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Subotica ( sr-cyrl, Суботица, ; hu, Szabadka) is a
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and the administrative center of the
North Bačka District The North Bačka District ( sr, Севернобачки округ, Severnobački okrug, ; hu, Észak-bácskai körzet) is one of seven administrative districts of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It lies in the Bačka geographi ...
in the autonomous province of Vojvodina,
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Subotica is now the second largest city in the province, following the city of
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
. According to the 2011 census, the city itself has a population of 97,910, while the urban area of Subotica (with adjacent urban settlement of Palić included) has 105,681 inhabitants, and the population of metro area (the administrative area of the city) stands at 141,554 people.


Name

The name of the city has changed frequently over time.History of Subotica
Retrieved 8 September 2022.
The earliest known written name of the city was ''Zabotka'' or ''Zabatka'', which dates from 1391. It is the origin of the current Hungarian name for the city ''"Szabadka"''. Other sources claim, that the name "Szabadka" comes from the adjective szabad, which derived from the Slavic word for "free" – svobod, referring to the status of the colonists settled in this zone by the Habsburg after the
Battle of Zenta The Battle of Zenta, also known as the Battle of Senta, was fought on 11 September 1697, near Zenta, Ottoman Empire (modern-day Senta, Serbia), between Ottoman and Holy League armies during the Great Turkish War. The battle was the most decis ...
. The town was named in the 1740s after Maria Theresa of Austria, Archduchess of Austria. It was officially called ''Sent-Maria'' in 1743, but was renamed in 1779 as ''Maria-Theresiapolis''. These two official names were also spelled in several different ways (most commonly the
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
''Maria-Theresiopel'' or ''Theresiopel''), and were used in different languages.


Geography

It is located in the
Pannonian Basin The Pannonian Basin, or Carpathian Basin, is a large Sedimentary basin, basin situated in south-east Central Europe. The Geomorphology, geomorphological term Pannonian Plain is more widely used for roughly the same region though with a somewh ...
at 46.07° North, 19.68° East, about from the border with
Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
, and is the northernmost city in Serbia. It is located in the vicinity of
lake Palić Lake Palić ( sr, Палићко језеро, Palićko jezero; hu, Palicsi-tó) is a lake from Subotica, near the town of Palić, in Serbia. It covers an area of . The average depth of the lake is . With the surrounding area it forms the protec ...
.


Climate

Subotica has a warm-summer
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
(''Dfb'') that is uncommon in Serbia except at higher elevations,


History


Prehistory and antiquity

In the
Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
and Eneolithic periods, several important archaeological cultures flourished in this area, including the Starčevo culture, the Vinča culture, and the
Tiszapolgár culture The Tiszapolgár culture or Tiszapolgár-Româneşti culture (4500–4000 BC) was an Eneolithic archaeological culture of the Great Hungarian Plain, the Banat, Eastern Slovakia, and Ukrainian Zakarpattia Oblast in Central Europe. The type site T ...
. Early
Indo-European The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch ...
peoples settled in the territory of present-day Subotica in 3200 BC. During the Eneolithic period, the
Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
and the
Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
, several Indo-European archaeological cultures included areas around Subotica - the Baden culture, the
Vučedol culture The Vučedol culture ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Vučedolska kultura, Вучедолска култура) flourished between 3000 and 2200 BCE (the Eneolithic period of earliest copper-smithing), centered in Syrmia and eastern Slavonia on the right bank of t ...
, the Urnfield culture and some others. Before the Iazyge conquest in the 1st century BC, Indo-European peoples of Illyrian,
Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language * Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Fo ...
and Dacian descent inhabited this area. In the 3rd century BC, this area was controlled by the Celtic
Boii The Boii (Latin plural, singular ''Boius''; grc, Βόιοι) were a Celtic tribe of the later Iron Age, attested at various times in Cisalpine Gaul (Northern Italy), Pannonia (Hungary), parts of Bavaria, in and around Bohemia (after whom the ...
and
Eravisci The Eravasci were a Celtic or Pannonian people who inhabited Transdanubia, including Gellért Hill, Dunaújváros, and Aquincum. Most of what we know about them comes from archaeology and Latin literature. The Roman ruins of Aquincum stand today a ...
, while in the 1st century BC, it became part of the Dacian kingdom. From the 1st century BC, the area came under the control of the Sarmatian
Iazyges The Iazyges (), singular Ἰάζυξ. were an ancient Sarmatian tribe that traveled westward in BC from Central Asia to the steppes of modern Ukraine. In BC, they moved into modern-day Hungary and Serbia near the Dacian steppe between th ...
, who were sometimes allies and sometimes enemies of the Romans. Iazyge rule lasted until the 4th century AD, after which the region came into the possession of various other peoples and states.


Early Middle Ages and Slavic settlement

In the Early Middle Ages various
Indo-European The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch ...
and
Turkic peoples The Turkic peoples are a collection of diverse ethnic groups of West, Central, East, and North Asia as well as parts of Europe, who speak Turkic languages.. "Turkic peoples, any of various peoples whose members speak languages belonging t ...
and states ruled in the area of Subotica. These peoples included
Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was part ...
,
Gepids The Gepids, ( la, Gepidae, Gipedae, grc, Γήπαιδες) were an East Germanic tribe who lived in the area of modern Romania, Hungary and Serbia, roughly between the Tisza, Sava and Carpathian Mountains. They were said to share the religion a ...
, Avars,
Slavs Slavs are the largest European ethnolinguistic group. They speak the various Slavic languages, belonging to the larger Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout northern Eurasia, main ...
and
Bulgarians Bulgarians ( bg, българи, Bǎlgari, ) are a nation and South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and the rest of Southeast Europe. Etymology Bulgarians derive their ethnonym from the Bulgars. Their name is not completely understo ...
.
Slavs Slavs are the largest European ethnolinguistic group. They speak the various Slavic languages, belonging to the larger Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout northern Eurasia, main ...
settled today's Subotica in the 6th and 7th centuries, before some of them crossed the rivers Sava and Danube and settled in the
Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
. The Slavic tribe living in the territory of present-day Subotica were the
Obotrites The Obotrites ( la, Obotriti, Abodritorum, Abodritos…) or Obodrites, also spelled Abodrites (german: Abodriten), were a confederation of medieval West Slavs, West Slavic tribes within the territory of modern Mecklenburg and Holstein in norther ...
, a subgroup of the
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
. In the 9th century, after the fall of the Avar state, the first forms of Slavic statehood emerged in this area. The first Slavic states that ruled over this region included the Principality of Lower Pannonia (846-875),
Great Moravia Great Moravia ( la, Regnum Marahensium; el, Μεγάλη Μοραβία, ''Meghálī Moravía''; cz, Velká Morava ; sk, Veľká Morava ; pl, Wielkie Morawy), or simply Moravia, was the first major state that was predominantly West Slavs, Wes ...
(833– 907) and the
Bulgarian Empire In the medieval history of Europe, Bulgaria's status as the Bulgarian Empire ( bg, Българско царство, ''Balgarsko tsarstvo'' ) occurred in two distinct periods: between the seventh and the eleventh centuries and again between the ...
.


