GENERAL INFORMATION

Novi Sad – short history
 

Novi Sad is the second largest city in Serbia and only an hour’s drive from Belgrade. Although it has never entered any competition for the most beautiful town in the country, if such a contest existed, it could easily win the Grand Prix. Novi Sad also owes its beauty and grace to its inhabitants who in this era of fast communications have preserved the tranquility of lowlanders and natural kindness. Under the Petrovaradin Rock, a little Pannonia hill of Mt. Fruska Gora, a young town on the Danube was born – Novi Sad, in existence for a little bit over 300 years. The first references to it date from 1694, two years after the construction of Austria’s Petrovaradin Fortress had begun. There, at the ”Gibraltar of the Danube”, on the 1,255th kilometer of this river, the medieval Hapsburg monarchy had risen from the ashes by building this Fortress, after the Turkish siege of Vienna in 1683 had been fought off. In the place where the three rivers meet – the Danube, the Tisa, and the Sava, and so do three civilizations – those of Christian East and of Christian West and of Islam, many ethnic and religious communities found shelter and sanctuary. The place saw the Gepids, Huns, Avars, Slavs, Germanic peoples, Magyars, Byzantines, Turks… On the Petrovaradin Rock, Romans had erected a fortress, which was later rebuilt by the Hungarians and kept by the Turks. After the Turks had been expelled at the end of the 17th century, the Austrians built a bridgehead facing the fortress, on the left, marshy bank of the Danube, around which a settlement of soldiers, merchants, and tradesmen developed. In the beginning, the settlement was named Racko Selo (’Serbian Village’), and later Petrovaradinski Sanac (’Petrovaradin Trench’).

As the town grew, after the wars had ended in the early 18th century, the townspeople, eager to get their freedom, succeeded in gaining the status of a FREE ROYAL CITY, after paying a buy-off amount of 80,000 Forint. The status was granted by Empress Maria Theresa, and the name acquired was, in Serbian version, NOVI SAD. The date was February 1, 1748.

From the very beginning, Novi Sad was a multiethnic town. Serbs have always made the majority of its population, but there were others, too: Germans, Hungarians, Croats, Slovaks, Ruthenias, Greeks, Tzintzars, Jews, Armenians, Romanians, Roma people and others. This multicultural image has not changed. In the 18th century, a traveler wrote about Novi Sad: ”The town is a remarkable example of what tolerance and trade can result in.” From 1748 onwards, a freely elected Magistrate ruled the town. At the said time, Novi Sad had 4,620 inhabitants. According to an agreement made between the Serbs and other citizens, Orthodox and Catholic representatives alternately held the main offices in city administration. In early 19th century, Serbian educator and a language reformer Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic said that Novi Sad was the largest Serbian opscestvo (Serbian municipality) worldwide.

During the 1848-49 Revolution, the town was bombarded and devastated. With marvellous strength, its citizens rebuilt it and, combining the Baroque with other architectural styles, turned it into a ”Serbian Athens” in the second half of the 19th century, After the First World War and the breakdown of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Novi Sad – with the rest of Vojvodina – made a historic decision, one to become part of Serbia, which implied entry into the newly-founded Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians, renamed as Yugoslavia in 1929.

In the 20th century, Novi Sad continued its unpretentious cultural and economic growth along the Danube’s banks, to develop into a modern European city with boulevards and huge buildings, such as the magnificent Banovina Palace (government building), one of its landmarks. After the tragic events of the Second World War and great human loss, Novi Sad grew rapidly and expanded in all directions.

