Exploring Sremski Karlovci and Novi Sad: Serbia's cultural and historical gems

euronews (in English)

In this episode of Balkan Trip we discover two new cities: Sremski Karlovci, known for its rich history, oldest grammar school and unique Bermet wine, and Novi Sad, chosen as the European Capital in 2022.

Transcript

00:00BALKAN TRIP

00:06Welcome to Balkan Trip.

00:08Balkan is a fascinating region that combines different cultures,

00:12while Serbia is full of natural beauties, historical signs,

00:15but also different styles in architecture.

00:17And when I mention architecture, somehow we forget about Srem's Karlovac,

00:21which is famous for that.

00:23However, this little place hides some more specialties.

00:25After Srem's Karlovac, we go to Novi Sad,

00:27that is, to the Petrovaradin Fortress,

00:29which I would say is the only one in the world that has a so-called Drunken Garden.

00:33Stay with us to find out what it's all about.

00:37Located between the green outcrops of the Fruška Gora and the Blue Danube,

00:41a little less than 80 kilometers north of Belgrade,

00:44Srem's Karlovac has a rich mixture of Serbian culture and spirituality,

00:48in its buildings of invaluable historical value.

00:52Thus, here, the gymnasium began its work on November 1, 1792,

00:57and soon after its foundation,

00:59it became a seat of Serbian prosperity, culture and spirituality.

01:03The Karlovac Gymnasium, in addition to bearing the title of the oldest in Serbia,

01:07is also protected by a real botanical treasure,

01:09the Volnev Herbarium, the oldest herbarium collection in the Balkans.

01:15It is quite invaluable a treasure in these areas,

01:20not only in Serbia, but also abroad.

01:22In the middle of the last century, after the Second World War,

01:25it was placed under protection.

01:27It is one of the first things to be placed under protection

01:30as a monument of culture.

01:32In addition to collecting various plants,

01:34Andrej Volni and Đacimo also collected wine in the vineyard,

01:37because Karlovac is a wine-growing region.

01:39We also found that herbarium with a vineyard,

01:42so it turned out that it is the oldest preserved in Spain,

01:46from the beginning of the 19th century, from 1804,

01:49and this one is from 1812.

01:53The Karlovac Gymnasium has a rich library

01:56with about 18,000 books.

01:58This is the oldest school library in Serbia.

02:01We have valuable old books here,

02:03from the 14th century,

02:05and the first edition of Vuk's Dictionary.

02:10Books with treasures of special value are preserved in the library.

02:15One of the most valuable books

02:17is the gift of King Aleksandar Obrenovic,

02:19the last king of the Obrenovic dynasty,

02:21which was presented to the library

02:23by the phototype edition of the Peaceful Gospel.

02:28If you are already in Sremskie Karlovci,

02:30do not miss the opportunity to try local wine.

02:32Of course, enjoy the gastronomic offer

02:34of this beautiful place.

02:37Ferment is a very important wine

02:39through the past centuries.

02:41It is deserved because the Sremski Karlovci

02:43were recognized and recognized

02:45on the European wine chart.

02:47The wine is very different

02:49from all these standard wines.

02:51Its consumers are people

02:53who do not only like wine,

02:55but even those who have never

02:57drunk wine in their lives,

02:59they also adore it.

03:01It is complex, 24 medicinal herbs.

03:03The secret in our family recipe

03:05is that no herb stands out.

03:09They say that the Bermet wine

03:12is the best in the world.

03:14So we asked someone

03:16who has been preparing

03:18this delicious cake for a long time.

03:20Traditional Karlovci kuglof

03:22is actually related to another brand,

03:24and that is Bermet.

03:26It was created in 2002

03:28at the first festival of kuglof.

03:30One of our colleagues wanted

03:32when the jury tried

03:34her piece of kuglof

03:36to tear a little

03:38and then instead of milk

03:40she put cinnamon

03:42and walnuts.

03:44Basically, all the recipes

03:46are about almonds or hazelnuts

03:48that we had until then,

03:50but she wanted to put walnuts

03:52because walnuts are somehow

03:54Karlovci.

03:56When you walk a little

03:58on Karlovci streets,

04:00almost every house

04:02has one big walnut.

04:04Girls say a little energy

04:06and everything will be fine.

04:10Karlovci

04:16It looks so good!

04:22It's great!

04:26Whether you are a lover of poetry,

04:28culture, history

04:30or just like to travel

04:32and try good wine,

04:34Serbian Karlovci

04:36will certainly charm you.

04:39We are 10 km north

04:41in Novi Sad,

04:43more precisely in Petrovaradin Fortress.

04:45With its beautiful panoramic view

04:47and turbulent military history,

04:49it hides the stories

04:51about some long-lost times.

04:53This fortress is recognized

04:55by one hour

04:57when the Cossacks were a little confused

04:59and changed their roles.

05:01The inhabitants of the lower town

05:03were paying taxes to the fortress.

05:05It is mostly known

05:07as the Fortress of Novi Sad.

05:09At that time,

05:11the hours were much more important.

05:13The soldiers of the Danube

05:15and the people of Novi Sad

05:17could see the time.

05:19Every hour,

05:21the guards of the soldiers

05:23were changing.

05:25The guards could work

05:27for one day

05:29and every day

05:31they had to get ready.

05:33Three heavy balls

05:36and every day

05:38one man,

05:40half a century old,

05:42was taking care of it.

05:44The whole story

05:46about the hour

05:48and Lajos Lukac

05:50is interesting.

05:52The Petrovaradin Fortress

05:54was put under the protection

05:56of the state in 1951

05:58as a monument

06:00of exceptional cultural

06:02and historical importance.

06:04If you come to Novi Sad,

06:06you must walk through the streets

06:08of this city,

06:10the second largest in Serbia,

06:12a city that proudly bore

06:14the epitaph and title

06:16of the European Capital of Culture

06:18in 2022.

06:20In the center of this city

06:22there is a meeting place,

06:24the church of the name of Marino.

06:26The inhabitants of Novi Sad

06:28say that it is located

06:30in front of the cathedral.

06:33There are many stories

06:35about love here.

06:37One of them

06:39is about a couple

06:41whose young wife

06:43was a policewoman

06:45from America.

06:47She was wearing a coat

06:49and a paragraph

06:51that said

06:53the cross of love

06:55that decorated

06:57the entrance door.

06:59The church was built

07:01in a neo-Gothic style

07:03with a tower 72 meters high.

07:05It was decorated

07:07by rich stained glass,

07:09viticulture,

07:11as well as altars

07:13built in Tyrol.

07:15This church is decorated

07:17by this beautiful view

07:19which is actually the third

07:21in a row,

07:23because before this church

07:25there were two churches.

07:27From those old churches

07:30you can see

07:32what sailors left

07:34to be preserved

07:36during their voyages.

07:42We got to know

07:44Bedny Tvin

07:46while exploring

07:48the oldest herbarium

07:50in the Balkans.

07:52We visited Novi Sad

07:54and Petrovaradin's church

07:56where we saw

07:58the most beautiful

08:00of all the churches

08:02in the Balkans.

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