NOVI SAD ON THE PALM OF YOUR HAND

Introduction

Welcome to Novi Sad, welcome to “Serbian Athens”, hospitable and beautiful city, where cheerful citizens welcome their guests with open hearts, honestly and in a friendly way. Novi Sad is the capital of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, its economic, cultural, scientific, educational, health and administrative center with nearly 320.000 inhabitants. The city is situated on the left bank of the Danube River in South Backa.

At the end of 17th century, on a reef of Fruska gora mountain, on the right bank of the Danube, the construction of Petrovaradin Fortress started. Soon around the trench, a smallish settlement of tradesmen, fishermen, craftsmen and boatmen was formed. Meanwhile, by 1780, the largest military fortification of Austrian Empire “ The Petrovaradin Fortress” – “The Gibraltar on the Danube” was completed. Parallel to the construction, the broadening of the settlement opposite the Fortress was evident. It was named with different names: Neoplanta, Ujvidégh, Neysatz and finally on February 1, 1748 it got the name of Novi Sad, when its inhabitants paid 95.000 forints to Vienna in order to obtain the status of a free royal city.

Novi Sad is also called “Serbian Athens”, what is specially emphasized by its citizens. It is the city of education, culture, museums, galleries, libraries and theaters. In 1790 Emanuel Jankoviæ brought the first printing press and opened the bookshop according to European standard. Serbian Orthodox Great Grammar School (the second among the Serbs, after Karlovacka Grammar School, 1791) was founded in 1810. One of the teachers, Georgije Magaraseviæ, launched in 1824 a magazine “The Serbian Journal”, published nowadays under the name “The Matica srpska Journal” as the oldest “alive” literature journal in the world. In Novi Sad in 1861, Serbian National Theater, the oldest professional theater in Yugoslavia, was founded. Matica srpska, educational, cultural, and scientific institution was founded in 1826 in Budapest, and moved to Novi Sad in 1864.

Cultural and historical development of Novi Sad contributed to formation of architectural tourist values, which form complex units of monumental and artistic character. The largest number of the values is concentrated in the central, old city part (Zmaj Jovina St. and Dunavska St.), today forming a unique ambience from which traffic was banned. Recognizable features of this part of the city are the buildings built in 18th and 19th century. The oldest building in the city is White Lion’s House, built at the corner of Zmaj Jovina St. and Dunavska St. in 1720.

Of special value as well is The City Hall, old building of Municipal Assembly, built in neo-renaissance style at the Square of Liberty in 1894, by the project of Molnár György. The most valuable room is the auditorium on the first floor with paintings of Pavle Ruzicka. In 1907 the bell with the image of St. Florian, the city protector at that time, was placed in the high tower.

The building of the Museum of Vojvodina is also important. It was formerly the Court in Dunavska St., built in 1900 by the project of Vágner Gyula.

Worth mentioning are also the following buildings: “Yugoslav Army House” (today Vojvodjanska Bank), Tanurdziæ’s Palace (residential and business building, built in 1933-34), Grammar School “Jovan Jovanoviæ Zmaj” (built in 1910, by the project of Vladimir Nikoliæ), Bishop’s Palace of Baèka Eparchy (with elements of Serbian, Byzantine and Mavar style from 1901) and Matica srpska (built in 1912 by the project of Momcilo Tapavica). “Plebanija” in Catholic churchyard was built in 1808 and today represents a rare monument of old architecture. When entering the city from Varadinski Bridge, two buildings are perceived: first, Workers’ House (built in 1931 by the project of Dragisa Brasovan, with the statue of a worker at the front, carved by Toma Roksandiæ), and then Province Government and Assembly (formerly Civil Governor’s House, having the characteristics of monumental building, built between 1936 and 1939, by the project of Dragisa Brasovan too. Its exterior is covered in marble from the island of Brac, whereas the central hall and staircase are covered in Italian stone from Carara. Its interior consists of wide corridors from which large business premises are entered.)