Main attractions

At this intersection of waterways, land routes and commercial channels, at this meeting place of different cultures and civilizations, of European-style and Oriental style trade, fairs have been organized since the 19th century. It was on this tradition of a market-centre that the Novi Sad Fair Company was founded and has been organizing fairs of European wide reputation throughout the years. The city life of Novi Sad would be lacking in events without cafes and parties, but also without some cultural traditions. The atmosphere of famed old coffeehouses is still felt in Novi Sad. However, modern ways of life have introduced new traditions. Novi Sad hosts the Theatre Festival “Sterijino Pozorje”, “Zmaj” Children’s Festival (“Zmajeve decje igre”), Poets’ Encounters “Brankovo kolo”, the Novi Sad Musical Festivities (NOMUS), “Vojvodjanska tamburica”, and, of recently, the international EXIT Festival on the Petrovaradin Fortress, as well as the Street Musicians’ Festival. The citizens of Novi Sad have been engaged in sports activities from the time their hometown was founded. The oldest popular sports are horse-riding, shooting and rowing. In modern times, the people of Novi Sad began practicing new, Olympic sport disciplines, and have won a large number of medals. The ”Novi Sad Marathon” is held every autumn, while late spring features the Fruska Gora Marathon on the right side of the Danube. The locals usually spend summertime on the bank of the Danube, particularly at them well-known beach called Strand.

Among the many tourist attractions we would like to single out:

THE DANUBE is one of the distinguishing features of Novi Sad from the aspect of tourism, especially the famous ‘corso’ the “Belgrade Quay”, as well as numerous beaches along the shore, especially the most beautiful and well maintained “Shtrand” («Štrand») which stretches on a 10ha surface with all the supplemental content. The riverside, is also a significant habitat for birds, some of which like the Kovil-Petrovaradin («Коviljsko-petrovaradinski») Isle, are special nature reserves, and are of international significance.

THE PETROVARADIN FORTRESS: Covering an area of 122ha, built in the 17th and 18th century, it represents a cultural-historical monument. Located within the fortress are the Museum of the City of Novi Sad, the Academy of the Arts, the Observatory as well as the Archives of the City, also it is at this very place, traditionally, in the month of July, that the EXIT Music Festival takes place, proclaimed to be the best in Europe.

THE OLD CITY: The architecture of the city represents a mixture of several different styles. The oldest house “At the White Lion” was built in long ago 1740. The city streets boast several beautiful palaces from the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century: “Tanurdziceva”, “Menratova”, “Vatikan”, “Klajnova”, etc. as well as sacral architecture belonging to different confessions.

CHURCHES & SYNAGOGUE: Novi Sad has a picturesque centre, and its old streets with the orthodox, catholic, protestant churches, as well as the synagogue, testify of cultural and religious diversity in this region.

FRUŠKA GORA and the MONASTERIES: Fruška Gora with its national park of about 25.000ha, where 17 Orthodox monasteries can be found (founded in the period from the 15th to 18th century as pious endowments of Serbian despots), with forested areas, rare plant and wildlife, nature reserves, numerous lakes (14 in total), mountain trails (about 800km of marked paths), complete with mountaineers homes and a hotel, is located partly in the Novi Sad district and represents one of the tourist destinations with the most content in the out lazing areas of the Danube.

‘SALASHI‘: The “Salashi” with their authentic appearance remind us of past, romantic times, of rural hamlets of the Pannonia. Today they are keepers of time and a traditional way of life, and as such are attract the attention of tourists. Salash hamlets in the territory of Novi Sad are situated on “Cheney” («Čenej»), in Veternik, “Begech” («Begeč») and “Katchki atar” («Kački atar»).

Gastronomy

Serbian cuisine is a reflection of the historical circumstances this country has been exposed to throughout the centuries - a combination of various culinary influences prepared in an entirely unique and original way. Variety of cousin is present in Novi Sad due to its ethnic diversity. The most popular are traditional cooked or grilled meals in numerous of restaurants
(http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g295380-Novi_Sad_Vojvodina.html)

The food served in restaurants is healthy and completely organic - with no genetically modified products or artificial flavorings, and the portions tend to be large. Most meals are prepared with a considerable amount of meat, and served with a variety of vegetables. ‘Home-cooked’ meals tend to be spicier. For going out, very popular are fish-restaurants, charda, where various meals out of different sorts of river fish are served. Italian pizza restaurants are also frequently visited by young population, especially. There are also a number of restaurants with Chinese food and other national cousins.

Map of Novi Sad