The legend of the rooster and the only desert in Croatia

October 28, 2021 – Where the fields and vineyards of Bilogora’s lower foothills meet the Drava floodplain and Croatia’s only desert, lies the town of Đurđevac.

Eastern Croatia is not known for its mountains. And yet, a long stretch of more or less continuous hills separates the long valley of the Drava River from the rest of Croatia. For about 80 kilometers, part of the task is carried out by the relatively low Bilogora mountains.

The land between the mountains and the river slopes gently from the foothills to the flood plains. It is fertile, filled with vineyards and agricultural fields. But, inexplicably, within that land you will find a desert.

This remarkable anomaly is the only sand-filled wilderness in the country. And it is at this point – where the fields and vineyards of the lower foothills meet the floodplain and the Croatian desert – that the town of Đurđevac is found.

Old town of urđevac (Stari grad urđevac)

The old town of Đurđevac is the most iconic building in this part of Croatia. Given its name, one might think that this fortified structure is the origin of the city. Not so. Located just to the south, Đurđevac was already an established village when, in the 1480s, the Bishop of Pécs Sigismund Ernušt commanded the defensive fort. It was built in response to the growing threat of the Ottomans from the east.

The land on which the original village and the old town were placed is damp – river meadows in the Drava floodplain. To this day, you won’t find anything built on this partial swamp for more than two kilometers north of Stari grad Đurđevac. Like the buildings of the original settlement, the fortification was built on sandbanks created to elevate the building from the swamp. Its location and solid, defensive construction – with perimeter walls and a 30-foot tower – have served the city well. Although besieged several times, the old town of Đurđevac never fell.

Today, Stari grad Đurđevac is home to important works of art and artefacts of the city. Inside you will find the Picokijada Interpretation Center and the Đurđevac City Museum. The first explains the legend behind the city’s biggest annual event. The latter holds one of the most important collections of paintings, statues and artistic posters in the region, largely a gift from local artist Ivan Lacković. But, this building is not just a relic and a reminder of the past.

During the day, reenactments and events take place in the walled courtyard. At night, the young people of the city often gather here. On the ground floor of the main fortress, an open-air bar and restaurant. It is one of the best places in town to eat.

Authentic Đurđevac cuisine

Award-winning cheeses, fresh from the farm shop of the family farm Imbrišić (here) in Kozarevac, near Đurđevac © Marc Rowlands

Recognizable as the cuisine of mainland Croatia, one has to look a little closer to identify the distinct menu of Podravina and Đurđevac. Meat preserved in sausage form and river fish from the nearby Drava are on Đurđevac’s menu, as they do further downstream in Slavonia. But, Đurđevac and Podravina have a much bigger tradition of dairy products than Slavonia. You will find many local cheeses on the menu at Restoran i pivnica Stari grad (here), in the old town walls of Đurđevac and at Restaurant Đurđevečka iža (here), inside the city’s Picok Hotel. Fresh river fish from the Drava, you can taste it all year round at Ribička hiža (here).

Breakfast at Restoran i pivnica Stari grad © Marc Rowlands

Croatian Sahara (Hrvatska Sahara): Stari grad Đurđevac Zoo

Located right next to Stari grad Đurđevac, Hrvatska Sahara is the city’s small zoo. It bears the title of Croatian Sahara, an almost forgotten nickname for the nearby desert. And, just like in the deserts of North Africa, the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula, you will find camels here. They share the sand with goats, donkeys, horses, chickens, peacocks and llamas.

Natural assets: Đurđevac Sands (Đurđevački pijesci) – the only desert in Croatia

Born high in the Italian Alps, the Drava River flows 1000 meters through Austria and Slovenia before reaching Croatia. Any rock that falls on the same path is pulverized by the time it reaches here. Formed by deposited glacial sediments, the sandy banks of the Drava and Đurđevački pijesci testify to this. Urđevački pijesci are simply river sands that have been blown into this region by strong and persistent winds.

