Tambura is a plucked string instrument. There are different types of the instrument according to its size, form and number of strings. Tambura is not an autochthon, but a traditional instrument in Slavonia and Baranja (as well as Croatia). According to Buddhist mythology, the first tambura was made by Tamburu, the patron deity of music and musicians.
Since 1834 the Theological Seminary in Đakovo has been the centre of ideas of the Illyrian movement in this part of Slavonia. In 1841 the Assembly of Spiritual Youth was founded in Đakovo. Mato Topalović and Juraj Tordinac were among its members. The Assembly nurtured spiritual and patriotic music in addition to writing. It is common knowledge that in 1847 Osijek-born Pajo Kolarić established the first tambura ensemble (6 members) in Croatia. The fact that five years earlier (1842), the ensemble Illyrian Tabura Players had been established as a part of the Assembly of Spiritual Youth is not as widely known. In the same year, Topalović published the book Tamburaši ilirski (Illyrian Tabura Players) containing Slavonian folk songs in Osijek.
Today, Đakovo is known as a city with many tambura bands.