Late-Middle Ages

Subotica probably first became a settlement of note when people poured into it from nearby villages destroyed during the
Tatar invasions This article lists conflicts in Europe during the invasions of and subsequent occupations by the Mongol Empire and its successor states. The Mongol invasion of Europe took place in the 13th century. This resulted in the occupation of much of Easter ...
of 1241–42. When ''Zabadka''/''Zabatka'' was first recorded in 1391, it was a tiny town in the medieval
Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...
. Later, the city belonged to the Hunyadis, one of the most influential aristocratic families in the whole of
Central Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the area' ...
. King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary gave the town to one of his relatives, János Pongrác Dengelegi, who, fearing an invasion by the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, fortified the castle of Subotica, erecting a fortress in 1470. Some decades later, after the
Battle of Mohács The Battle of Mohács (; hu, mohácsi csata, tr, Mohaç Muharebesi or Mohaç Savaşı) was fought on 29 August 1526 near Mohács, Kingdom of Hungary, between the forces of the Kingdom of Hungary and its allies, led by Louis II, and those ...
in 1526, Subotica became part of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. The majority of the Hungarian population fled northward to
Royal Hungary Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...
. Bálint Török, a local noble who had ruled over Subotica, also escaped from the city. During the military and political havoc following the defeat at Mohács, Subotica came under the control of Serbian
mercenaries A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any o ...
recruited in
Banat Banat (, ; hu, Bánság; sr, Банат, Banat) is a geographical and historical region that straddles Central and Eastern Europe and which is currently divided among three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania (the counties of T ...
. These soldiers were in the service of the
Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
n general
John I Zápolya John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
, a later Hungarian king. The leader of these mercenaries,
Jovan Nenad Jovan Nenad ( sr-cyr, Јован Ненад; hu, Fekete Iván or ; ca. 1492 – 26 July 1527), known as ''the Black'' was a Serb military commander in the service of the Kingdom of Hungary who took advantage of a Hungarian military defeat at Moh ...
, established in 1526–27 his rule in
Bačka Bačka ( sr-cyrl, Бачка, ) or Bácska () is a geographical and historical area within the Pannonian Plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east. It is divided between Serbia and Hungary ...
, northern
Banat Banat (, ; hu, Bánság; sr, Банат, Banat) is a geographical and historical region that straddles Central and Eastern Europe and which is currently divided among three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania (the counties of T ...
and a small part of
Syrmia Syrmia ( sh, Srem/Срем or sh, Srijem/Сријем, label=none) is a region of the southern Pannonian Plain, which lies between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia and Croatia. Most of the region is flat, with the exce ...
and created an independent entity, with Subotica as its administrative centre. At the peak of his power, Jovan Nenad proclaimed himself as Serbian
tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East Slavs, East and South Slavs, South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''Caesar (title), caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" i ...
in Subotica. He named
Radoslav Čelnik Radoslav Čelnik ( sr-cyrl, Радослав Челник, hu, Cselnik Radoszláv; 1526–1532), known as Vojvoda Rajko (), was a Serb general ('' vojvoda'') in the army of Jovan Nenad, the titular Serbian Emperor who held present-day Vojvodina, ...
as the general commander of his army, while his treasurer and palatine was Subota Vrlić, a Serbian noble from Jagodina. When Bálint Török returned and recaptured Subotica from the Serbs, Jovan Nenad moved the administrative centre to Szeged. Some months later, in the summer of 1527, Jovan Nenad was
assassinated Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...
and his entity collapsed. However, after Jovan Nenad's death, Radoslav Čelnik led a part of the army to Ottoman
Syrmia Syrmia ( sh, Srem/Срем or sh, Srijem/Сријем, label=none) is a region of the southern Pannonian Plain, which lies between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia and Croatia. Most of the region is flat, with the exce ...
, where he briefly ruled as an Ottoman vassal.


Ottoman administration

The
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
ruled the city from 1542 to 1686. At the end of this almost 150-year-long period, not much remained of the old town of ''Zabadka''/''Zabatka''. As much of the population had fled, the Ottomans encouraged the settlement of the area by different colonists from the
Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
. The settlers were mostly
Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
. They cultivated the extremely fertile land around Subotica. In 1570, the population of Subotica numbered 49 houses, and in 1590, 63 houses. In 1687, the region was settled by
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
'' Dalmatas'' (called Bunjevci today). It was called ''Sobotka'' under Ottoman rule and was a kaza centre in Segedin sanjak at first in Budin Eyaleti until 1596, and after that in Eğri Eyaleti between 1596 and 1686.