There was a time when people sought to tame this desert. As recently as the 20th century, an active process of sand afforestation was underway. And it was successful. While the Đurđevački pijesci today cover around 20 hectares, at one time they were known to extend for some 12 kilometers. In fact, the dunes were so vast that it was not uncommon for people, horses and carts to disappear into the desert. For this reason, the Croatian Sahara has earned the most sinister nickname of “Bloody Sands”.

In 1963 part of Đurđevački pijesci was declared a Special Geographical and Botanical Reserve. This protection now preserves the peculiarities of the vegetation here – only certain plants have been able to adapt to life in this desert. Among them are several endemic species. Over 30 distinct species of butterflies can be found in and around the area of the sands. They can be seen when visiting Đurđevački pijesci, as well as spectacular dunes.

Đurđevac Sands Visitors Center (Posjetiteljski centar Đurđevački pijesci)

In recent memory, the city’s Picokijada Interpretation Center has been one of Croatia’s most popular museums. Inspired by its immersive experience, the Đurđevac Sands visitor center is the next generation version. At the time of writing, this is possibly one of the most modern multimedia museum experiences in South East Europe.

On paper, a reception center dedicated to a geological irregularity doesn’t look so exciting. But, the Đurđevac Sands Visitor Center offers such a captivating experience, it’s easy to see why the kids don’t want to leave.

Your journey does not begin with a scientific explanation, but in the mysterious world of myths and folklore. In the attic, a projection space resembling a planetarium lets you discover the local legends on which the region is based. Subsequently, a series of rooms with different multimedia, augmented reality and interaction elements firmly hold your attention. At the end of the tour, you will not only discover the sands of Đurđevac and the Drava River, but also the diverse flora and fauna that live there.

Natural assets: Drava river

Although it does not cross the city, the Drava River shapes almost everything on Đurđevac. Certainly the river is part of the reason the city is here. It not only informs the river fish section of the local menu but also the wine list. The incredible white wines that are produced all around the city are the product of the sandy soil deposited by the river.

The river also offers the closest recreational escape for city residents. Located less than 10 kilometers away, there is plenty of room on the shores for local fishermen and guests. So also the children on horseback. Canoeing, rafting, and boating are great ways to see the river and its wildlife up close. If you want to learn more about the sights and activities available on the Drava River near Đurđevac, then have a look here.

Picokijada and the legend of the rooster (Legenda o picokima)

While the Old City Fort was not conquered by the Ottomans, that doesn’t mean the invaders didn’t try to defeat the city and those within its walls. In fact, on at least one occasion, they are said to have almost succeeded.

The Legend of the Rooster (Legenda o picokima) tells the story of the most famous encounter between Ottoman forces and the city. The story goes that the leader of the attacking forces, Ulama-beg, encountered such unexpected resistance that he was unable to take the city fortress. He opted for an alternative strategy. By besieging the old town of Đurđevac, he hoped to exhaust the resources of the population and end up starving them to submission.

It almost worked. As it is said, the long siege took a terrible toll on the city. The food inside the walls was all but gone. Saved by an elderly woman from the city, only a little rooster remained – in the Đurđevac dialect, a “picok”. It wasn’t enough to feed everyone inside. So, as a final roll of the dice, the old woman suggested that the rooster instead be put in a cannon and shot in the Ottoman camp.

Exhausted by the long siege, the Ottomans would have lost heart when they saw the bird shoot in their camp. If there was still so much food that those inside could freely scatter and mock, surely there was no end in sight? The ploy succeeded. Ulama-beg abandoned the siege and ordered a retreat from the battlefield, cursing the people of Đurđevac as “picoki” as he left. It’s a nickname they proudly keep to this day.

The Picokijada is an annual re-enactment of this legend and is one of the most important cultural events in Koprivnica-Križevci County. It has been held at the end of June since 1968 and now takes place over three full days.

Since 2006, the event has been protected as Croatia’s intangible cultural heritage. It has a cast of thousands and attracts many more thousands of visitors. Besides theater and legend, Picokijada offers sports, games, activities, a procession and a popular cake contest.

This article was produced with the cooperation of the Koprivnica-Križevci County Tourist Board. The author and Total Croatia News would like to sincerely thank Željko Car, Mato Zeman and Ivan Nemet for the kind permission to use their photographs here.

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