Novi Pazar

Novi Pazar is a city located in southwest Serbia. It is a multicultural area of Muslims and Orthodox Christians and many monuments of both religions, like the Altun-Alem Mosque and the Church of St. Apostles Peter and Paul, are found in the region. It is a cultural centre of the Bosniaks in Serbia and the historical region of Sandžak.

The name Novi Pazar means new marketplace, It is derived from Serbian place name Novo Trgovište, via Turkish place name Yeni Pazar (meaning new market)

According to the last official census done in 2011, the Municipality of Novi Pazar has 100,410 inhabitants, while the city itself has 68,749 inhabitants. Most of Novi Pazar’s population are Bosniaks while 68.47% of the municipality’s population is urban. 

The total area of the municipality is 742 km². It contains over 100 settlements, mostly small and spread over hills and mountains surrounding the city. The largest surrounding village is Mur with over 3000 residents.

One of the oldest monuments of the area is the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul first built in the Roman era. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the next centuries, the region of modern Novi Pazar served as the principal province of the Serbian realm.

Novi Pazar was formally founded as a city in its own right in 1461 by Ottoman general Isa-Beg Isaković, the Bosnian governor of the district and founder of Sarajevo.  Isa-Beg Isaković decided to establish a new town on the area as an urban centre. First he built a mosque, a public bath, a marketplace, a hostel, and a compound.

ESN Belgrade

I got introduced to ESN BelUPgrade during my second year living here. They are a non-profit international student organisation, whose mission is to represent international students in Belgrade

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ESN stands for Erasmus Student Network and it is the biggest student association in Europe. It began on October 16, 1989 and legally registered in 1990 for supporting and developing student exchange.

ESN is currently established in more than 430 Higher Education Institutions in 37 countries. The network is constantly developing and expanding. With around 13,500 active members that are, in many sections, supported by a 'buddies system'. Making a total of around 29,000 young people and offering its services to around 180,000 international students every year.
The organization works for the creation of a more flexible education environment by supporting and developing the student exchange from different levels, and providing an intercultural experience also to those students studying locally and are unable to travel.

The main focus of ESN is placed on current exchange students, who often face problems in their new environments. ESN offers help in the academic, social and practical integration process of international students in Belgrade. . This is mainly done through activities in the local sections, which include cultural and social events such as trips to various places within the country, film nights, language projects, international food festivals and last, but not least, parties.

Valjevo

On one of my many class excursions, I got the opportunity to visit the city of Valjevo. It is a city located in western Serbia. is situated along the river Kolubara, a tributary of the Sava river. It is the centre of the Kolubara District, which includes five other, smaller municipalities with a total population of almost 175,000.

Birth Place of Živojin Mišić

Valjevo is known by the battle of Kolubara, led by legendary Serbian commander Živojin Mišić.  He was the most successful Serbian commander who participated in all of Serbia's wars from 1876 to 1918.  On November 19, 1917, he received title sir from King George V and even in present day his military tactic is studied at military colleges all over the world.

Vrujci Spa

Banja Vrujci spa is located in the municipality of Mionica, Vrujci Spa has mud baths for rheumatic diseases, as well as a hotel and sports complex with swimming pools,

Brankovina

Brankovina is located about ten kilometers from Valjevo, it belongs among the oldest villages of Valjevo region, it entered Serbian history during XVIII century. It represents a significant tourist destination with a historical ambient content, which is primarily visited by tourists because of the tombs of the family Nenadovic (1984). Besides family Nenadović, the fame of Brankovina was also spread all over the world by the famous poetess Desanka Maksimović, who grew up in this village and later she very often and gladly returned to it. The museum department of Valjevo National Museum was established first in the old Pre-school and then in the Desanka’s school.

Petnica Cave

As spectacular as it is Petnica Cave is also archaeological site. The cave and its immediate surroundings are the oldest evidence of the life of people in western Serbia. Archaeological research of the site began in the 19th century when the first research was performed by Josif Pančić and Jovan Cvijić. In addition to archaeological value, the cave has great speleological and paleontological value. The cave consists of a nearly 600-metre-long channel and a number of chambers. It is divided into two parts – Upper and Lower cave.