Tikveš Castle Complex

In the picturesque flatland landscape of Baranja, in its central part that includes the
Nature Park, one comes across the romantic architectural complex of the castle of
Tikveš.
The castle complex itself dates back to the end of the 19th century. It was built by
members of the Teschen family line and the Habsburg family. In the course of its
history, the castle served as a residential and hunting lodge, well known in Europe
and the world, reserved solely for noble guests and rulers. Following the Treaty of
Versailles, the complex became property of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and
Slovenes, later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Following a decree by the Ministry of

Finance, it obtained the status of state hunting grounds within the state farm complex
of Belje in 1920. After World War II, the complex was nationalized, and used solely
as a residential hunting center. Josip Broz, the then-president of the country,
frequently hunted here with his foreign guests. Since 1991, the complex is owned by
the Republic of Croatia.
Within the complex, the central residential facility is the castle itself, built in the
second half of the 19th century in the style of romantic historicism. Another
representative building of the Tikveš complex is the hunting castle. Based on the
characteristics of its style, it is a countryside villa quite similar in its pastoral character
to the buildings of that type from the period of the late 19th and the early 20th
century. One other significant building of the Tikveš complex is a small chapel built in
the spirit of historicism, located south of the complex, with additional facilities built
opposite to it. The chapel was built towards the end of the 19th century, as part of the
Habsburg family estate. In the mid-20th century, another facility was built next to the
central residential building, far removed from the original style of the complex. It is
linked with the remainder of the complex by corridors. There is a bioecological station
southwest of the castle as well, built towards the beginning of the 20th century. The
bioecological station was restored and refurbished in 2003, and it includes four
laboratories today.