Petrovaradin

This great fortress high up on an elevation seemed to observe the peaceful activity of its neighbour Novi Sad. It has been interesting not only for its museum and its restaurant, but also for the romantic walks and for the painters’ and sculptors’ ateliers – houses of painters and sculptors in the rock caves. This fortress has been known as the “Gibraltar on the Danube” for its outstanding stories and for its strategic situation on the Danube.  In fact it had been constructed under the design of our dear Vauban from 1692 to 1780. Eugene of Savoy had pushed the Turks out of this place, but the definite victory had to be awaited for till 1716 for the Habsburgs to begin the fortification works. These works took a great space of more than 16 km of underground galleries spreading over four levels having been excavated to receive 400 cannons and 12,000 loopholes. This fortified place had got such a reputation of unconquerability that the Austrian emperor family had transported here the treasury of the Crown during the Napoleon’s advance toward Vienna.

The visit to the underground galleries has been possible with a guide between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. He could lead you across the 1000 meters of galleries where you may see the loopholes and the underground pill boxes wherefrom the Austrian soldiers had their living places. The legend has been saying that there was an exit to the Danube, but no archives mentioned them. Novi Sad – a very agreeable walk along the ancient walls has been recommended. At the beginning, at the entrance to the fortress coming on car, you will see “Rimski Bunar”, a large enough well 11 meters in depth always utilised to hide the arms there. In the centre of the plateau the archaeological works on the probable presence of Celts in this place would direct you to the left. Finally, in front of Novi Sad you would notice the largeness of the works of Vauban with the loopholes more than 4 meters deep. At the North-West side of the fortress you could not miss the “Clock Tower” with inverted hands: the great one indicating the hours and the short one the minutes in the purpose that the hours could be seen from distance.

On the East side from the fortress, a little beneath there is something representing the originality of this place. More than 88 artists’ ateliers have been dug into the rock and, as these individuals use to spend most of their time there, the ateliers have been open to you. At no. 20 the sculptor Andrea Vasiljevic would receive you open arms besides a glass of sljivovica to speak about the art and the history. At No. 8 the painter Zivojin Mislov would be happy to greet you in the language of Verlaine he has been mastering perfectly. His naïve pictures and his exotic drawings have been telling about his stay at Montparnasse, Paris, as well as in Brazil. E-mail: mioradovma@neobee.net.