The Home of Culture, formerly the house of Serbian National Theater until it got its own building, was built according to the project of Djordje Tabakoviæ in 1938. Today it is the house of Youth Theater and Toy Theater. However, an important component of monumental values of the city are the buildings and complexes built in modern time: Serbian National Theater building (by the project of Victor Jackijevic, a polish architect), Sports and Business Center Vojvodina (an attractive complex made of metal, glass, concrete and marble covering the area of 65.000m2 for sports and recreation activities: tennis, swimming pools, ice-rink, Large Hall for 10.000 spectators, Small Hall for 1.200 spectators and additional 20 hectares where the stadium of FC Vojvodina was built), Central Post Office, Railway Station Building (built in 1964 by the project of Imre Farkas), NIS headquarters (completed in 1998 by the project of Aleksandar Kekoviæ) and etc.

There are several churches in the city, famous for their monumental value, architecture, valuable interior and collections of artistic and historical importance. Fast economic, cultural and educational progress with national, religious and language variety in the background influenced building of different churches in Novi Sad, for it was the religious center, too.

The churches in the city were built gradually, the first were built of available material at that time: boards, and reed e.g., and stone was used for the floor construction. According to tradition, the first Orthodox Church of Saint George dates back to 1700. Since 1708 in Novi Sad (“Trench” at that time) has been the seat of Backa’ Bishop. The first stone and brick made Saborna Church was built in the 18th century (1742) during the reign of queen Maria Teresa, but today’s appearance it got by the project of Mihail Harminac, an architect from Budapest in 1902-1905, while Mitrofan Seviæ was the Bishop). Iconostasis was made by a famous Serbian painter Paja Jovanovic in Vienna, and wall compositions were made by Stevan Aleksic, whereas the stained glass windows were done by Imre Zeler from Budapest. All the present Orthodox churches in the city were built by 1748: Saborna with Bishop’s Palace, Almaška, Uspenska and Nikolajevska.

The last one, the temple of relics of Saint Father Nikolaj, was the only that preserved its basic look and it is considered the oldest Orthodox church in the city. It was built in 1730 in baroque style. After it had been damaged during bombing in 1849 it was renewed by donations of Jovan and Marija Trandafil who were later buried there. Iconostasis was made by Pavle Simic in 1862 with the influence of Nazarene painting. It is an interesting fact that the sons of Mileva and Albert Einstein, Albert and Edward were baptized in this church in 1913. Uspenska Church is the temple of Holy Mother of God Assumption built in baroque style in 1736 and renewed several times. It got its present looks in about 1780. The painting works were done by Janko Halkozoviæ and Vasa Ostojiæ. Special features of this temple are the iconostasis and its carvings, then the carvings of the Mother of God throne, Archpriest’s throne and church’s furniture carved by the Gavriloviæ family. Almaška Church, with classical baroque portal carved in wood by Aksentije Markoviæ, was built in 1797. The bell tower is on the west, and façades are ornamented as well as the interior. The icons were done by Arsenije Teodoroviæ in 1825, who was buried in the churchyard. Of special value is the icon of the Holy Mother of God, the work of Uros Prediæ, a painter in 1905.

Roman Catholic Church “The Name of Mary” dominates the city center and the Square of Liberty. It was built in 19th century, 1894 in neo-gothic style, by the project of Molnár György, whose bust is situated in the church next to the door in a niche. The church is a three-nave building, with gothic arches, supported by thin and tall pillars. Altar is ornamented by carved wood from Tyrol and the windows with stained glass from Budapest, whereas the roof tiles were made of Zsolnay ceramics.

Synagogue, built in 1906 by the project of Lipót Baumhorn, dominates Jevrejska St. Nowadays religious ceremonies are not served in it, but it is used as a concert hall, owing to its acoustics. In Novi Sad there are numerous monuments and busts devoted to great events and eminent people from Yugoslav and city’s history.