Habsburg administration

In 1687, about 5,000 Bunjevci settled in Bačka (including Subotica). After the decisive battle against the Ottomans at Senta led by
Prince Eugene of Savoy Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy–Carignano, (18 October 1663 – 21 April 1736) better known as Prince Eugene, was a Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty during the 17th a ...
on 11 September 1697, Subotica became part of the
military border The Military Frontier (german: Militärgrenze, sh-Latn, Vojna krajina/Vojna granica, Војна крајина/Војна граница; hu, Katonai határőrvidék; ro, Graniță militară) was a borderland of the Habsburg monarchy and ...
zone
Theiss __NOTOC__ Theiss may refer to: Companies *Theiss Aviation, an American aircraft manufacturer *Konrad Theiss Verlag, a German book publishing company People * Brooke Theiss (born 1969), American actress * Christine Theiss (born 1980), German female ...
- Mieresch established by the
Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...
. In the meantime the uprising of
Francis II Rákóczi Francis II Rákóczi ( hu, II. Rákóczi Ferenc, ; 27 March 1676 – 8 April 1735) was a Hungarian nobleman and leader of Rákóczi's War of Independence against the Habsburgs in 1703–11 as the prince ( hu, fejedelem) of the Estates Confedera ...
broke out, which is also known as the
Kuruc War Kuruc (, plural ''kurucok''), also spelled kurutz, refers to a group of armed anti-Habsburg insurgents in the Kingdom of Hungary between 1671 and 1711. Over time, the term kuruc has come to designate Hungarians who advocate strict national ind ...
. In the region of Subotica, Rákóczi joined battle against the ''Rac National Militia''. '' Rác'' was a designation for the South Slavic people (mostly Serbs and Bunjevci) and they often were referred to as ''rácok'' in the Kingdom of Hungary. In a later period ''rácok'' came to mean, above all, Serbs of Orthodox religion. The Serbian military families enjoyed several privileges thanks to their service for the Habsburg Monarchy. Subotica gradually, however, developed from being a mere garrison town to becoming a market town with its own civil charter in 1743. When this happened, many Serbs complained about the loss of their privileges. The majority left the town in protest and some of them founded a new settlement just outside 18th century Subotica in Aleksandrovo, while others emigrated to
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. In New Serbia, a new Russian province established for them, those Serbs founded a new settlement and also named it ''Subotica''. In 1775, a Jewish community in Subotica was established. It was perhaps to emphasise the new civic serenity of Subotica that the pious name ''
Saint Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...
'' came to be used for it at this time. Some decades later, in 1779, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria advanced the town's status further by proclaiming it a Free Royal Town. The enthusiastic inhabitants of the city renamed Subotica once more as ''Maria-Theresiopolis''. This Free Royal Town status gave a great impetus to the development of the city. During the 19th century, its population doubled twice, attracting many people from all over the
Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...
. This led eventually to a considerable demographic change. In the first half of the 19th century, the Bunjevci had still been in the majority, but there was an increasing number of Hungarians and Jews settling in Subotica. This process was not stopped even by the outbreak of the Revolutions in the Habsburg monarchy (1848–49).


1848/1849 Revolutions

During the 1848-49 revolution, the proclaimed borders of autonomous Serbian Vojvodina included Subotica, but Serb troops could not establish control in the region. On 5 March 1849, at the locality named Kaponja (between Tavankut and Bajmok), there was a battle between the Serb and Hungarian armies, which was won by the Hungarians. The first newspaper in the town was also published during the 1848/49 revolution—it was called ''Honunk állapota'' ("State of Our Homeland") and was published in Hungarian by Károly Bitterman's local printing company. Unlike most Serbs and Croats who confronted the Hungarians, part of the local Bunjevci people supported the Hungarian revolution. In 1849, after the Hungarian revolution of 1848 was defeated by the Russian and Habsburg armies, the town was separated from the Kingdom of Hungary together with most of the Bačka region, and became part of a separate Habsburg province, called Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar. The administrative centre of this new province was Timișoara. The province existed until 1860. During the existence of the voivodeship, in 1853, Subotica acquired its impressive theatre.


Hungarian administration

After the establishment of the Dual-Monarchy in 1867, there followed what is often called the "golden age" of city development of Subotica. Many schools were opened after 1867 and in 1869 the railway connected the city to the world. In 1896 an electrical power plant was built, further enhancing the development of the city and the whole region. Subotica now adorned itself with its remarkable Central European, fin de siècle architecture. In 1902 a Jewish synagogue was built in the
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
style. Between 1849 and 1860 it was part of the Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar.


Yugoslavia and Serbia

Subotica had been part of
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
until the end of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. In 1918, the city became part of the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
. As a result, Subotica became a border-town in
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
and did not, for a time, experience again the same dynamic prosperity it had enjoyed prior to World War I. However, during that time, Subotica was the third-largest city in Yugoslavia by population, following
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
and
Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
. In 1941, Yugoslavia was invaded and partitioned by the
Axis Powers The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were ...
, and its northern parts, including Subotica, were annexed by Hungary. The annexation was not considered legitimate by the international community and the city was de jure still part of Yugoslavia. The
Yugoslav government in exile The Government of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in Exile ( sh, Vlada Kraljevine Jugoslavije u egzilu / Влада Краљевине Југославије у егзилу) was an official government of Yugoslavia, headed by King Peter II. It evacu ...
received formal recognition of legitimacy as the representative of the country. On 11 April 1941, the Hungarian troops arrived in Subotica on the grounds that the majority of the people living in the city were ethnic Hungarians, which had been part of the Kingdom of Hungary for over 600 years. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the city lost approximately 7,000 of its citizens, mostly Serbs, Hungarians and Jews. Before the war about 6,000
Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
had lived in Subotica; many of these were deported from the city during the
Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...
, mostly to
Auschwitz Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...
. In April 1944, under German administration, a ghetto was set up. In addition, many communists were executed during Axis rule. In 1944, the Axis forces left the city, and Subotica became part of the new
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
. During the 1944–45 period, about 8,000 citizens (mainly Hungarians) were killed by Partisans while re-taking the city as a retribution for supporting Axis Hungary. In the post-war period, Subotica has gradually been modernised. During the Yugoslav and
Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
wars of the 1990s, a considerable number of Serb refugees came to the city from
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
, and
Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
, while many ethnic Hungarians and Croats, as well as some local Serbs, left the region.


