Osijek's Dilapidated Manège Awaits Transformation into a Center
Josip Juraj Strossmayer University plans to renovate the protected cultural heritage site and turn it into a Center for Creative Industry and Cultural Tourism.
Josip Juraj Strossmayer University plans to renovate the protected cultural heritage site and turn it into a Center for Creative Industry and Cultural Tourism.
The building of the former Manège in Osijek's University campus, which has been deteriorating for years and drawing public attention with its ruinous state, could finally get a new purpose. The Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek has confirmed to SiB.hr that it plans an extensive reconstruction and repurposing of this historic building.
Vanja Grgec, a graduate civil engineer and university representative, emphasized that the administration is aware of the building's condition but also its value. "The University administration is aware of the building's condition and its value, and therefore its renovation is planned as one of the strategic goals of the University's Strategy," Grgec stated for SiB.hr.
To prevent further decay, all parts of the roof that posed an immediate risk of falling have been removed. The remaining deteriorated elements will be taken down during the renovation. Grgec warned that access to the building is extremely difficult and that any movement inside or near the structure is at one's own risk.
One of the key reasons why the renovation has not yet begun lies in the fact that the Manège was declared a protected cultural heritage site of the Republic of Croatia in 2018. The Ministry of Culture issued a protection order in November of that year, and the building was entered into the Register of Cultural Heritage under the designation Z-7225.
An additional complication is the building's location within the archaeological zone of Mursa, Pristanište, Vijenac Ivana Meštrovića. "Furthermore, it is located within the archaeological zone of Mursa, Pristanište, Vijenac Ivana Meštrovića, which requires archaeological research to be conducted before any earthworks. This means that static surveys of the building, investigative works, and architectural documentation of the current state cannot be carried out without prior archaeological-protective research," Grgec explained.
The former horse riding school, built before World War I during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, is expected to become a Center for Creative Industry and Cultural Tourism. On an area of approximately 2,325 square meters, a transformation into a modern multimedia center is planned.
"On an area of about 2,325 square meters, the building is planned to be repurposed into a modern multimedia center that would include a multipurpose hall for stage and theater programs, gallery spaces with seating and standing areas, dressing rooms, offices, sanitary facilities, and ancillary amenities. To realize this project, the University plans to apply for renovation funding through calls from the Ministry of Culture and Media and European Union funds," Grgec highlighted.
The first phase of reconstruction envisages extensive structural works to statically stabilize the building before repurposing. "The plan also includes strengthening the existing foundations and masonry columns, tying together load-bearing walls, removing deteriorated wooden ceilings and replacing them with reinforced concrete structures, removing the existing wooden roof structure, and constructing a completely new steel structure and roofing," Grgec concluded.
Interior renovation and repurposing of the Manège will only be possible after these works are completed. If the project is successful, the building that served over a hundred years ago for training cavalrymen and drilling military horses of the Austro-Hungarian army could transform from a symbol of decay into a new hub of culture and creativity in the city on the Drava.
