NOVI SAD

Welcome to Novi Sad, to a city uniting many nations for many a century. Greetings to you are extended also bit the Danube and Fruska Gora with its rich vineyards, as well as by the Petrovaradin fortress, which looks over the city as if its guardian.

Novi Sad, as self-explained by its name, is a young and beautiful plant which has sprouted from old and strong roots and, therefore, it is no wonder that it houses Matica Srpska, The Serbian National Theatre and the University, with over twenty thousand students. Today, Novi Sad is a strong economic and cultural centre with a long democratic tradition. It is a city of wide boulevards as well as old narrow streets running through its very heart. It is said that the most difficult task awaiting for you in Novi Sad is to be its guest – because of its traditional hospitality, famous gourmandise, abundance of national dishes, good wine, music and restaurants. Novi sad is known as a tourist centre and the city of sports. Novisadians have always appreciated friends from all over the world. Therefore, Novi Sad keeps its gates open widely and lovingly to all people of goodwill!

To get to know the rich inheritance of the city, which has cumulated for centuries, it should be best to start from the Information centre of Novi Sad tourism organization located in Dunavska street 27. There you can find useful publications and information. We recommend the usual itinerary.

Those who are interested in illustrative reviews of cultural and historical values should visit the Vojvodinan Museum located nearby the Information Centre going towards the Danube.

Round the corner of Dunavska and Zmaj Jovina street, you will see the Orthodox Cathedral (erected in 1742) with the iconostasis painted by the famous painter Paja Jovanovic. The square holds the statue of Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj, a poet and humanist. Matica Srpska, with the reading-room and antique shop is a bit farther; it keeps documents of the written culture. Nikolajevska church is across the street. It was built in 1730, and, thus, it is the oldest one in Novi Sad.

Zmaj Jovina street leads t oTrg Slobode (the Square of Freedom) dominated by the statue of Svetozar Miletic (sculptured by Ivan Mestrovic), the Roman Catholic Church (constructed in 1895 in the neogothic style) and the Town Hall (constructed in the neorenaissance style).

From Trg Slobode one enters to Pozorisni Trg (the Theatre Square) holding the building of the Serbian National Theatre, Uspenska church (built in 1836) with the characteristics of baroque and the iconostasis painted by Vasa Ostojic and the Synagogue (1906) with extraordinarily acustic hall are in vicinity.

From Pozorisni Trg and the Central Post Office towards the Danube one walks along one of the most beautiful boulevards which is dominated by the building of the Assembly of Vojvodina, a master piece of Dragisa Brasovan, an architect.

Parallel to the Boulevard, in the tranquillity of Trg Galerija, impressive edifices are located, housing the Matica Srpska Art Gallery, the Pavle Beljanski Memorial Collection and the Rajko Mamuzic Memorial Collection, with representative pieces of Serbian painting from the XVIII, XIX and the first half of the XX century and copies of frescoes from monasteries in Fruska gora.

Sports and business centre is not far from the downtown. Ten hectares of modernly arranged in door space make a "city within city", offering plenty of possibilities for shopping, recreation, entertainment and refreshment.

Only the view the Petrovaridin fortress completes the impression of Novi Sad and makes it an unforgettable experience. The most complete entirety of the baroque architecture in Yugoslavia can be seen at the bottom of the fortress and the Franciscan monastery with one of the most beautiful churches. The central plateau of the fortress can be reached by climbing more than hundred of stairs, over which many centuries have stepped. There, one can see the Novi Sad Municipal Museum and the exhibition of outstanding specimens of flora and fauna of this climate presented in the Natural Sciences Museum. Underground military galleries represent a special challenge. Visitors, accompanied by guides, can walk along a part of 16 km long underground corridors, on which the time has stopped long ago.

At the sunset, the last sunrays and reflections of street lamps just lit interweave over the Danube. Delicious smells of culinary specialties and tamburitza sounds spread over the Varadin’s terraces and the city streets. The rosiness of the down quiets down the song. The magnificent picture of Novi Sad and large plain, which, walking up, is between a dream and awareness, announces a new day a day as if made for sight seeing.