At about 300 km to the south from Belgrade, on the road taking over the Ibarska Main Road to the Adriatic Sea, surrounded by the peaks of Golija, Rogozna and Pešter Plateau, as well as the rivers Jošanica and Raška, Novi Pazar is situated, a unique multiethnic area, where the West and East civilizations meet and mix, the old and new, Islam and Christianity. Novi Pazar, founded by the Turks, who called it Yeni Pazar (Novi Pazar), unlike Eski Pazar (Stari Pazar, i.e. the Trading Bazaar), is outstanding by natural resources and cultural values, which were the reason for a visit of Serbian tourism journalists to this destination. But the journalists assured themselves of something else, as well - beside many valuable cultural/historical monuments, Novi Pazar is also a city of hospitable, warm-hearted and kind people.
Already at the first meeting with Novi Pazar, founded in 1461 by Isa-Beg Isaković (later on, he also founded Sarajevo and Šabac), we find out it is a very old city, which is shown by many archaeological findings situated in the Ras Museum. It had the geostrategic importance at the crossroads and hence it belonged to Zeta, Byzantium, Hungary, Bosnia, Austro-Hungary, Turkey and in the Second World War also to Germany. Glorious conquerors passed through it - the Byzantine Emperor Manojlo Komnen and Sultan Mehmed Fatih II. It was the capital of Nemanjić country Raška and the seat of the Ottoman Novi Pazar Sandzak. At Novi Pazar territory, there is a plentiful and diverse cultural heritage, the wealth of priceless value, which provides specific experience of the visitors by its permeating. The Old Town Ras, the Monasteries Sopoćani and Đurđevi Stupovi, Petar's Church (the oldest church in Serbia), Altun-Alem Mosque, Hammam and other cultural monuments make the open mind in the meeting of the Orthodox Religion and Islam. The connection of the old and new contributes to the whole Novi Pazar to become a unique attraction with narrow and curved streets, through which is almost impossible to reach the city center along with the cars.
And while it is a cultural heritage on one side, on the other one it is the economic boom this city experienced in the last decade as no other in Serbia. Thessaloniki, Timisoara, Szeged or Istanbul are not the first thing we remember when 'shopping' is mentioned. It isNovi Pazar now, with many goldsmith shops, garments and footwear shops, with the famous Small and Big market and incredible quantities of high quality jeans at low price. The far famous gastronomy does not leg behind - mantije, qebab, not similar to any other one, baklavas, tulumbe, kadaif, lokum and other specialties. The accommodation in the hotelsVrbak, Tadž and Atlas enables a pleasant staying, but there are few accommodation capacities, since, as declared by Ms. Ljiljana Lešević, CEO of the Tourism Organization of Novi Pazar, "The number of local and global tourists is very much increasing.
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We are at the Transromanica Cultural Route of the Council of Europe and the interest is increasing". Thus, Mr. Nihat Biševac, The Mayor of Novi Pazar, announces both the efforts to bring the tourists from Kopaonik to Novi Pazar and many investments, among them also the construction of six new hotels "From the local investors' sources, as well as those from the Diaspora, which is very present here". |
The sooner they are constructed and the sooner more tourists begin coming, the better. In the opinion of the Internet Serbia Travel News Team and the colleagues from other editorial boards, Novi Pazar should become an inevitable destination in the tourism visit programs in Serbia. Both because of the tourists and because of Serbia.
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THE CITY SIGHTS |
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HAMMAM - The old Turkish public bathroom constructed by Isa-Beg Isaković. This monument of Islamic architecture is under the Government protection as a monument of extraordinary importance.
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THE CITY FORTRESS - Several times destroyed and reconstructed, it was used for the town defense. Its form part is the present symbol of the city Kula Motrilja (Supervising Tower) (17th century).
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VRBAK HOTEL
The only hotel in Europe constructed above a river (the Raška)
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RAS MUSEUM
It is located in the oldest building in Novi Pazar, It has got unique collection of coins used at the Nemanjić era and the prehistorical findings from the cave near the old town of Ras. The museum rooms are arranged in Turkish and Serbian styles.
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GOODS MARKET - Some people call it Jeans Valley. Consumer goods from the workshops not manufacturing only copies but also their own brand names. They are bought at very good prices.
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EXCURSION RESORTS |
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PAZARIŠTE - The old town Ras, the capital of the first Serbian state Raška during the Nemanjić era. Since 1979 on UNESCO World Heritage Site list. At the base are the tourism settlement Ras and a large fish pond with California trout. |
GOLIJA - One of the most beautiful and richest in forests mountains of Serbia. Tourism Ski Resort Odvraćenica at 1,744 m height above sea level. It has got five chairlifts and seven runs 450 - 1100 m long.
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SPA TOURISM |
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NOVI PAZAR SPA - Surrounded in the Novi Pazar Valley, at the base of Rogozna mountain, it was famous already to the ancient Romans. It has got the character of climatic sanatorium and is the rehabilitation center for the treatment of the muscular and neuro-muscular diseases.
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RAJČINOVIĆA SPA - A climatic resort with water that cures the diseases of digestive tract, liver and bile ducts, kidneys and ureters. |
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CULTURAL/HISTORICAL HERITAGE |
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ĐURĐEVI STUPOVI
One of the oldest Serbian Monasteries, devoted to St. Đorđe. Great Župan Stefan Nemanja had it constructed and the construction was finished in 1171. This Monastery, more than 830 years old, has been included in the World Heritage Sites and it is under protection of UNESCO.
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PETAR'S CHURCH
The Saint Apostels Church Petar and Pavle, among people better known as Petar's Church, the oldest monument of the Church architecture in Serbia, originally the seat of Raška Episcopate. It originates from the 8th century. Also Rastko Nemanjić - Saint Sava was baptized in this Church. |
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ALTUN-ALEM MOSQUE
One of the oldest and most beautiful mosques in the Balkans. It was constructed by the constructor Muslihudin Abdulgani in early 16th century. It is a rare masterpiece of Islamic architecture and it has been under the Governmental protection since 1979. |
SOPOĆANI
The ktitor of Sopoćani Monastery, one of the most important culture monuments in Serbia, is Stefan Uroš I Nemanjić, the son of Stefan The First-Crowned and the King of Serbia in the period from 1243 to 1276.
Basic value of Sopoćani are frescoes, believed to be the most beautiful ones in the world, from the 13th century. The remnants of the King Uroš I are preserved in the Monastery. Due to its outstanding value, UNESCO included this Monastery into the World Heritage Sites.
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