September 27, 2021 – The continuing rich residential heritage in mainland Croatia dating back to the pre-Roman era is documented in the New Iovia Archaeological Park in Ludbreg.

A few years ago, one of the surprising discoveries in the fascinating world of Croatian mainland tourism was to discover that the oldest permanently inhabited city in Europe was located there. I must admit that when I heard this I was very surprised – especially since I had never heard of the city. This was just one of the many interesting things you can learn about Vinkovci: 10 things to know about Europe’s oldest town.

Visitors to the Adriatic coast will be familiar with the rich Roman history, with fabulous examples of its glorious past that can be found in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Diocletian’s Palace in Split, the Pula region and the old Salona in Solin. Less well known is the rich Roman history further inland in Croatia.

An important addition to the preservation of this heritage opened in June this year, in the form of the Iovia Archaeological Park in Ludbreg. Opened in June this year by the Minister of Culture and located in the main square of Ludbreg, famous for its claim to be the center of the world, the archaeological park of Iovia offers a timeline with artefacts from the history of Ludbreg , Croatia, and the world through a variety of multimedia tools.

The timeline, which takes visitors through important points in Ludbreg’s long history, begins in 20,000 BC, with the discovery of Erica, the most extensive and best-preserved Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) in Croatia. Erica was found at Mali Sigecak near Ludbreg in 1982.

Archaeological research in Ludbreg began in earnest some time before Erica’s discovery in 1966. This continued from 1968 to 1979 and was carried out by the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb. And it turned out that Ludbreg had quite a story. Far from being a modern city, testimonies of a continuous life dating back more than two millennia have been brought to light.

While the Roman era is perhaps the best preserved, evidence of prehistoric sites from the first century BC to 4000 BC has been found in the wider Ludbreg region: Donji Martijanec, Globočec, Jalžabet, Ludbreg, Ludbreg – Katalena, LudbreÅ¡ki Ivanac, Martijanec, Sigetec LudbreÅ¡ki, Struga, Sveti ĐurÄ‘, Sveti Petar LudbreÅ¡ki, Veliki Bukovec and Vrbanovec.

The Roman colony of Iovia, the precursor of Ludbreg, was founded probably some time after the end of the first century AD. In 1931, decorative iron and bronze elements of a Roman chariot dating from the 2nd century AD were found in a tumulus, almost certainly the work of a Pannonian workshop.

(Roman cat leaves its mark in footprints)

The first archaeological finds dated from the Roman influence of the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. The first known Roman discovery dates back to 1859, a fragment bearing the inscription VALERIANVS CENTVRIO LEGIAE HIC IN LOCO IOVIA DICTO. This was followed in 1906 by part of a large bronze statue of a Roman emperor. Then in 1942, an altar fragment with an inscription DEO SILVANO and IOVIA, the only preserved epigraphic confirmation of Iovia de Ludbreg.

The largest exhibit in the main building was dated to around 420 AD. This is the skeleton of a man (about 55 years old) who has undergone neurosurgery (trepanation) on the left side of the skull. He was buried with a silver buckle ring in a tomb made of tegulae located in an adjacent Roman building.

From 2008 to 2011, the Croatian Restoration Institute carried out systematic archaeological research in the center of the town of Ludbreg (“Vrt SomoÄ‘i”). During this work, Roman Building 1 (total gross area 230 m²) and most of Roman Building 2 (assumed gross area of ​​around 1780 m²) were fully explored. The excavated footprints of these buildings now form the outer part of the Iovia Archaeological Park behind the exhibition building.

The Iovia bathhouse (Roman object 1) typically belongs to the group of smaller baths (balneae), while according to the organization of the space, it belongs to the group of undiluted baths. Due to the spatial relationship with the neighboring Roman settlement, it can be defined as private. Such a form of bathing was widespread throughout the Roman Empire. The resort town of Iovia and the thermal springs of Varaždinske Toplice (Aquae Iasae) are the only facilities fully explored for this purpose in the Croatian part of the Roman province of Pannonia.

To the north of the thermal baths, most of the Roman building 2 has been explored, organized around a rectangular courtyard (uncovered) and bounded to the west by a porch. The building was constructed at the same time as the swimming pool, and was rebuilt and extended over the following centuries.

Both buildings are reputed to have been built in the second half of the 1st century and abandoned around 420 at the latest. They are typically the closest to the portico and peristyle villas. This type was one of the most frequently used floor plans in the Pannonian, that is, in the Danube-Balkan region.

The archaeological park of Iovia uses different tools to bring the Roman and prehistoric past of Ludbreg back to life. One of the main target markets for Iovie is the younger generation, and many school trips are expected once the COVID-19 situation improves. The top floor is dedicated to a creative space for workshops, using various tools to bring a bygone era back to life. Among these is the intriguing opportunity to learn how to play a variety of Roman board games. We will look at the Roman games offered to Ludbreg – Latrunkuli, Terni Lapilli and Mlin (Merellus) in a later article.

Tourism in mainland Croatia is gradually developing. There is a huge story to be told about its rich heritage, and Iovia Archaeological Park is one more step in the puzzle. You can find out more about Iovia on the official website.

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