highlights

 

It is said that there is no town in Serbia with so many bridges as Zrenjanin. There is a rumor that there are more than twenty of them – big and small, made of concrete or metal, suspension bridges and any other kinds you can imagine! Sloboda Square with baroque Municipal House, extraordinary red roofed cathedral and pedestrian street which represents the very heart of the Old Town, a palace where the Court is placed nowadays, Reformation Gothic Church that is slowly decaying and in a matter of years will no longer stand. Fortress Ecka nearby the town will make the moments spent in this old Banat town pleasant and interesting.

 

 

history

 

The oldest written information about Zrenjanin, once called Veliki Beckerek, originates from 14th century when this, in that time large village, was populated mostly by Hungarian peasants. At the end of 14th century, during reign of Louis the Great waves of Serbian migrants came from the South.

In the year 1403 Beckerek comes into possesion of despot Stefan Lazarevic who fought the Turks as Hungarian vassal.

In the year 1551 Turks, led by Mehmed-Pasha Sokolovic, conquered the town and it stays under their control until, in the year 1717 Austrian army, with Prince Alexander Virtemberg at the head, enters the town.

After the World War I ended, in the year 1818, Beckerek, with the whole region of Vojvodina, became the part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

Soon after the WW II, in 1946, the town’s name is changed into Zrenjanin, after national hero Zarko Zrenjanin.

getting there

 

Zrenjanin is connected by roads with Novi Sad, Belgrade, Subotica, Kikinda, Vrsac; Timisoara etc. The easiest way to get Zrenjanin is to take the bus from Novi Sad. There are around fifteen departures on work days and fewer on weekends.

You can also come to Zrenjanin by bus from Vrsac. Departing time for these buses is: 5:00, 5:20, 7:50, 10:00, 13:45, 16:00, 17:00

For more information: Bus Station Zrenjanin 023 / 541-000

From Novi Sad to Zrenjanin two trains operate daily, the first one goes at 10:00 and the other at 19:10 and it takes less than two hours to get there. From Zrenjanin to Novi Sad trains depart at 06:38 and 14:55.

From Kikinda to Zrenjanin three trains operate daily: at 04:27, 10:58 and 17:50 and it’s two hours journey. Trains depart from Zrenjanin to Kikinda at 08:43, 14:50 and 21:55.

You can use train from Vrsac to reach Zrenjanin. Four trains go daily, departing from Vrsac at 04:40, 10:05, 17:00 and 20:35.

For more information: Railway Station Zrenjanin 023 / 530-388

things to see

 

The Old City Core

In the very heart of the town is Sloboda Square which is dominated by Municipal House, built in 1820 according to plans of the architect Josip Fisher. In front of the Municipal House you can see one of the symbols of the town- yew tree hundred years old.

On the Sloboda Square you will see Catholic Church famous for it’s Clock Tower and red roof. The Church was built in 1868 in Neo-Romanesque style following the plans of the architect Stefan DJordjevic. Internal decoration is made by Jozef Geugner according to the already existing sketches of French graphic artist Gustav Dorés. The piece of special interest is the reproduction of Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”.

At the beggining of the alley leading from Sloboda Square and passing by Vojvodina Hotel, Pijarum Church is located, built in 1846 by Pijarum Clergy (Orto Scholarum Piarum ). The yellow Neo-Romanesque Church belongs to Grammar School building complex.

From Sloboda Square the large pedestrian street of King Aleksandar begins, standing for the oldest and the most beautiful street in Zrenjanin with a number of interesting buildings from different eras. The house of the stonecutter Tuner Teodosije built in 1900 in unusual Moorish style and therefore called ” Seherezada “ distinguishes itself.

If you take King Aleksandar street, you will come to the Republic Square and, on your right side you will see the tower of Assumption Church in St Sava street, built in 1746 in baroque style, typical of churches of Vojvodina. It was painted by Aleksandar Sekulic in 1924.

If you take Suboticka Street from the Municipal House, you will bump into tiny green bridge made of metal. When you cross it, you will come to the Court, one of the most beautiful buildings in Zrenjanin. It was constructed in 1908 according to the project of Budapest architects and looks like a palace. On the central part of the building there are two smaller towers, and on the each corner of the building a bigger one is placed.

The Reformation Church made in 1891 in pure gothic style is placed just beside the Court building. The Church is painted white and in a very bad condition, but still very interesting for it’s gothic style contrasted with the architecture of this region. It’s architect Zabonecki’s work of art and organ, moved from demolished Synagogue, is kept there.

Museums and galleries

National Museum (Suboticeva 1, tel. 023/ 61 - 841 i 023/ 34-020, opened 8-18 on work days, 8-13 on Saturday, closed on Sunday; works 8-14 during summer ) is in former Financial Palace, built in 1894 and designed by architect Istvan Kish. It comprises five sections- Naturalistic, Ethnological, Archeological, Artistic and Historical. In Naturalistic section exponats from bothanical and zoological collections can be seen. Ethnological collection consists of home furnishings, ethnic costumes, agricultural hand tools, livestock handling equipment and craftworks made in Middle Banat region. Archeological section houses more than 10,000 items from prehistoric times to High Middle Ages. Artistic section includes an exhibition of works of Vojvodina painters from 1700 on, applied arts objects, period furniture, glass, metal, pocelain. Historical section consists of three collections- around 950 items from the Old History, objects connected with People’s Liberation War and excelent numismatics collection.

Contemporary Gallery (Sloboda Square 7, tel. 023/ 62-566, 023/ 62-593, 023/ 561-775; opened 8-19 on work days, 9-13 on Saturday, www.galerija.co.yu ) houses more than 2,000 paintworks, mostly of post war art.