In this episode of Balkan Trip we discover two new cities: Sremski Karlovci, known for its rich history, oldest grammar school and unique Bermet wine, and Novi Sad, chosen as the European Capital in 2022.
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00:00BALKAN TRIP
00:06Welcome to Balkan Trip.
00:08Balkan is a fascinating region that combines different cultures,
00:12while Serbia is full of natural beauties, historical signs,
00:15but also different styles in architecture.
00:17And when I mention architecture, somehow we forget about Srem's Karlovac,
00:21which is famous for that.
00:23However, this little place hides some more specialties.
00:25After Srem's Karlovac, we go to Novi Sad,
00:27that is, to the Petrovaradin Fortress,
00:29which I would say is the only one in the world that has a so-called Drunken Garden.
00:33Stay with us to find out what it's all about.
00:37Located between the green outcrops of the Fruška Gora and the Blue Danube,
00:41a little less than 80 kilometers north of Belgrade,
00:44Srem's Karlovac has a rich mixture of Serbian culture and spirituality,
00:48in its buildings of invaluable historical value.
00:52Thus, here, the gymnasium began its work on November 1, 1792,
00:57and soon after its foundation,
00:59it became a seat of Serbian prosperity, culture and spirituality.
01:03The Karlovac Gymnasium, in addition to bearing the title of the oldest in Serbia,
01:07is also protected by a real botanical treasure,
01:09the Volnev Herbarium, the oldest herbarium collection in the Balkans.
01:15It is quite invaluable a treasure in these areas,
01:20not only in Serbia, but also abroad.
01:22In the middle of the last century, after the Second World War,
01:25it was placed under protection.
01:27It is one of the first things to be placed under protection
01:30as a monument of culture.
01:32In addition to collecting various plants,
01:34Andrej Volni and Đacimo also collected wine in the vineyard,
01:37because Karlovac is a wine-growing region.
01:39We also found that herbarium with a vineyard,
01:42so it turned out that it is the oldest preserved in Spain,
01:46from the beginning of the 19th century, from 1804,
01:49and this one is from 1812.
01:53The Karlovac Gymnasium has a rich library
01:56with about 18,000 books.
01:58This is the oldest school library in Serbia.
02:01We have valuable old books here,
02:03from the 14th century,
02:05and the first edition of Vuk's Dictionary.
02:10Books with treasures of special value are preserved in the library.
02:15One of the most valuable books
02:17is the gift of King Aleksandar Obrenovic,
02:19the last king of the Obrenovic dynasty,
02:21which was presented to the library
02:23by the phototype edition of the Peaceful Gospel.
02:28If you are already in Sremskie Karlovci,
02:30do not miss the opportunity to try local wine.
02:32Of course, enjoy the gastronomic offer
02:34of this beautiful place.
02:37Ferment is a very important wine
02:39through the past centuries.
02:41It is deserved because the Sremski Karlovci
02:43were recognized and recognized
02:45on the European wine chart.
02:47The wine is very different
02:49from all these standard wines.
02:51Its consumers are people
02:53who do not only like wine,
02:55but even those who have never
02:57drunk wine in their lives,
02:59they also adore it.
03:01It is complex, 24 medicinal herbs.
03:03The secret in our family recipe
03:05is that no herb stands out.
03:09They say that the Bermet wine
03:12is the best in the world.
03:14So we asked someone
03:16who has been preparing
03:18this delicious cake for a long time.
03:20Traditional Karlovci kuglof
03:22is actually related to another brand,
03:24and that is Bermet.
03:26It was created in 2002
03:28at the first festival of kuglof.
03:30One of our colleagues wanted
03:32when the jury tried
03:34her piece of kuglof
03:36to tear a little
03:38and then instead of milk
03:40she put cinnamon
03:42and walnuts.
03:44Basically, all the recipes
03:46are about almonds or hazelnuts
03:48that we had until then,
03:50but she wanted to put walnuts
03:52because walnuts are somehow
03:54Karlovci.
03:56When you walk a little
03:58on Karlovci streets,
04:00almost every house
04:02has one big walnut.
04:04Girls say a little energy
04:06and everything will be fine.
04:10Karlovci
04:16It looks so good!
04:22It's great!
04:26Whether you are a lover of poetry,
04:28culture, history
04:30or just like to travel
04:32and try good wine,
04:34Serbian Karlovci
04:36will certainly charm you.
04:39We are 10 km north
04:41in Novi Sad,
04:43more precisely in Petrovaradin Fortress.
04:45With its beautiful panoramic view
04:47and turbulent military history,
04:49it hides the stories
04:51about some long-lost times.
04:53This fortress is recognized
04:55by one hour
04:57when the Cossacks were a little confused
04:59and changed their roles.
05:01The inhabitants of the lower town
05:03were paying taxes to the fortress.
05:05It is mostly known
05:07as the Fortress of Novi Sad.
05:09At that time,
05:11the hours were much more important.
05:13The soldiers of the Danube
05:15and the people of Novi Sad
05:17could see the time.
05:19Every hour,
05:21the guards of the soldiers
05:23were changing.
05:25The guards could work
05:27for one day
05:29and every day
05:31they had to get ready.
05:33Three heavy balls
05:36and every day
05:38one man,
05:40half a century old,
05:42was taking care of it.
05:44The whole story
05:46about the hour
05:48and Lajos Lukac
05:50is interesting.
05:52The Petrovaradin Fortress
05:54was put under the protection
05:56of the state in 1951
05:58as a monument
06:00of exceptional cultural
06:02and historical importance.
06:04If you come to Novi Sad,
06:06you must walk through the streets
06:08of this city,
06:10the second largest in Serbia,
06:12a city that proudly bore
06:14the epitaph and title
06:16of the European Capital of Culture
06:18in 2022.
06:20In the center of this city
06:22there is a meeting place,
06:24the church of the name of Marino.
06:26The inhabitants of Novi Sad
06:28say that it is located
06:30in front of the cathedral.
06:33There are many stories
06:35about love here.
06:37One of them
06:39is about a couple
06:41whose young wife
06:43was a policewoman
06:45from America.
06:47She was wearing a coat
06:49and a paragraph
06:51that said
06:53the cross of love
06:55that decorated
06:57the entrance door.
06:59The church was built
07:01in a neo-Gothic style
07:03with a tower 72 meters high.
07:05It was decorated
07:07by rich stained glass,
07:09viticulture,
07:11as well as altars
07:13built in Tyrol.
07:15This church is decorated
07:17by this beautiful view
07:19which is actually the third
07:21in a row,
07:23because before this church
07:25there were two churches.
07:27From those old churches
07:30you can see
07:32what sailors left
07:34to be preserved
07:36during their voyages.
07:42We got to know
07:44Bedny Tvin
07:46while exploring
07:48the oldest herbarium
07:50in the Balkans.
07:52We visited Novi Sad
07:54and Petrovaradin's church
07:56where we saw
07:58the most beautiful
08:00of all the churches
08:02in the Balkans.