Lipik is a town in western Slavonia, in the Požega-Slavonia County of northeastern Croatia. It is known for its spas, mineral water and Lipizzaner stables.
Settlements
The settlements included in the administrative area of Lipik include:[3]
Directly elected minority councils and representatives are tasked with consulting tasks for the local or regional authorities in which they are advocating for minority rights and interests, integration into public life and participation in the management of local affairs.[4] At the 2023 Croatian national minorities councils and representatives electionsCzechs, Serbs and Italians of Croatia each fulfilled legal requirements to elect 15 members minority council of the Town of Lipik but the elections for the Czech council were not held due to the lack of candidates.[5]
History
Lipik was occupied by Ottoman forces along with several other cities in Slavonia until its liberation in 1691.
In 1773, the warm waters of Lipik were described favorably by a Varaždin doctor. It continued to be used as a treatment spa for over a century, and in 1872, the first hotel was opened in the town. By 1920 the number of hotels grew to six. Spa treatment is still the major focus of economy for the town.
Lipik also hosts a Lipizzanstable that had been built in 1843 under the Habsburg monarchy. It had previously enjoyed state recognition in Yugoslavia between 1938 and the 1950s, when it was closed in favor of the stable in Lipica, Slovenia. It was reopened in 1981, but then during the Croatian War of Independence the horses were evacuated and taken to Novi Sad, Serbia, where they remained until their negotiated return in 2007.[7]
