Novi Sad was among the first European cities to boast with the “Tourist map- Novi Sad from female perspective“(Stojaković, Female studies and research Novi Sad 1999) that presented the history of the city through biographies of certain number of women that left the mark in its cultural, political and economic history . “The female names of Novi Sad- Guide for fans of alternatives routes” (Stojaković/Kresoja, Tourism Organization of the City of Novi Sad 2014) was published thanks to the Tourism Organization of the City of Novi Sad. The above-mentioned edition contains short biographies of twenty eight renowned women, information about houses in which they lived, streets bearing women names and resting-places of renowned female citizens of Novi Sad. The publication also contains a map that can be used to tour the city core in accordance with prescribed sequence.
The biography of the biggest donor among Serbs Marija Trandafil (1816-1883) who donated and left her legacy to Novi Sad that was estimated at 1,400,000 HUF in 1913 stands as a true testimony that the history of city depicted through biographies of renowned women is equally worthy as the one written in history books. Nowadays, it is impossible to walk through city centre of Novi Sad without your gaze wandering off to a house or building that used to be part of her biography. Marija Trandafil owned the houses in Zmaj Jovina str. 8, 16 and 17, Pašićeva 11, Dunavska 16 and Miletićeva 17 that she left as a legacy to her own people apart from the donations expressed in land and money. The seat of Matica Srpska and Library of Matica Srpska is housed in the eye catching building that was constructed for purposes of “Legacy of Marija Trandafil for Serbian orthodox orphans”. The Armenian Church in Novi Sad (that is unfortunately no longer there) was restored and furnished from grounds up with her generous donation since it was devastated during the Uprising in 1849.
Recommendation: “Women names of Novi Sad – Guide for fans of alternative tours“ can be downloaded from the website of Tourism Organization of the City of Novi Sad and depending on your interest and time that you wish to spend in Novi Sad, you can make your own plan of exploring alternative history of the city. The website of the Tourism Organization of the City of Novi Sad is enclosed in Supplement to this Guide (choose an option “Info” followed by “Publications” ).