From sculptures and works of art, the most significant are: monument of Svetozar Miletiæ in the city center; sculptures of Jovan Jovanoviæ Zmaj in Zmaj Jovina St., Djura Jaksiæ and Branko Radièeviæ in Dunavski park; busts of Serbian writers; Monument of the Victims of the Fascist Raid in Dunavski quay; numerous sculptures under the name “Doe deer”, works of Jovan Soldatoviæ, placed at the Petrovaradin Fortress.

NOVI SAD NA DLANU - KULTURA, TURIZAM I ODRŽIVI RAZVOJ

Dobro došli u Novi Sad, dobro došli u Srpsku Atinu, gostoljubivi i lep grad, gde Vas graðani, vedri i raspoloženi, doèekuju otvorena srca iskreno i prijateljski. Novi Sad je glavni grad AP Vojvodine, privredni, kulturni, nauèni, obrazovni, zdravstveni, administrativni centar sa blizu 320.000 stanovnika. Grad se smestio pored leve obale Dunava u južnoj baèkoj.

Krajem XVII veka na grabenu Fruške gore, nad desnom obalom Dunava, poèinje gradnja Petrovaradinske tvrðave. Ubrzo oko šanca formiralo se manje naselje trgovaca, ribara, zanatlija i laðara. U meðuvremenu, do 1780. godine, završeno je najveæe vojno utvrðenje tadašnje Austrijske carevine Petrovaradinska tvrðava-‘’Gibraltar na Dunavu’’. Gradnju tvrðave pratilo je širenje naselja na suprotnoj obali Dunava, oznaèeno raznim imenima - Neoplanta, Ujvidek, Neusatz, da bi 1. februara 1748. godine dobio ime Novi Sad. Tada su njegovi žitelji platili beèkom dvoru 95.000 ondašnjih forinti za dobijanje statusa slobodnog grada.

Novi Sas je poneo ime Srpska Atina. Žitelji ovog grada to posebno istièu. On je grad prosvete, kulture, grad muzeja, galerija, biblioteka i pozorišta, Godine 1790. Emanuel Jankoviæ doneo je prvu štampariju i otvorio knjižaru po evropskim uzorima. Srpska pravoslavna Velika gimnazija (druga kod Srba, posle Karlovaèke 1791. godine) osnovana je 1810. godine. Jedan od profesora ove gimnazije, Georgije Magaraševiæ, pokrenuo je 1824. godine èasopis "Serbski letopis", koji i danas izlazi pod imenom ‘’Letopis Matice srpske’’ kao najstariji ‘’živi’’ književni èasopis u svetu. U Novom Sadu je 1861. godine osnovano Srpsko narodno pozorište, najstariji jugoslovenski profesionalni teatar. Matica srpska, prosvetna, kulturna i nauèna institucija, osnovana 1826. godine u Budimpešti, deluje u Novom Sadu od 1864. godine.

Kulturno-istorijski razvoj Novog Sada znatno je doprineo formiranju arhitektonskih turistièkih vrednosti koje èine kompleksne celine spomenièko-umetnièkog karaktera. Najveèi broj ovakvih vrednosti vezan je za centralni, stari deo grada koji danas u delu Zmaj Jovine i Dunavske ulice predstavlja jedinstvenu ambijentalnu celinu u kojoj je zabranjeno funkcionisanje saobraæaja. Prepoznatljivost ovog dela grada uoèava se pretežno na zgradama graðenim tokom XVIII i XIX veka.

Najstarija graðevina u gradu je kuæa kod Belog lava, na uglu Zmaj Jovine i Dunavske ulice, iz 1720. godine. Posebnu vrednost predstavlja Gradska kuæa, stara zgrada Opštinske skupštine, na Trgu slobode, podignuta u neorenesansnom stilu 1894. godine, po projektu arhitekte Ðerða Molnara. Najvrednija prostorija je Sveèana sala na prvom spratu sa zidnim slikama Pavla Ružièke. U tornju je 1907. godine postavljeno zvono sa slikom Svetog Florijana, tadašnjeg zaštitnika grada.

