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ART NOUVEAU ARCHITECTURE IN SUBOTICA
General Information
The city of Subotica is located at the northern part of the Republic of Serbia, along the border to Hungary at 46 05’ 55’’ North Latitude and 19 39’ 47’’East Longitude. Its average altitude is 114m – 40m above the level of river Tisza, near Kanjiža; at 32m above the level of Danube, near Baja. The international freeway E 75 passes alongside Subotica. Kelebija border crossing is 10km away, while Horgoš border crossing is 30km away from the city. The land north from the city is a fertile sandy terrain with vineyards and orchards, while on the south there is arable land.
At present, the city and its surrounding municipalities have about 150.000 inhabitants: Hungarians, Croats, Bunjevac, Serbs and other nationalities. There are 18 major settlements around the city: Bajmok, Bački Vinogradi, Bačko Dušanovo, Bikovo, Višnjevac, Gornji Tavankut, Donji Tavankut, Đurđin, Kelebija, Ljutovo, Mala Bosna, Mišićevo, Novi Žednik, Palić, Stari Žednik, Hajdukovo, Čantavir and Šupljak. The city is linked to Palić, the old summer resort and lake.
ART NOUVEAU ARCHITECTURE IN SUBOTICA
SIMEON LEOVIĆ TENEMENT PALACE
The architects who designed the building were the forerunners of the new style, Art Nouveau – namely, its Hungarian version, Secession. They were the two most famous Hungarian architects, Ödön Lechner and his associate Gyula Pártos.
GRAND TERRACE
The Grand Terrace is the most important building on Palić, built in the style of secession. The building was built in 1912 by the famous Hungarian architects Marcell Comor and Dezső Jakab.
After exactly one century, the Great Terrace becomes the most important congress center in the surrounding area. It has three conference halls, with a maximum capacity of 360, 50 and 20 seats intended for congresses, conferences, meetings and various exhibitions, events and performances.
MIKSA DÖMÖTÖR TENEMENT PALACE – CITY MUSEUM
CULTURAL MONUMENTS
YELLOW HOUSE – Yellow house in Subotica, former building of the National Savings Bank, is located in Štrosmajerova street. It was built between 1880 and 1883 and represents a cultural monument of great importance.
MONUMENT OF IVAN SARIĆ
Ivan Sarić was engaged in cycling and motorcycling, but has remained remembered as a pioneer of aviation, who in 1910, only 3 years after the brothers Wright, flew from Subotica hippodrome by plane of his own design and construction.
The author of the monument was the sculptor Oto Logo. In 1985, this monument was built for the opening of the European Women’s Championship which was hosted by the aero club Ivan Sarić from Subotica.
VOJNIĆ PALACE
From the extensive series of tenement palaces from the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century that were built in the center of the city, one stands out due to its unusual architectural composition, as well as the plastic decoration and colors of the facade.
This is the rental palace for Mata Bajaši Vojnić, in 1893 designed by a bricklayer from Budapest, János Jedlicka. The mere fact that the designer of this remarkable achievement is not an architect arouses attention.
MONUMENT OF LAJOŠ VERMEŠ
Lajoš Vermeš launched the first Palić Olympics in 1880, 16 years before the French baron Pierre de Coubertin officially renewed the Olympic Games in Athens. The idea of the Palić Olympics was born in 1876.
Everything that Vermeš owned he started investing in his dream of Palić Olympics, which eventually took place on August 26, 1880. For the needs of the first Palić Sports Games, as their official name was, Vermeš gave his own orchard.
For the needs of the first Palić Sports Games, as their official name was, Vermeš gave his own orchard. With the aim to popularize sports, in 1900 he went to Belgrade, the capital of the Kingdom of Serbia, and won the race at 1,025 meters.
King Aleksandar Obrenović personally handed the medal to him. The King was so enthusiastic about Vermeš’s intention to popularize the sport in Serbia, that he had appointed him as a court master and a fencing teacher. The Palić Olympics torch was extinguished forever with the start of I World War.
SQUARES
THE REPUBLIC SQUARE, SUBOTICA
Another large urban unit in the center of Subotica is Trg republike. In its character is a park with certain pedestrian units like space in front of the City Hall.
Thanks to its dilapidated park structure, it is suitable for numerous urban elements that break down the centrality of the Blue Fountain, such as the Marcell Comor and Dezső Jakab busts, a monument to the Holy Trinity or a fountain at a circular stream.
LIBERTY SQUARE
ST. TERESA SQUARE
The Cathedral, which dominates the square, was built in baroque style by the end of 1779. It is devoted to the protector of Subotica, the holy Teresa of Avila.
Steeple is 64 meters high. The cathedral possesses valuable altar paintings and organs. There is a Monument of the Victims of Fascism located on the same square. It is at 18 meters wide and 8 meters high monument, making it the largest in Subotica. In front of the monument is the surface with a small fountain and sculpture of the Hand, a work of a local artist. Across the road from the monument is Art Bioskop Lifka and the Theater Dezső Kosztolányi, where numerous cultural events are held.
TZAR JOVAN NENAD SQUARE
Certainly the most interesting place for young architects and urban planners, due to its unresolvement and potential, is Tzar Jovan Nenad Square. The character of this square is that there is no actual square. It is a parking lot with park segments, in front of the Franciscan church, and playgrounds for children between cafes. There is no square, no park, no parking. The problem of this space comes after the World War II when several blocks of houses and buildings were destroyed. The post-war authorities conceived this area as part of a great boulevard that was supposed to connect the western part of the city with the railway station and destroy a large part of the historic core of Subotica.