Cityscape

Unique in Serbia, Subotica and adjacent Palić have the most buildings built in the
Hungarian Secession Hungarian may refer to: * Hungary, a country in Central Europe * Kingdom of Hungary, state of Hungary, existing between 1000 and 1946 * Hungarians, ethnic groups in Hungary * Hungarian algorithm, a polynomial time algorithm for solving the assignm ...
style, a distinct variant of
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
. The Hungarian Secession style was operational between the 1890s and World War I. Its designs combined art nouveau vegetal ornaments and symbolic figures with traditional Hungarian motifs. It found its architectural expression in Subotica in the works of
Marcell Komor Marcell may refer to: * Joseph Marcell, an actor from St. Lucia * Marcell, Minnesota, an unincorporated town * Marcell Township, Minnesota See also * Marcel (disambiguation) * Marcelle (disambiguation) * Marcelling Marcelling is a hair styli ...
,
Dezső Jakab Dezső Jakab (4 November 1864 – 5 August 1932) was a Hungarian architect of Jewish heritage. Life He received his degree in architecture from the Budapest University of Technology. At the time of the millennial exhibition, the Ministry of A ...
and Ferenc Raichle. The
City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
(built in 1908–1910) and the
Synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...
(1902) are of especially outstanding beauty. These were built by the same architects, Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab. Another exceptional example of art nouveau architecture is the actual Raichle Palace, which was built in 1904 by Ferenc J. Raichle. Church buildings include the Cathedral of St. Theresa of Avila dating from 1797, the Franciscan friary dating from 1723, the
Eastern Orthodox churches The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops via ...
also from the 18th century, and the Hungarian Art Nouveau
Subotica Synagogue hu, Jakab és Komor téri zsinagóga, Szabadka , image = Synagogue in Subotica.jpg , alt = , caption = Subotica Synagogue in 2020, after renovation , map_type =Serbia , map_size ...
from the early 20th century and its renovation was completed in the summer of 2019. The historic National Theatre in Subotica, which was built in 1854 as the first monumental public building in Subotica, was demolished in 2007, although it was declared a historic monument under state protection in 1983, and in 1991 it was added to the National Register as a monument of an extraordinary cultural value. It is currently in the midst of renovation and is scheduled to open in 2017.


Neighborhoods

The following are the neighborhoods of Subotica: * Aleksandrovo ( hu, Sándor) * Bajnat (''Bajnát'') *
Centar Centar may refer to: * Centar Municipality (Skopje), a municipality in Skopje, in the Republic of Macedonia. * Centar Municipality, Sarajevo, a municipality in Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. *Centar, Niš Centar (Serbian Cyrillic: Цeнтap ...
(''Központ'') * Dudova Šuma (Radijalac) (''Sétaerdő'') * Gat (''Gát'') * Graničar (''Határőr'') * Ker (''Kér'') * Kertvaroš (''Kertváros'') * Makova Sedmica (''Makkhetes'') * Mali Bajmok (''Kisbajmok'') * Mali Radanovac (''Kisradanovác'') * Novi Grad (''Újváros'') * Novo Naselje (''Újtelep'') *
Prozivka Prozivka (Serbian Cyrillic: Прозивка) is a city quarter and a local community of Subotica, a city in northern Serbia. It has a population of 9,100. Geography Prozivka is situated in the southern part of Subotica. It borders former Subot ...
(''Prozivka'') * Srpski Šor (''Szerb sor'') * Teslino Naselje * Veliki Radanovac (''Nagyradanovác'') *
Zorka Zorka is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Zorka Grandov (1947–2021), Serbian economist *Zorka Janů (1921–1946), Czech film actress, younger sister of cinema star Lída Baarová *Princess Zorka of Montenegro (1864–1890), ...
(''Zorka'') * Željezničko Naselje (''Vasutastelep'')


Suburbs and villages

The administrative area of Subotica comprises Subotica proper, the town of Palić ( hu, Palics) and 17 villages. The villages are: *
Bački Vinogradi Bački Vinogradi ( sr-cyr, Бачки Виногради; hu, Királyhalom or ) is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority ...
(''Bácsszőlős'') *
Bačko Dušanovo Bačko Dušanovo ( sr-cyr, Бачко Душаново; hu, Zentaörs) is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and its ...
(''Zentaörs'') *
Bajmok Bajmok ( sr-Cyrl, Бајмок; hu, Bajmok, ) is a village located in the municipality of Subotica, in the North Bačka District, Vojvodina, Serbia. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbered 7,414 inhabitants as of 2011 census. ...
(''Bajmok'') *
Bikovo Bikovo ( sr-cyr, Биково) is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbering 1,824 ...
(''Békova'') *
Čantavir Čantavir ( sr, italic=yes, Čantavir or , hu, Csantavér, hr, Čantavir) is the largest village with Hungarian ethnic majority in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated in the municipality of Subotica, North Bačka Dist ...
(''Csantavér'') * Donji Tavankut (''Alsótavankút'') *
Đurđin Đurđin is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbering 1,746 people (2002 census). ...
(''Györgyén'') *
Gornji Tavankut Gornji Tavankut is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbering 1,381 people (2002 c ...
(''Felsőtavankút'') *
Hajdukovo Hajdukovo ( sr-cyr, Хајдуково, hu, Hajdújárás, hr, Hajdukovo) is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village has a Hung ...
(''Hajdújárás'') * Kelebija (''Alsókelebia'') *
Ljutovo Ljutovo is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbering 1,181 people (2002 census). Na ...
(''Mérges'') * Mala Bosna (''Kisbosznia'') *
Mišićevo Mišićevo (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: Мишићево) is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnical ...
(''Hadikörs'') * Novi Žednik (''Újnagyfény'') *
Stari Žednik Stari Žednik (also known as ''Žednik'') is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and, according to the 20 ...
(''Nagyfény'') *
Šupljak Šupljak ( sr-cyr, Шупљак, hu, Ludas) is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,310 p ...
(''Ludas'') * Višnjevac (''Meggyes'')


Demographics

According to the 2011 census results, the city administrative area of Subotica had 141,554 inhabitants.


