Stolen from the ponds and fens in the beginning of its founding, this small settlement around the Petrovaradin trenches in 1720 had the first one story house! Seven years later, the commander of Petrovaradin wrote a letter to Vienna saying that the Racka town is well populated and rich. A school in the trenches had opened in 1731, and according to the map from 1745 the settlement started to develop contours of Novi Sad as it today.
The Chamber/border government was constantly repressing the endeavours of people who lived in the trenches and who wanted to develop their town. That was the main reason that the whole idea of the liberation process was started.
Persistent in their exertion, backed by their property and sure of their own capabilities, the citizens made a deal in 1747. They agreed that in the Magistracy of the future liberated town, they will have the same number of representatives, equal rights in choosing senators and clerks, freely practice their own religion, build churches, schools, etc.
A delegation of citizens from the trenches – Racković, Vujić, Bogdanović, Rasković, Hajl and Anderle – was travelling to Vienna and borrowing money to pay for liberation diploma. Paying 80,000 rain forint in silver, our predecessors, noble merchants and craftsmen, bought their independency and freedom and widely opened the door of progress for them and their descendents. The loan was paid off when the city sold its meadows and wastelands to its citizens.
On February 1st, 1748 empress Maria Theresa declared that the town will become free royal city and names it in Latin – Neoplanta, Hungarian – Új-videk, German Neu-Satz and in Serbian – Novi Sad.
In the spring of 1748 Novi Sad begins its life following the example of other free cities of that time. From 1748 to the end of 18th century the number of inhabitants grew, assets multiplied and children went to school. In the 1770’s the city had its own silk factory, brewery and tobacco mill. Everyday trade, religion and fun characterized life: the trade involved many European and Asian countries, and by the end of the century the city became the strongest economic centre in the south of Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Life in the crossroads and the will to continue living in accordance with the spirit of this city had its price and in 1849 Novi Sad was bombed for the first time. Out of 2812 buildings there were only 808 left.
In the second half of the 19th century the city started rapidly growing and rebuilding, which is where today’s old city architecture has its origin. From then on, to the World War I and the City Hall, Episcopal House and Catholic Church were built in the centre of the town; today’s secondary school “Jovan Jovanović Zmaj”, Iodine spa, Matica Srpska, etc. In the last years of the 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century, the Central railway station, bridge, slaughterhouse, gas factory, electric power plant were built and street car transport was established.
In the mid 19th century, under the Austro-Hungarian reign, on the border towards the Turkish Empire, Novi Sad grew into a significant centre of culture and politics for all Serbs. It also had a strong economy and the cities poets named it Serbian Athens.
At that time in Novi Sad had 56 magazines and newspapers issued on Serbian language and in 1864 Matica Srpska, the oldest Serbian institution of science and culture, moved from Budapest to Novi Sad. In 1861 the Serbian national theatre was founded, which is the oldest professional theatre in our country. The first Serbian national school was also built in Novi Sad in 1703, first high school in 1791 in Sremski Karlovci and the first hospital in 1746.
After World War I the Serbian army marched in Novi Sad on November 8th 1918. The Big People’s Assembly of Serbs, Bunjevac and other Slavic nations on November 25th Banat, Bačka and Baranja joined to the Kingdom of Serbia. Just one day before, in the Assembly in Ruma the same thing happened with Srem region.
In Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Novi Sad became centre of Danube Banovina (province). At the same time the first boulevard is being built, building of Banovina and the new bridge. In 1936 there are already 69 000 people living in Novi Sad.
The Second World War brought about the round up of Horty’s fascist army, when Novi Sad lost 3000 inhabitants in three days, mostly Serbs and Jews. During the Second World War several thousands inhabitants of Novi Sad were killed and Novi Sad’s partisan squad liberated the city on October 23rd, 1944. After the liberation Novi Sad, capital of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, experiences huge growth as an economic, cultural, scientific, political and administrative centre of the Province.
In the, so-called, Anti-bureaucratic revolution in 1988, political relations in the country were changed and Novi Sad loses some of its jurisdiction. A few years later, rises in inflation and poverty affected its population and in the wars on the territory of former Yugoslavia, 72 people from Novi Sad died. Many young and educated people left the city, and in the following years Novi Sad served as a shelter for tens of thousands of refugees.
The period after the war and especially years 1996 – 1997 were marked by student demonstrations against the regime of Slobodan Milosović. NATO bombing in 1999 left the city without the bridges, communication, and water. After the NATO war operations, an already exhausted city begins to rebuild itself and included a temporary pontoon bridge. In an undefined atmosphere of hope and extreme boundaries of endurance, citizens of Novi Sad finally celebrate the victory of the opposition at the September elections in 2000.
