BJELOVAR’S HIROSHIMA
The Barutana Memorial Area, also known as “Bjelovar’s Hiroshima”, is one of the strongest reminders of the suffering during the Homeland War. Located in the Bedenik forest, in the northwestern part of Bjelovar, this area was renovated and opened in 2020 in order to permanently preserve the memory of the brave defenders who gave their lives in the fight for the liberation of the city.
The name “Bjelovar’s Hiroshima” comes from the big explosion that happened on 29 September 1991, when Croatian soldiers tried to take over the warehouse of war reserves of the 265th motorized brigade of the JNA. During the operation, Major Milan Tepić, refusing to surrender, activated mines set for chain mining. Fortunately, due to severed connections, only the southern warehouse exploded, but that explosion also left a 12-meter-deep crater and destroyed the forest within a radius of 60 meters, while another 150 meters of the area was additionally damaged. Instead of the planned 1,700 tons of explosives, several hundred exploded, but even that was enough to leave the area permanently marked.
Today, Barutana has been completely restored and includes a monument to fallen veterans, a chapel and an information and educational center. Visitors can go through an educational path with 14 information boards that follow the historical course of events, from the breakup of Yugoslavia to the final operations of the Homeland War. Within the complex, the T55 tank and the BVP M80 infantry fighting vehicle, used during the battles in September 1991, are on display.
Today, this place preserves the memories of the victims, and also serves as a place of education about the key moments of the Croatian struggle for independence. Every year on 29 September, the people of Bjelovar hold a solemn commemoration in honor of veterans.