Ethnic composition

Places with either an absolute or relative Hungarian ethnic majority are: Subotica (Hungarian: Szabadka), Palić (Hungarian: Palicsfürdő),
Hajdukovo Hajdukovo ( sr-cyr, Хајдуково, hu, Hajdújárás, hr, Hajdukovo) is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village has a Hung ...
(Hungarian: Hajdújárás),
Bački Vinogradi Bački Vinogradi ( sr-cyr, Бачки Виногради; hu, Királyhalom or ) is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority ...
(Hungarian: Bácsszőlős),
Šupljak Šupljak ( sr-cyr, Шупљак, hu, Ludas) is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,310 p ...
(Hungarian: Alsóludas),
Čantavir Čantavir ( sr, italic=yes, Čantavir or , hu, Csantavér, hr, Čantavir) is the largest village with Hungarian ethnic majority in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated in the municipality of Subotica, North Bačka Dist ...
(Hungarian: Csantavér),
Bačko Dušanovo Bačko Dušanovo ( sr-cyr, Бачко Душаново; hu, Zentaörs) is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and its ...
(Hungarian: Zentaörs), and Kelebija (Hungarian: Alsókelebia). Places with an absolute or relative Serb ethnic majority are:
Bajmok Bajmok ( sr-Cyrl, Бајмок; hu, Bajmok, ) is a village located in the municipality of Subotica, in the North Bačka District, Vojvodina, Serbia. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbered 7,414 inhabitants as of 2011 census. ...
, Višnjevac, Novi Žednik, and
Mišićevo Mišićevo (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: Мишићево) is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnical ...
. Places with a relative ethnic majority Croat are: Mala Bosna,
Đurđin Đurđin is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbering 1,746 people (2002 census). ...
, Donji Tavankut,
Gornji Tavankut Gornji Tavankut is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbering 1,381 people (2002 c ...
,
Bikovo Bikovo ( sr-cyr, Биково) is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbering 1,824 ...
,
Stari Žednik Stari Žednik (also known as ''Žednik'') is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and, according to the 20 ...
.
Ljutovo Ljutovo is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbering 1,181 people (2002 census). Na ...
has a relative Bunjevac ethnic majority. The ethnic composition of the municipality:


Languages

Languages spoken in Subotica administrative area: *
Serbian Serbian may refer to: * someone or something related to Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe * someone or something related to the Serbs, a South Slavic people * Serbian language * Serbian names See also

* * * Old Serbian (disambiguat ...
= 63,412 (44.80%) * Hungarian = 50,621 (35.76%) * Bunjevac = 6,313 (4.46%) * Croatian = 5,758 (4.07%) * Others Serbian is the most employed language in daily life, but Hungarian is also used by over one third of the population in their daily conversations. Both languages are also widely employed in commercial and official signage


Religion

Religion in the Subotica administrative area as of the 2011 census: *
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
= 81,532 (57.60%) *
Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...
= 39,333 (27.79%) *
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
= 2,756 (1.95%) *
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
= 2,372 (1.68%) *
Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...
= 89 (0.001%) Subotica is the centre of the
Roman Catholic diocese As of October 5, 2021, the Catholic Church in its entirety comprises 3,171 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, including over 652 archdioceses and 2,248 dioceses, as well as apostolic vicariates, apostolic exarchates, apostolic administrations, ap ...
of the
Bačka Bačka ( sr-cyrl, Бачка, ) or Bácska () is a geographical and historical area within the Pannonian Plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east. It is divided between Serbia and Hungary ...
region. The Subotica area has the highest concentration of Catholics in Serbia. 57% of the city's population are Catholic. There are eight Catholic parish churches, a
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
spiritual centre (the city has communities of both Franciscan friars and Franciscan nuns), a female Dominican community, and two congregations of
Augustinian Augustinian may refer to: *Augustinians, members of religious orders following the Rule of St Augustine *Augustinianism, the teachings of Augustine of Hippo and his intellectual heirs *Someone who follows Augustine of Hippo * Canons Regular of Sain ...
religious sisters. The diocese of Subotica has the only Catholic secondary school in Serbia (Paulinum). When the nuns' orphanage and children's home in Blato, Korčula (present-day
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
) had exhausted the food and funds needed for helping poor and hungry children,
Marija Petković Marija Petković, also known as "The Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified Petković"; (Croatian: ''Marija od Propetoga Isusa Petković'', Italian ''Maria Di Gesù Crocifisso''), (10 December 1892 - 9 July 1966) was the founder of the Catholic Congrega ...
(later known as Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified Petković), went to
Bačka Bačka ( sr-cyrl, Бачка, ) or Bácska () is a geographical and historical area within the Pannonian Plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east. It is divided between Serbia and Hungary ...
, whose apostolic seat is Subotica, to solicit help for orphans and widows. Bishop Ljudevit Lajčo Budanović asked Petković to found monasteries of her Order in Subotica and neighbourhood, so the locals could benefit spiritually from the instruction of the nuns of her Order. She learned that Bačka had many poor and abandoned children. In 1923, she opened ''Kolijevka'', a children's home in Subotica. The home still exists but is no longer run by nuns. Among other Christian communities, the members of the
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches. The majori ...
are the most numerous. There are two
Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...
church buildings in the city. Orthodox Christians in Subotica belong to the Eparchy of Bačka of the
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches. The majori ...
. Subotica has two
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
churches as well,
Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...
and
Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...
. The
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
community of Subotica is the third largest in Serbia, after those in
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
and
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
. About 1000 (of the 6,000 pre-WWII Jews of Subotica) survived the Holocaust. According to the 2011 census, fewer than 90 Jews remained in Subotica as of 2011.


Politics

Results of 2020 local elections in Subotica municipality: * For Our Children: 43,4 * Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians: 30,6% * Subotica Citizens Movement: 6,4% * Socialist Party of Serbia: 5,5% * United for a Democratic Subotica: 5,36% *
Bunjevci Citizens of Serbia Bunjevci Citizens of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Бунјевци Грађани Србије, Bunjevci građani Srbije; abbr. БГС / BGS), formerly known as the Bunjevac Party of Vojovdina (''Bunjevačka stranka Vojvodine'', BSV), is a political party in Se ...
: 3,2% ;Coat of arms The original coat of arms and current medium coat of arms have an outlining Latin inscription of ''Civitatis Maria Theresiopolis, Sigillum Liberæque Et Regiæ'', translated as ''Seal of the Free and Royal City of Maria Theresiopolis''.