Znaèajna je i zgrada Vojvoðanskog muzeja, nekadašnji Sud, u Dunavskoj ulici, izgraðena 1900. godine, po projektu Ðule Vagnera.

Ovde još treba izdvojiti zgrade Doma Vojske Jugoslavije, Novosadske štedionice, danas Vojvoðanske banke, Tanurdžiæevu palatu, stambeno-poslovni objekat, graðenu 1933/34. godine, zgradu gimnazije ‘’Jovan Jovanoviæ Zmaj’’, podignutu 1910. godine, po projektu arhitekte Vladimira Nikoliæa, Vladièin dvor Baèke eparhije, sa elementima srpsko-vizantijskog i mavarskog stila iz 1901. godine, delo istog arhitekte, kao i zgradu Matice srpske iz 1912. godine koju je projektovao arhitekta Momèilo Tapavica.

Plebanija u Katolièkoj porti, sagraðena je 1808. godine, èuva se kao redak spomenik stare arhitekture. Kada se ulazi u grad sa Varadinskog mosta, zapažaju se Radnièki dom sagraðen 1931. godine po projektu Dragiše Brašovana, sa figurom radnika na proèelju, koju je izvajao Toma Roksandiæ, zatim palata Izvršnog veæa, ranije Banska palata, koja se odlikuje izrezitom monumentalnošæu, graðena u periodu 1936-1939. godine. Ona je takoðe delo arhitekte Dragiše Brašovana. Spolja je obložena mermerom sa ostrva Braèa. Enterijer zgrade èine široki hodnici iz kojih se ulazi u prostrane poslovne prostorije, a centralni hol je obložen kamenom iz Karare.

Dom kulture, u kome je do izgradnje sopstvene zgrade bilo smešteno Srpsko narodno pozorište, podignut je po projektu Ðorða Tabakoviæa, 1938. godine. U njemu su sada Pozorište mladih i Lutkarsko pozorište.

Pored toga, znaèajnu komponentu spomenièkih vrednosti grada èine pojedinaène zgrade i kompleksi graðeni u novije vreme: zgrada Srpskog narodnog pozorišta, koju je projektovao Viktor Jackijeviæ, poljski arhitekta, Sportski i poslovni centar Vojvodina, atraktivna graðevina metala, stakla, betona i mermera koja se prostire na 65.000 m2 i deo kompleksa od 20 hektara, u kome su i stadion FK ‘’Vojvodina’’ i prostori za sportske i rekreativne sadržaje-teniska igrališta, bazeni, klizalište i drugo, sa velikom dvoranom koja može da primi do 10.000 gledalaca i malom dvoranom za 1.200 gledalaca. Zatim, zgrada Pošte, zgrada Železnièke stanice raðena po projektu Imre Farkaša 1964. godine, upravna zgrada NIS-a završena 1998. godine po projektu Aleksandra Kekoviæa...

U gradu se nalazi nekoliko crkava koje se karakterišu monumentalnošæu, arhitektonskim sklopom, vrednom unutrašnjošæu i zbirkama predmeta umetnièko-istorijskog znaèaja. Nagli ekonomski, kulturni i prosvetni razvoj, a uz to nacionalno, versko i jezièko šarenilo, uticali su i na to da se u Novom Sadu, i koa verskom središtu, podižu mnoge bogomolje verskih zajednica.

Crkve u gradu su graðene u slojevima, tako da su prve podizane od priruènog materijala: dasaka, trske, sa podom od kamena.

Prema predanju, prva pravoslavna crkva Svetog velikomuèenika Georgija, saborni hram, postoji još od 1700. godine. Od 1708. godine je u Novom Sadu (tada Šancu) sedište Baèkog vladike. Zidani Saborni hram graðen je polovinom XVIII veka, 1742. godine, za vreme vladavine carice Marije Terezije, a sadašnji izgled je dobio projektom arhitekte iz Budimpešte, Mihaila Harminca, 1902-1905. godine, u vreme vladike Mitrofana Ševiæa. Ikonostas je uradio èuveni srpski slikar Paja Jovanoviæ u Beèu, a zidne kompozicije slikar Stevan Aleksiæ, dok su vitraži na prozorima delo Imre Želera iz Budimpešte.

