Rešetari Municipality – Churches, History and Traditions

Rešetari Municipality brings together historic churches, archaeological traces and cultural traditions. Its history spans from the medieval heritage of Zapolje and Adžamovci to the parish church in Rešetari, built in 1968. Traditional dances, cultural events and local customs also contribute to its diverse cultural character. When planning your visit, it is helpful to distinguish between places that are permanently located and dates for individual events.

Cultural history across the settlements

Traditional architectural heritage is associated with Rešetari, Bukovica, Drežnik, Gunjavci, Brđani, Adžamovci and Zapolje. Four cultural assets are registered in the municipality, including three protected tangible cultural assets. In Rešetari, the parish church of Christ the King was built in 1968. The old Church of St Nicholas in Zapolje points to a much earlier period: it is regarded as the surviving building in the settlement that recalls the Middle Ages, and is dated to the 13th to 15th centuries. It was mentioned in 1660 and restored in 1730.

Archaeological sites also reveal different periods. The Gradina site in Adžamovci contains finds from the Middle Ages. Puharina, near Zapolje, is registered as an archaeological site from antiquity and the Middle Ages. An old Catholic Church of St John in Rešetari is also documented for the year 1660.

Festivals, dance and poetry

Kolo na Medanu preserves and passes on the protected Drežnik šetano kolo, a traditional dance of the Posavina region. The fourth children's edition, held on 3 May 2025, featured children's games, Slavonian dances and songs. Rešetarački pleter has been held since 1988 as a gathering of Croatian minority cultural associations from European countries. Rešetarski susreti pjesnika has been held since 2002. If you are planning your stay around a festival, check the specific event date.

Local customs and wine

In 2021, Kestenijada was described as a recurring tradition featuring roasted chestnuts and the preparation of Kuhano vino (mulled wine). OPG Kraljić in Rešetari was a wine producer; a small wine academy was held in the producer's tasting room (as of 16 January 2016). If you plan to include this wine connection in your trip, check current visiting options in advance.

Landscape and getting around

Historically, Rešetari lies at the foot of a mountain and has a settlement layout that is not entirely linear. The settlement extended along the Rešetarica watercourse between the hills of Versela and Čerkenjca towards Gostinac. For road directions, state roads DC 313 and DC 316 connect Nova Gradiška with Rešetari.

A local cycling event route went from Rešetari to Bukovica and back. If a cycling event is the reason for your trip, check the date in advance.

Hiking trails in Brod-Posavina

The broader destination of Brod-Posavina has two listed hiking trails with different estimated durations. Strmac–Brezovo polje is 7.1 kilometres long and listed as a three-hour route. The circular trail around Lake Petnja is 18.8 kilometres long and takes five to six hours. This makes it easy to compare the time required for the two regional options.

Discover Rešetari: Rešetari. Discover more destinations: Velika Kopanica Municipality, Nova Kapela Municipality, Sibinj Municipality, Garčin Municipality, Brodski Stupnik Municipality, Oprisavci Municipality, Vrpolje Municipality.

Back to the broader travel overview: Brod-Posavina.