Economy

The area around Subotica is mainly farmland but the city itself is an important industrial and transportation centre in Serbia. Due to the surrounding farmlands Subotica has famous food producer industries in the country, including such brands as the confectionery factory "Pionir", "Fidelinka" the cereal manufacturer, "
Mlekara Subotica Mlekara Subotica ( sr, Млекара Суботица) was a Serbian producer of dairy products based in Subotica, Serbia. It was one of the largest and most modern dairy manufacture companies in Serbia. As of 2012, Mlekara Subotica produced ar ...
" a milk producer and "Simex" producer of strong alcohol drinks. There are a number of old socialistic industries that survived the transition period in Serbia. The biggest one is the chemical fertilizer factory "Azotara" and the rail wagon factory "Bratstvo". Currently the biggest export industry in town is the "
Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad. The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
Subotica" wind generators factory and it is the biggest brownfield investment so far. The other big companies in Subotica are: Fornetti, ATB Sever and Masterplast. More recent companies to come to Subotica include Dunkermotoren and NORMA Group. Tourism is important. In the past few years, Palić has been famous for the Palić Film Festival. Subotica is a festival city, hosting more than 17 festivals over the year. As of September 2017, Subotica has one of 14 free economic zones established in Serbia. In 2020 construction of a new aqua park with ten pools and wellness and spa sections was underway in Palić. The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2018):


Education


Universities

*Teacher Training Faculty in the Hungarian Language of the University of Novi Sad Tutoring of teachers in Subotica dates back to the late 18th century. After the establishment of Austria-Hungary, the second state-financed teacher training faculty of Hungary was founded in Subotica, second to Buda only. Modern history of teacher training in Subotica started in 2006, when the Sombor Teacher Training Faculty's curriculums in the Hungarian language seceded from the faculty and became independent as the 14th faculty of the University of Novi Sad. As of 2022, the faculty offers bachelor's degrees in kindergarten teaching, elementary school teaching, disciplinatory teaching and communications, and master's degrees in kindergarten teaching and elementary school teaching.


Secondary schools

*Polytechnic school, Surveying and Construction, Typography, Forestry and Wood Processing *Teachers' College, founded in 1689, the oldest college in the country and region *"Svetozar Marković" grammar school *"Dezső Kosztolányi" Philological grammar school *"MEŠC" Electro-mechanical school, recently renamed to "Tehnička Škola - Subotica" (en. "Technical School") *"Bosa Milićević" School of Economics *"Lazar Nešić" School of Chemistry *"Medicinska Škola" Medical School 4 953 students studied in the city in the year 2020/21 in the secondary education. 1 626 students chose Hungarian speaking classes (32.8%), 209 students chose Croatian classes while 3 118 students studied in Serbian language.


Historical schools (1920 to 1941)

*
Subotica Law School The University of Belgrade School of Law at Subotica ( sr, Правни факултет у Суботици - Универзитет у Београду / Pravni fakultet u Subotici - Univerzitet u Beogradu) was an institution providing legal educ ...


Sport

Subotica has one major
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
stadium, the
Subotica City Stadium Subotica City Stadium ( sr, Градски стадион Суботица / Gradski stadion Subotica) is a multi-purpose stadium located in Subotica, Serbia. With a capacity of 13,000 people, it is currently used mostly for football matches a ...
, indoor arena and indoor swimming pool. The local football team is
Spartak Spartak may refer to: In sports *Spartak (sports society), an international fitness and sports society that unites some countries of the former Soviet Union In Russia *FC Spartak Moscow, a football club *FC Spartak Kostroma, a football club *PFC ...
and plays in the Serbian SuperLiga, the country's primary football competition.


Media

Newspapers and magazines published in Subotica: * ''
Magyar Szó ''Magyar Szó'' (lit. ''Hungarian Word'') is a Hungarian-language daily newspaper in Vojvodina, Serbia. It was founded in 1944, with the purpose of serving as the information source for the Hungarian minority of Vojvodina. It is published in No ...
'', daily newspaper in Hungarian, founded 1944, published in Subotica since 2006. * '' Subotičke novine'', main weekly newspaper in Serbian. * '' Bunjevačke novine'', in Bunjevac. * ''
Hrvatska riječ ''Hrvatska riječ'' (lit. ''The Croatian Word'') is a Croatian language weekly newspaper in Serbia. It is currently published in Subotica. History It was founded in 1945, with the purpose to serve as the information organ for the Croatian min ...
'', in Croatian. * ''
Zvonik ''Zvonik'' is a Roman Catholic magazine founded by Croat priests from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Subotica. It is published in Croatian. History and mission It was founded on September 19, 1994, in Bač, "in the shadow of the campanile of a ...
'', in Croatian


Infrastructure

A1 motorway A1, A-1, A01 or A.1. may refer to: Education * A1, the Basic Language Certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages * Language A1, the former name for "Language A: literature", one of the IB Group 1 subjects * A1, a ...
connects the city with
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
and
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
to the south and, across the border with Hungary, with Szeged to the north. It runs alongside the
Budapest–Belgrade railway The Budapest–Belgrade railway connects the capital cities of Hungary and Serbia – the Budapest Keleti railway station with the new Belgrade Centre railway station. As a $2.89 billion, high-speed rail line project, the Budapest–Belgrade ra ...
, which connects it to major European cities. As of November 2022, the line is out of order without replacement as both the Serbian and the Hungarian part of the line is currently being reconstructed. Subotica also has branch line railway connections to Sombor, Senta (with passenger service), and Szeged through Horgoš (under reconstruction with limited freight service, passenger service planned to commence in late 2023), while the former branch line to Baja through
Csikéria Csikéria ( hr, Čikerija; german: Tschikri) is a village in Bács-Kiskun County, in the Southern Great Plain region of Hungary. Geography It covers an area of and has a population of 942 people (2005). Demography * Magyars * Croats ...
was dismantled in the 1960s but parts of the derelict tracks are still visible in the city's northwestern outskirts. The city used to have a tram system, the
Subotica tram system The Subotica tram system was a tram system in Subotica, Serbia. It was in operation from 7 September 1897 to 2 April 1974. The first tram line went from the Sombor gate to the present day NAP gas station in Mali Bajmok over Rudic street, follogin ...
, but it was discontinued in 1974. The Subotica tram, put into operation in 1897, ran on electricity from the start. While neighbouring cities' trams at this date were often still horse-drawn, this gave the Subotica system an advantage over other municipalities including Belgrade, Novi Sad, Zagreb, and Szeged. Its existence was important for the citizens of Subotica, as well as tourists who came to visit. Subotica has since developed a bus system, operated by JP Subotica Trans, who operates eleven city lines, eight suburban lines, and thirteen interurban lines, as well as a single international line to Szeged. Per year the buses travel some 4.7 million kilometres, and carry about ten million people. The city is served by Subotica Airport; its runway is too short for airliners, limiting usage to mostly recreational aviation. Southwest of the city there is a 218.5 metres tall guyed mast for FM-/TV-broadcasting. It is the tallest of its kind in Serbia and one of the tallest in the region.


