Osijek is a city in Eastern Croatia situated in the valley on the right bank of the Drava river approx 20 kilometers from the delta of the Danube. It is the largest city in Slavonia, and the seat of Osijek-Baranja County. The city is an industrial, administrative, judicial and cultural center.
Osijek is a city with lots of greenery, with 17 parks in the town with a total area of 394,000 m². In the town of Osijek live 115 000 inhabitants and is also the fourth largest city in Croatia.

According to archaeological finds, the city area has been inhabited since Celtic and Roman times, but by name Osijek was first mentioned in 1196.
Osijek was known for crossing the River Drava and was very rich town during the medieval life, but any kind of monuments from that period were destroyed by the Ottomans, and today there are only traces. Conquerors of the Ottoman Empire came in the city 14th August 1526 when town was taken without a fight, and the city remained under the Turks for 150 years, and later completely destroyed.

Since 1687 Osijek and Slavonia region were in the Habsburg Monarchy. Because of the strategic position of the city, the new authorities on the bank of the Drava built military fort, today called Tvrđa.
Economic and cultural development of Osijek has led to unification of the three city municipalities in one in 1786, which has quickly become the city, where they found numerous artisans, merchants, libraries, theaters, and already in the 1729 was opened a Latin school. The 1735 founded a printing house, and began the study of philosophy and higher theology. 
On 28 August 1809 Osijek was officially declared a free royal city in the Austro-Hungary Empire, and thus begins a new era of Osijek.
After the Second World War Osijek became town with more and more establishing universities and colleges. During the Homeland War in 1991 Osijek suffered artillery fire but managed to survive.

Osijek is the large Croatian industrial center. Numerous Croatian famous brands are manufactured in Osijek. In Osijek is developed engineering (agricultural machinery), the production of soaps, matches, chemicals (detergents) and food industry.
 

What to see in Osijek 

Tvrdja
Tvrdja (Fort) is 18th century town-fortress created by the transformation of older historic town which stood on the key strategic river crossing Drava River. The city-fortress was built in the baroque system of a large strategic fortified towns on the border between the Ottoman Empire which was the 1712 was conceived and built by Prince Eugene of Savoy.
The central square in fortress is St. Trinity, surrounded by the baroque buildings. The most important is the palace of Slavonia General command.

On the left side of the square is the Main Guard Building today the Archaeological Museum, characterized by a bell tower with a terrace that offered a view of the entire surroundings.
On the other side of the square corner building is located from 1702; it is the former town hall, now the Museum of Slavonia.

In addition, this area, dominated by simple Baroque 18th century buildings, with rows of windows facing the courtyard, this served as a military barracks and storage. Also we can find a few baroque houses from 18th century. There are also two important religious buildings. The parish church of St. Michael, from 1725, it is a Baroque church with two towers. In church are rich altars made by Austrian painter Franz Xaver Wagenschöna. The second is the Franciscan church and monastery which was later converted into a military barracks. The monastery was significant as it acted in the study of philosophy and theology from 1709-1735, after here was founded the first high school in Slavonia.

Upper Town
The upper city is the urban center of Osijek. There is a main square of a triangular shape, Ante Starčević square. The upper town is built mostly in the late 19th and early 20th century, and it characterizes the architecture of historicism. The most prominent building is the parish church of St. Peter and Paul, built in the 1894 in neo-Gothic style, designed by German architect Franz Langenberg, and the encouragement of Bishop Strossmayer.
In the vicinity is neoclassical County palace built 1834 by architect N. Hild, and the Croatian National Theatre with elements of pseudo-architectures.
Upper Town in Osijek boasts superb Art Nouveau architecture. Most important is European avenue, representative boulevard threaded with a gorgeous Art Nouveau buildings made for Osijek industrialists and prominent citizens in the early 20th century. 
Of the buildings nearby, most original achievement of the Vienna Secession style is Kino Urania, the work of architect Victor Axmann from 1912, and the post office from the same year.