The Serbian city with a poetic name – Novi Sad – is truly a place where happiness lives. The region fills the heart with joy and paints lives in new, brighter colors. Perhaps, this is the most beautiful and picturesque city in the country. In summer, when the city hosts a popular music festival, music lingers on the streets of Novi Sad, making it even more charming and magnificent. Novi Sad quite drastically differs from other Serbian cities. This difference is easy to notice not only in architecture but also in the culture of local people, in cuisine, and even music. All tourists, who have visited Novi Sad at least once, mention the hospitality of local people and their cheerful, friendly behavior when they deal with foreign guests.
The first settlement on the site of Novi Sad appeared yet in the 18th century. Orthodox Christian Serbians were the first settlers in the area. That was a period of religious tensions, so Orthodox Christians were not allowed to settle in the territory of Catholic Petrovaradin located on the other side of the Danube. In 1748, Empress Maria Theresa gave a name to a new Serbian settlement. She called it Neoplanta, a Latin word meaning “a new garden”. The town started developing quickly, turning into an important center of trade and crafts.
The cathedral built in the name of Mary is one of the most notable attractions in Novi Sad. This is an important Catholic shrine. The cathedral was built at the end of the 19th century. It is not hard to find it because the church is located in the city center, on Liberty Square. In the past, there was a Roman church on the site of the modern cathedral, but that church was damaged during the revolution fights in 1848. Thanks to the money donated by rich citizens of Novi Sad, it became possible to build a new majestic cathedral on the site of that Roman church. Catholic Church of the Name of Mary opened forty-six years later and became the largest church in the city.
Nowadays, guests of Novi Sad are welcome to visit this major architectural landmark and admire the building with a sixty-meter-tall bell tower. This tower is easy to notice from different parts of the city. The design of the cathedral clearly has some Gothic traits. Beautiful stained-glass windows and colorful mosaics, which decorate the halls of the church, make the shrine even more sophisticated. Step inside the church to see a beautifully carved altar made of wood from Tyrol. The cathedral has a tiled roof. Nowadays, the Catholic Church of the Name of Mary hosts not only the divine service but also pipe organ music concerts.
How about learning more about the historic past of the Serbian region? In Novi Sad, tourists can visit the Museum of Vojvodina, which is often called the best museum in Serbia. The establishment exhibits various artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations, numerous items that tell the history of the region, and the development of art in Novi Sad. It took many years to make an interesting collection of entomologic and botanic exhibits. Geologists, paleontologists, and mineralogists have also contributed greatly – they discovered many historic treasures in the neighboring areas, and now everyone is welcome to see the result of their work. There are roughly forty hundred thousand different items in the collection of the Museum of Vojvodina.
To learn more about the history and art of Serbia, visit the hall with roughly seven thousand national artworks. In the opinion of many international art experts, the collection exhibited in the Museum of Vojvodina is the richest in the country. Don’t forget to take a look at the precious gravures of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. The historical hall with the old helms, weapons, various silk flags, centuries-old household items, jewelry, and antique clothes is, perhaps, the most interesting part of the museum. From time to time, the Museum of Vojvodina hosts an interesting event called “a Night in the Museum”.
Travelers can get to Novi Sad by air. The closest airport is located approximately seventy kilometers from Novi Sad, in the neighbor city of Belgrade. The taxi is the fastest way to get to “the Athens of Serbia” from the airport, and the bus is the most comfortable way. It is easy to reach Novi Sad by bus from any large Serbian city. When traveling by car, choose road E75 that connects Budapest to Belgrade.
Sightseeing in Serbia: things to see
The city of Novi Sad is a popular tourist destination. Here travelers are recommended to visit the Petrovaradin Fortress. The fortress is distinguished by a very peculiar feature - the medieval complex has a giant system of underground tunnels that are built on four levels. The total length of tunnels and labyrinths is 16km. The fortress has become a popular venue for various art exhibitions, where visitors can see works of modern authors and buy the artworks they like. There are several cozy restaurants on the spacious terrace in front of the fortress, which are perfect for rest after a long excursion and for observation of beautiful landscapes.
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