Famous citizens

* Branimir Aleksić (born 1990), football player and member of the
Serbia national football team The Serbia national football team ( sr, Фудбалска репрезентација Србије, Fudbalska reprezentacija Srbije) represents Serbia in men's international football competition. It is controlled by the Football Association of ...
* Sava Babić (1934–2012), writer, translator, and university professor * Géza Csáth (1887–1919), Hungarian writer, musician, music critic, psychiatrist, and physician *
Gyula Cseszneky Vitéz Count Gyula István Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek ( hu, vitéz cseszneki és milványi gróf Cseszneky Gyula István; 28 June 1914 – after 1970) was a Hungarian aristocrat, poet, cavalry officer who took part in the Hungarian reann ...
(born 1914), Hungarian, poet, voivode *
Sreten Damjanović Sreten Damjanović (born 10 October 1946) is a retired lightweight Greco-Roman wrestler from Serbia. He won the world title in 1971 and placed second in 1969 and 1973. He also competed at the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olym ...
(born 1946), wrestler *
Marko Dmitrović Marko Dmitrović ( sr-Cyrl, Марко Дмитровић, ; born 24 January 1992) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Sevilla as a goalkeeper. He has also previously played for the Serbia national team. Club career ...
(born 1992), goalkeeper for the
Serbia national football team The Serbia national football team ( sr, Фудбалска репрезентација Србије, Fudbalska reprezentacija Srbije) represents Serbia in men's international football competition. It is controlled by the Football Association of ...
and Spanish football club Eibar * Oliver Dulić (born 1975), politician *
Vlatko Dulić Vlatko Dulić (20 April 1943 – 20 November 2015) was a Croatian theatre, television and film actor and theatre director. Hailing from Subotica in Vojvodina, a province of Serbia, Dulić studied acting at the Zagreb Academy of Dramatic Art, wher ...
(1943–2015), actor * Yehuda Elkana (born 1934), Israeli philosopher of science * Nikola Kalinić (born 1991), Serbian basketball player, silver medalist at the Olympics and the FIBA World Cup *
Zoran Kalinić Zoran Kalinić (born 20 July 1958) is a Serbian retired table tennis player who represented SFR Yugoslavia (1976–1991) and FR Yugoslavia (1991–1998). Table tennis career He began playing table tennis in 1969. He turned pro in 1976. He won 15 ...
(born 1958), table tennis champion * Danilo Kiš (1935–1989), writer * Juci Komlós (1919–2011), Hungarian actress *
Dezső Kosztolányi Dezső Kosztolányi (; March 29, 1885 – November 3, 1936) was a Hungarian writer, journalist, translator and also a speaker of Esperanto. He wrote in all literary genres, from poetry to essays to theatre plays. Building his own style, he used ...
(1885–1936), Hungarian poet and prose-writer * Zoran Kuntić (born 1967), Serbian retired professional footballer *
Félix Lajkó Félix Lajkó ( sr, Феликс Лајко, ''Feliks Lajko''; born 17 December 1974 in Bačka Topola, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Hungarian violinist, zither player and composer. He plays a variety of musical styles: folk music (traditio ...
(born 1974), world music violinist and composer * Péter Lékó (born 1979), Hungary's number one chess player * Szilveszter Lévai (born 1945), Hungarian composer *
Aleksandar Lifka Aleksandar Lifka (20 May 1880 – 12 November 1952) was an Yugoslav cinematographer. Life Lifka was born in Braşov, Brassó in the Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian Empire, in what is now Romania to a Czech family. After spending his childhood ...
(1880–1952), central-European cinematographer * Bela Lugosi (1882–1956), actor *
Boris Malagurski Boris Malagurski ( sr-Cyrl, Борис Малагурски; born 11 August 1988) is a Serbian-Canadian film director, producer, writer, political commentator, television host, and activist.
(born 1988), Serbian Canadian film director, producer, and TV host *
Refik Memišević Refik Memišević (14 May 1956 in Bačko Novo Selo – 4 January 2004 in Subotica) was a Yugoslav wrestler who competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics and in the 1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII O ...
(1956–2004), wrestling champion *
Đula Mešter Đula Mešter ( sr-cyr, Ђула Мештер; hu, Mester Gyula, born 3 April 1972) is a Serbian volleyball player of Hungarian ethnicity who won the gold medal with the Yugoslav Men's National Team at the 2000 Summer Olympics. Standing at 2.03 ...
(born 1972), volleyball player and Olympic champion * Jovan Mikić (1914–1944), leader of the Partisans in Subotica, and a national hero who was killed in 1944 *
Tihomir Ognjanov Tihomir "Bata" Ognjanov ( Serbian Cyrillic: Тихомир Огњанов; 2 March 1927 – 2 July 2006) was a Serbian footballer who was part of Yugoslavia national football team at the 1950 and 1954 FIFA World Cup. He won the silver medal at ...
(1927–2006), Serbian footballer for the
Yugoslavia national football team The Yugoslavia national football team; hr, Jugoslavenska nogometna reprezentacija; sl, Jugoslovanska nogometna reprezentanca; mk, Фудбалска репрезентација на Југославија, Fudbalska reprezentacija na Jugosl ...
*
Momir Petković Momir Petković ( sr-cyrl, Момир Петковић; born 21 July 1953) is a Serbian Olympic wrestling champion. Wrestling career Momir Petković was a 1976 Olympic gold medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling in Montreal, competing for the form ...
(born 1953), wrestling champion * Bojana Radulović (born 1973), handball player *
Mirna Radulović Mirna Radulović ( sr-cyr, Мирна Радуловић) is a Serbian singer and songwriter. She rose to national media prominence as the winner of the second season of ''Prvi glas Srbije'', a Serbian music talent show similar to ''The Voice''. ...
(born 1992), Serbian singer who represented
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
in the
Eurovision Song Contest 2013 The Eurovision Song Contest 2013 was the 58th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Malmö, Sweden, following the country's victory at the with the song "Euphoria" by Loreen. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EB ...
as part of
Moje 3 Moje 3 ( sr-cyr, Моје 3; English: ''My 3'') was a Serbian girl group consisting of Mirna Radulović, Nevena Božović and Sara Jovanović. They represented Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö with the song "Ljubav je svuda". T ...
*
Eva Ras Eva or EVA may refer to: * Eva (name), a feminine given name Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Eva (Dynamite Entertainment), a comic book character by Dynamite Entertainment * Eva (''Devil May Cry''), Dante's mother in t ...
(born 1941), actress, painter, and writer *
Magdolna Rúzsa Magdolna is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Magdolna Komka, née Csábi, retired Hungarian high jumper * Magdolna Kovács, Hungarian orienteering competitor * Magdolna Nyári-Kovács (1921–2005), Hungarian fencer * Magdolna ...
(born 1985), Hungarian pop singer *
Ivan Sarić Ivan Sarić (27 June 1876 – 23 August 1966) was a Yugoslavian sportsman and aviator. He founded the athletic club ŽAK Subotica in his hometown of Subotica. He was also one of the most important pioneers of aviation in Eastern Europe. As a cycl ...
(1876–1966), aviation pioneer and cyclist *
Tibor Sekelj Tibor Sekelj (14 February 1912 – 20 September 1988), also known as ''Székely Tibor'' according to Hungarian orthography, was a Hungarian born polyglot, explorer, author, and 'citizen of the world.' In 1986 he was elected a member of the Acad ...
(Tibor Székely) (1912–1988), explorer, esperantist, writer * John Simon (1925–2019), American theatre critic * Davor Štefanek (born 1985), Serbian wrestler and Olympic champion *
György Sztantics György Sztantics ( sh, Đuro Stantić) (Subotica, Szabadka, 19 August 1878 – Subotica, Szabadka, 10 July 1918) was a Hungary, Hungarian athlete (ethnic Bunjevci, Bunjevac from today's Serbia) who competed mainly in the 3000 metre walk. He co ...
(1878–1918),
racewalking Racewalking, or race walking, is a long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Although a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. Referee, Race judges careful ...
champion at the
Intercalated Games The 1906 Intercalated Games or 1906 Olympic Games was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated in Athens, Greece. They were at the time considered to be Olympic Games and were referred to as the "Second International Olympic Games i ...
*
Itzchak Tarkay Itzchak Tarkay ( he, יצחק טרקאי; 1935 – June 3, 2012) was an Israeli painter and graphic artist. He is used trade dress to protect his style from being emulated via ''Romm Art Creations Ltd. v. Simcha International, Inc.''. A case that ...
(1935–2012), Israeli artist *
Đorđe Tutorić Đorđe Tutorić (Serbian Cyrillic: Ђорђе Туторић; born 5 March 1983) is a Serbian retired footballer. Club career Born in Subotica, Tutorić began his career in his native Serbia playing for Red Star Belgrade. From 2002 to 2005, ...
(born 1983), Serbian professional football player * Ajs Nigrutin (born 1977), Serbian rapper.


