Erdut tower – stands proudly on the hill next to the Danube

The settlement of Erdut is located along the Danube, near the mouth of the Drava River, in the far east of Croatia. It was mentioned for the first time in 1335, as Erdöd, and in the sense of the city, in 1472 as Castelum Erdeed. The name Erdut comes from the local Hungarian name and means forest road.

Erdut, Photo: Ivo Biočina, Croatian Tourist Board

The Erdut tower lies at a dominant elevation of 70 meters above the Danube. The surrounding area below the cliff is completely flat, which provides an excellent view of any marauding hordes that would attack from the east.

Erdut Tower, Photo: Igor Šeler, Croatian Tourist Board

There are no written traces of who built the Erdut tower and when, but it is believed that it was only a part of the entire fortress. The ruins of two towers and a wall remain from that medieval fortress. The round tower is the best preserved, almost in its original form, reminiscent of Renaissance Italian buildings from the 15th century.

Over the centuries, the Erdut Tower changed owners and appearance and was also devastated during the Homeland War. The revitalization of the building should soon begin, and the Erdut Tower should be included in the tourist offer of this beautiful region.