Do 1748. godine u gradu æe biti podignuti svi i danas postojeæi pravoslavni hramovi-Saborni sa Vladièanskim dvorom, Almaški, Uspenski i Nikolajevski.

Ovaj poslednji, hram moštiju Svetog Oca Nikolaja, Nikolajevska crkva, u svom osnovnom graditeljskom korpusu, jedini je saèuvan bez znatnih promena, zbog èega se smatra najstarijim pravoslavnim hramom u gradu. Zidan je 1730. godine sa karakteristikama baroka. Kada je ošteæen u bombardovanju, sa Petrovaradinske tvrðave 1849. godine, obnovili su ga Jovan i Marija Trandafil koji su tu i sahranjeni. Ikonostas u crkvi uradio je pod uticajem nazarenskog slikarstva, Pavle Simiæ 1862. godine. Zanimljivo je da su u ovoj crkvi kršteni sinovi Mileve i Alberta Anštajna, Albert i Eduard, 1913. godine.

Uspenska crkva, hram Uspenja Presvete Bogorodice, izgraðen je 1736. godine u barokno stilu i više puta obnavljana. Svoj današnji izgled je dobila oko 1780. godine. Slikarske radove u crkvi su izveli Janko Halkozoviæ i Vasa Ostojiæ. Posebnost ovog hrama èine sam ikonostas i njegova rezbarija, zatim rezbarija bogorodièinog trona, arhijerejskog prestola i crkvenog nameštaja rezbaratora porodice Gavriloviæ.

Almaška crkva, sa klasiènim baroknim portalom u duborezu koji je radio Aksentije Markoviæ, podignuta je 1797. godine. Zvonik je na zapadnoj strani, a fasade su bogato dekorisane kao i unutrašnjost hrama. Ikone u njoj su rad Arsenija Teodoroviæa iz 1825. godine, koji je u porti hrama i sahranjen. Posebnu vrednost crkvi daje ikona Presvete Bogorodice, rad slikara Uroša Prediæa iz 1905. godine.

Gradskim centrom, odnosno Trgom slobode dominira Rimokatolièka parohijska crkva Župa imena Marijina, graðena krajem XIX veka, 1894. godine u neogotskom stilu, po projektu arhitekte Ðerða Molnara, èija se mermerna bista nalazi odmah iza vrata u jednoj niši. Crkva je trobrodna, sa gotskim svodovima, koje drže vitki i visoki stubovi. Oltar je ukrašen tirolskom rezbarijom, prozori peštanskim vitražima, a krov je raðen u žolnai keramici.

U Jevrejskoj ulici arhitektonskim sklopom i velièinom izdvajaju se Sinagoga iz 1906. godine, raðena po projektu Lipota Baumhorna. Danas se u njoj ne vrše religiozni obredi, a zbog visoke unutrašnje akustiènosti se koristi kao koncertna dvorana. U Novom Sadu postoji veæi broj spomenika i bista posveæenih velikim dogaðajima i pojedincima iz njegove i jugoslovenske istorije.

Od vajarskih i umetnièkim vrednosti znaèajni su - spomenik Svetozaru Miletiæu u centru grada, skulpture Jovana Jovanoviæa Zmaja u Zmaj Jovinoj ulici, Ðure Jakšiæa i Branka Radièeviæa u Dunavskom parku, biste srpskih književnika, Spomenik žrtvama fašistièkog terora na Dunavskom keju, veæi broj skulptura pod zajednièkim imenom Srne, radovi Jovana Soldatoviæa, postavljeni na Petrovaradinskoj tvrðavi.