Around Novi Sad
Fruška Gora
Fruška Gora, the low mountain rich natural, cultural and historical attractionsis, is not far from Novi Sad. Most attractive places are up to twenty kilometers from Novi Sad.
Fruska Gora is a beautiful gift of nature in Vojovodina plain. It extends in length about 80 kilometers, between the Sava and Danube rivers. Due to its natural, cultural and historical significance, Fruska Gora had been proclaimed a national park in 1960.
The highest peak is Crveni cot, with height of 539 meters above sea level. Lower parts of this mountain are characterized by gentle meadows, wheat fields and vineyards, while higher parts are covered with dense deciduous forest of linden, hornbeam, oak, maple and other trees. Fruska Gora is one of the largest areas under linden forests in Europe. On this mountain you can find over 1400 different plant species, more than 30 species of orchids, truffles, medicinal and other plants.
Animal species are most numerous birds and the most interesting ones are Imperial Eagle, falcons, owls, finches and others. Some of wildlife animals that are present there are wild boar, Mouflon, pheasants, wild ducks, wild geese, and others.
Fruska Gora is the famous vineyard area, and the most famous are Karlovacka, Iriška, Slankamenska and other wines.
There are many roads that lead around and over Fruska Gora, so this mountain can be reached easily from either side. It is located about ten kilometers From Novi Sad, and about 50 kilometers from Belgrade. Fruska Gora is intersected by numerous creeks and springs of pure mountain water. At the foot of the mountain there are numerous lakes of which is the largest Borkovac lake, which is located between Irig and Ruma. Particularly attractive is lake Međeši, and other lakes such as Sotsko, Erdevičko, Moharač, Vranjoš, Dobrodolsko, Pavlovačko and others.
The highest parts of Fruska Gora are mostly visited by residents of Novi Sad and surrounding villages. There are many picnic areas like, Letenka, Osovlje, Crveni cot, Jabuka, Testera, Andrevlje, Popovica, Zmajevac and others. Picnic areas are most visited on weekends and holidays, when nature is a paradise for many tourists seeking relaxation and recreation.
There are a large number of cultural and historical monuments on Fruska Gora. The best known and most valuable are Fruška Gora monasteries, built by the despotic Brankovic family, continuing the cult of the old and famous Nemanjic state. This mountain, with numerous hidden valleys, was the perfect place for the establishment of monasteries.
Long time ago, there was 35 Serbian Orthodox monasteries on Fruska Gora, of which is now preserved 16 monasteries. A large number of monasteries are the reason that Fruska Gora will soon be declared as Holy Mountain Fruska Gora, just like the Holy Mountain of Athos and Sinai.
Monastery Krušedol is one of the most significant monasteries on Fruska Gora, founded by Despot Djordje Brankovic, at the period between the 1509 and 1512 year. The monastery was built as a mausoleum of Brankovic family, and all the family members are buried there. Monastery Krušedol is about 5 kilometers west of the old road Novi Sad-Belgrade. Throughout the history, monastery Krušedol suffered many destructions, in 1716 it was burned and destroyed, and the Brankovic family relics were desecrated (in the church today there are only relics of the mother Angelina and her son John). The monastery was restored in the mid-seventeenth century. Krušedol church is dedicated to the Annunciation of the St.Mary.
Novo Hopovo monastery is one of the most beautiful monasteries in Fruska Goge. It was first mentioned 1541. In the second half of the seventeenth century the Turks destroyed it several times, and it was rebuilt after their expulsion from these regions. Novo Hopovo monastery is located near the road Novi Sad-Irig. During the seventeenth century monastery Novo Hopovo the educational and cultural center of the Serbs, and for a while it was the center of the diocese. Dositej Obradovic, one of the major figures of Serbian culture and education and the second half of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuriy, spent some time in the monastery as a monk.
Monastery Grgeteg was built in 1471 by despot Vuk Brankovic, known as the Zmaj Ognjeni Vuk (Dragon Fire Wolf), for his blind father, Gregory, after whom the monastery was named. Grgeteg is located near the village of Neradin, fifteen miles from Irig. The monastery church dedicated to Saint Nicholas, and in it keeps the icon of the Mother of God Trojeručica, gift of the Hilandar monastery.
Near the monastery Grgeteg is located Perko’s farm, close the village Neradin. Small farm is a living museum of antiquities, furniture, household and agricultural tools in an authentic environment of farm, as well as more than 100 years.
In Vrdnik, the former mining village, about 20 km from Novi Sad there is a Vrdnik spa The sources of mineral water was built in a modern center for rehabilitation and recreation. Healing properties of water are suitable for rheumatic diseases, conditions after injuries or surgery on the locomotive organs. In the spa there is an outdoor swimming pool and an indoor therapeutic pool.
Monastery Vrdnik - Nova Ravanica is located near Vrdnik. It is believed that it is built in the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century. During the Austrian-Turkish conflict, the monastery was robed and ruined and on its ruins, after the Great Migrations, monks came from monastery Ravanica from South Serbia. The monks have restored the monastery and brought there all the treasures and relics of Prince Lazar from monastery Ravanica, that was repeatedly moved from place to place. Today, the relics of Prince Lazar located in the Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade.
Near the village are the ruins of medieval Vrdnik tower.
West of Vrdnik village is a still active female Jazak monastery. The monastery church dedicated to Holy Spirit and is considered the most beautiful church architecture in Fruska Gora. Particular artistic values are three thrones, the throne of Emperor Uros, Virgin's throne and the Bishops throne.
In the village Jazak there is a nicely preserved and decorated ethno house and residents of the village cultivate habits of this region and organize a number of ethnographic events and venues.
On Fruska Gora there are numerous monuments that were built in the memory of the liberation war participants from 1941. to 1945. Most glorious is monument on Iriski venac that is built in memory of all victims of Vojvodina in the Second World War. The monument is the work of Sreten Stojanovic and it is built in 1951.
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