„When I climbed upon these rocks, my soul could not feast enough on the view on this valley… This place I chose for my viewpoint of the upcoming ages.“ – count Josip Janković
Noble who valued nature and peace
Janković was royal chamberlain of the Vienna court, romantic and nature lover. Last 20 years of his life he chose to live on the mountain Papuk in Slavonija, near village Jankovac. And as he wished, he died there in 1861. at the age of 81.
His tomb was built in a cave above the lake. Although modest in design, this tomb exudes with nobility. In the middle there is sarcofagus made from red marble with scripture on it in hungarian and slavic cirilic letters: „Josip noble Janković from Pribird and Voćin, subject of emperor Leopold. Decorated chevalier and royal chamberlain. Born 15. of January 1780. Died in 1861. May he be remembered forever.“
Jankovac trip area and tomb of count Janković.
Deeper in the cave, there is small altar with candelabrum.
Everyone who enters the cave can sense that this is a resting place of a man with dignity but man who value nature and peace that it brings above else.
Near cave Janković built his castle where he welcomed noblemen from Vienna. He also built two lakes with trouts and waterfall Skakavac which is tallest in Slavonija.
Above Janković’s cave there is another one named Maksim’s cave by the brigand Maksim Bojanić who used it as his hideout.
Jankovac 
Jankovac 
Jankovac 
Skakavac waterfall
Gallery source: Croatian Tourist Board.
Gallery authors: top row Ivo Biočina, second row Bojan Haron Markičević
The curse
A few years after his death, tomb raiders desecrated Janković’s final resting place. They destroyed his sarcophagus in search for treasure. But instead of finding it they awoke his curse. First, original castle was destroyed. Then in 1934. mountaineers from Osijek built their mountain home which Germans burnt to the ground on the New Year in 1943. Third mountain home was built in 1951. He was burnt on New Years eve in 1986. Another attempt was made year after but that building was razed and destroyed in 1991. Today, foresters and mountaineers from Osijek and Našice built a modern mountain house with ten bedrooms and complete hotel and restaurant service.
Background image taken from: www.mapio.net
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