Romantic light of the rustic street lanterns, interesting facades and recognizable Vojvodian spirit which overtakes the air… The fashionable passers-by and occasional sound of the cell phone ring will make you realize that you’re not in the 19th century in Dunavska Street.

One of the oldest and most beautiful streets in Novi Sad, today represents the place with a strange juncture of the past and the present times. Walking down the former Perovaradinska Street, the colorful facades and decorations are alternating, and thoughts are wildly going back to the times when the merchants, tradespeople and passengers rapidly walked across it towards the Danube.

The imagination is waking up, and pictures of the street which once was the embankment between the two ponds, are starting to flow. Sights of the numerous wooden bridges and fishermen crossing them in a rush to exhibit their fresh merchandise at the famous marketplace in Dunavska Street. Sounds coming from the small craft shops are mixing with the scents that are spreading from the old stores and inns.

Dunavska Street is settled in the city center and occupies the space between Zmaj Jovina Street and Belgrade Quay or the Danube whose name it bears. This famous promenade had many names throughout the history, so it is also remembered as Petrovaradinska, Auf den Brucken, Donau-Gasee and Duna utca Street.

Songs with which bohemians of Novi Sad celebrate the life, can be heard from kafanas „Zeleni venac“, „Kod tri krune“ and „Kod engleske kraljice“. Still, the appearance of Dunavska Street from the end of the 18th century loses its seminal glow in 1849.

Dunavska ulicaIt was completely torn down by bombing, but its re-building starts really soon. At the time, representative palaces built according to the modern European styles have sprung up, but the inns and bookstores as well.

Dunavska has started to live, and its former charm has been awakened. This street is maybe the best example of how the buildings and environment don’t make up some place, but people do.

As soon as the heels of Vojvodian sosas have started clanking down the new road, and the air was filled with the sounds from the vicinity stores and saloons, everything was in place. The same spirit still hasn’t left the oldest street in Novi Sad.

Maybe because of that, it represents the favorite promenade and place for walking, gathering and resting to residents of Novi Sad, but also to many tourists who visit the “Serbian Athens”. Although polished ladies on the carriages, hardworking tradespeople and noisy merchants don’t pass by it anymore, Dunavska Street was successful in keeping that “something” with which it has been attracting and shining ever since.

Further along this fairytale street and an interesting promenade, another landmark can be found. It is the Danube Park, whose building started in the distant 1895. This city oasis of greenery which once was the branch of the Danube, today represents the favorite place for resting and recreation of numerous citizens of Novi Sad.

Danube Park
Danube Park

The Danube Park is decorated with thousands of deciduous and evergreen undergrowth, over 760 trees of dendroflora, as well as the numerous rare and valuable tree species. There are three monuments in the park, and with more than 130 benches, this place represents the perfect corner for enjoying the nature. View of the lake full of ducks and swans, of children who cheerfully run around and colorful flower arrangements, calms the senses and warms up your soul.

Beautiful in spring when the first heralds bloom, and magical in winter when shining Christmas lights cover its lanterns and facades. You must walk down the Dunavska Street whenever you end up in this Vojvodian youthful and cultural city. Its charm will seduce you, and unusual juncture of the past and the present will surprise you.

Photo: Aleksandar Milutinović

Tags

DanubeDanube ParkDunavska StreetNovi SadVojvodina

Comments are closed.

Related Articles