International cooperation

* Subotica is a pilot city of the
Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; french: Conseil de l'Europe, ) is an international organisation founded in the wake of World War II to uphold European Convention on Human Rights, human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. ...
and the EU Intercultural cities programme.


Twin towns - Sister cities

Subotica is twinned with the following cities:


Partner Cities

Subotica is a partner city with the following:


See also

*
List of mayors of Subotica This is a list of mayors of Subotica since 1796. The Mayor of Subotica is the head of the City of Subotica (the fifth largest city in Serbia and second largest city in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina). He acts on behalf of the city, and p ...
*
Municipalities of Serbia The municipalities and cities ( sr, општине и градови, opštine i gradovi) are the second level administrative subdivisions of Serbia. The country is divided into 145 municipalities ( sr-Latn, opštine, singular: ; 38 in Southern ...
* List of cities in Serbia *
List of cities, towns and villages in Vojvodina This is a list of cities, towns and villages in Vojvodina, a province of Serbia. List of largest cities and towns in Vojvodina List of urban settlements in Vojvodina List of all urban settlements (cities and towns) in Vojvodina with populati ...
*
North Bačka District The North Bačka District ( sr, Севернобачки округ, Severnobački okrug, ; hu, Észak-bácskai körzet) is one of seven administrative districts of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It lies in the Bačka geographi ...


References


Books

* * *


Sources

* Recent (2002) statistical information comes from the Serbian statistical office. ** Ethnic statistics:  , САОПШTЕЊЕ СН31, брoј 295 • год. LII, 24.12.2002, YU . Accessed 17 January 2006. On page 6–7, Становништво према националној или етничкој припадности по попису 2002. Statistics can be found on the lines for "Суботица" (Subotica). ** Language and religion statistics
Popis stanovništva, domaćinstava i stanova u 2002
. Accessed 17 January 2006. On page 11–12: СТАНОВНИШТВО ПРЕМА ВЕРОИСПОВЕСТИ, СТАНОВНИШТВО ПРЕМА МАТЕРЊЕМ ЈЕЗИКУ. Statistics can be found on the lines for "Суботица" (Subotica). ** Ferdinand, S. and F. Komlosi. 2017
The Use of Hungarian and Serbian in the City of Szabadka/Subotica: An Empirical Study
Hungarian Cultural Studies, Volume 10. Accessed 8 September 2017.


External links


The official website of Subotica

JP Subotica Trans
- Public Transport Official Site
Subotica's official website for tourism and travel information

History of Subotica

Panoramic pictures from Subotica

Subotica International Festival of Children's Theatres
{{Authority control Places in Bačka Populated places in Vojvodina Municipalities and cities of Vojvodina North Bačka District Former capitals of Serbia Spatial Cultural-Historical Units of Great Importance Starčevo–Körös–Criș culture