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In space Gašparč's magazine, a protected cultural property from the 19th century, is planned to open Brandy Museum which will interpret the tradition of distillation and connect local OPG producers with the tourist offer Zvelferija and Spačva Forests.
In the Municipality of Vrbanja, located in the heart of the Spačvan Forests in the east of Županja's Posavina, a new heritage and tourist attraction is planned to open - Brandy Museum, which should further enrich the tourist offer of this part of Slavonia.
The project will be implemented in cooperation with the Municipality of Vrbanja and the Vukovar-Srijem County, and has been included among the projects in Vukovar-Srijem County Destination Management Plan, a strategic document that defines the direction of sustainable tourism development in the area and enables project applications for national and European funds.
The brandy museum is planned to be set up in the space Gašparčeva magazine in the center of Vrbanja, a protected cultural property dating back to the late 19th century. The building was built by the Gašparac family for grain storage, and was used in that capacity until the 1980s. It is a historic purpose-built building with features of early industrial architecture that has retained many original elements to this day, such as wooden floors and beams, a wooden staircase, and metal shutters and window grilles.
The idea for the new purpose of the facility was developed in collaboration with the Vukovar-Srijem County Tourist Board, and is based on the strong local tradition of brandy production in this part of Slavonia.
"The common idea of both the Municipality and the Vukovar-Srijem County is that, given that we have a really long tradition of brandy making and significant brandy producers here, we should try to establish ourselves in that direction. Several of our registered OPGs have positioned themselves very well on the market due to their quality and quantity, and we have become recognizable in a way. And we would promote this domestic product, which is recognized and sought after, as one of the tourist attractions", emphasized the Mayor of the Municipality of Vrbanja Velimir Redl.
The Gašparčev magazin space, adds Redl, is suitable for multifunctional use: from a permanent museum exhibition and presentations to tastings of local brandies and presentations of local producers. The idea is for the Brandy Museum to become an interpretation point that will introduce visitors to the tradition of distillation in Slavonia, but also encourage visits to local family farms and the natural attractions of the Spačva Forest.
"We are in the preparatory phase, working on changing the project and adapting it to the Brandy Museum. In cooperation with the County, we will jointly push this idea, which we believe makes sense", concluded Redl.
The project is currently in the phase of preparing project documentation, and the Municipality of Vrbanja and the Vukovar-Srijem County plan to apply for the upcoming funding tenders. The goal is for the Brandy Museum to become an important part of the tourist offer in the future. Zvelferije and Spačva forests, a region that is increasingly developing its authentic rural and gastronomic-tourism story.
