Lonjsko Polje

Nature Park LONJSKO POLJE is a large ( 506 sq km) section of the flood plain located between Sava River and Moslavacka Gora Mountain. Situated along Lonja river , one of the retention basin of Sava river. Lonjsko Polje Nature Park is well known part of Croatia because of variety of flora and fauna that resides in the area. Marshes of Lonjsko Polje as well as it's woodlands are wild ducks favorite nesting place. It is a natural habitat of some rare bird species too - white-tailed eagle and short-toed eagle, white egret, gray heron, black stork ... The flooded area of Lonjsko Polje, where floods hold for up to six months, is one of the largest European hatching grounds of pike as well as some other animals - spotted Turopolje swine, wild boars, deer, roes, otters, beavers, wild cats.. Rakita and Draziblato, the areas of Lonjsko Polje, are under a stricter regime of nature conservation. Cratian Posavac - a well known and protected horse breed originate from this area too.

Lonjsko Polje park is interesting in architectural terms too. Around the park and it's villages one can find various wooden houses - cottages, built in typical Posavina style. Those cottages are well preserved and if you are interested in this kind of architecture, it is worth to visit an visually enjoy this monument of Croatian architectural heritage. While visiting Lonjsko Polje one can do bird watching, cycling, walking, boating or horseback riding on Croatian Posavac horses. As far as hunting and fishing is concerned, it is a limited activity regulated by code of conduct of Lonjsko Polje Park Authority. ( check official Lonjsko Polje web page www.pp-lonjsko-polje.hr an excellent page about the area, with some fantastic photos of Lonjsko Polje's nature and architecture.) Nature Park Lonjsko Polje is easily accessible from Zagreb by public transport or car or bicycle or from Sisak, Popovaca, Kutina, Novska or Nova Gradiska.

Lonjsko Polje Nature park - a unique bird reserve

The Lonjsko polje Nature Park, located along the River Sava in the Sisak-Moslavina County, is a unique bird reserve. It is spread over an area larger than 50 thousand hectares and constitutes the largest marshland of the entire Danube River basin. On account of its specific hydrological and geomorphological characteristics, it is rich in a variety of fauna and flora. Almost all European wetland and marsh plant species can be found there, more than 550 of them. Also, a large number of marsh bird species spawn in the area – the white stork, several heron species, the spoonbill, the white-tailed eagle, the lesser spotted eagle and many migratory bird species. There are two ornithological reserves within the park: Krapje dol and Rakita. Adding to the value of the park are villages with preserved traditional characteristics and wooden houses typical for the Posavina region, some of them older than 200 years. They are built exclusively out of natural materials and held together by wooden bolts, without a single nail. They are not painted, but acquire a natural patina with age. In the past, young men would put them apart before they got married and then reassembled them where they planned on starting a new life with their future brides. Today, the villages Krapje and Cigoc attract the greatest number of visitors. Many tourists from around the world, especially from Japan, come to see the white storks nesting on the rooftops. At the initiative of the European natural heritage foundation, Cigoc was proclaimed the European village of storks in 1994, and Krapje was proclaimed a village of architectural heritage in 1995. Apart from stork-watching, Lonjsko polje offers a variety of other activities to its visitors. Many village households engaged in rural tourism offer the possibility of an active vacation with a series of recreational activities such as riding horse carriages, boat trips, bicycling, fishing, horseback-riding and others.

More info at Sisak-Moslavina County Tourist Board : www.turizam-smz.hr and Lonjsko polje home page: www.pp-lonjsko-polje.hr