Vukovar and possessed the castle for entire two centuries. The family belongs to ancient German nobility, and was elevated to the title of Count in 1733. The inheritors of this ancient family live in Germany and in other European countries.