Subotica (, ; , , ) is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

in Central Europe and the administrative center of the

North Bačka District The North Bačka District (, ) is one of administrative districts of Serbia. It lies in the Bačka geographical region. According to the 2022 census, the North Bačka District has a population of 160,163 inhabitants. The administrative center ...

in the autonomous province of

Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...

, Serbia. 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, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...

. According to the 2022 census, the urban area of the city (including adjacent settlement of

Palić Palić ( sr-Cyrl, Палић; ; ) is a town located in the city of Subotica, North Bačka District, autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is also located from the border between Serbia and Hungary. The town has a Hungarian ethnic majority ...

) has a population of 94,228, and the population of metro area (the administrative area of the city) stands at 123,952 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"''. According to Skok, Szabadka originated from ''sobotka'', a Slavic

diminutive A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...

of ''sobota'', meaning "a place that had a market fair on Saturday" (like

Szombathely } Szombathely (; ; also see #Etymology, names) is the 10th largest city in Hungary. It is the administrative centre of Vas County in the west of the country, located near the border with Austria. Szombathely lies by the streams ''Perint'' and '' ...

or Nagyszombat), but its ending ''-ka'' was later replaced with ''-ica'', another Slavic diminutive, by the

Bunjevci Bunjevci ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Bunjevci, Буњевци, ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, label=, separator=" / ", Bunjevac, Буњевац, sh-Latn-Cyrl, label=, separator=" / ", Bunjevka, Буњевка) are a South Slavs, South Slavic sub-ethnic ...

. 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 town was named in the 1740s after

Maria Theresa of Austria Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position in her own right. She was the sovereig ...

, 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 ''Maria-Theresiopel'' or ''Theresiopel''), and were used in different languages.

Geography

It is located in Central Europe at the

Pannonian Basin The Pannonian Basin, with the term Carpathian Basin being sometimes preferred in Hungarian literature, is a large sedimentary basin situated in southeastern Central Europe. After the Treaty of Trianon following World War I, the geomorpholog ...

at 46.07° North, 19.68° East, at the altitude of 109m, about from the border with

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, 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 and ...

, and is the northernmost city in Serbia. Lake Palić is in the immediate vicinity of the city. Sand dunes area Subotička Peščara is located north of the city, along the Hungarian border.

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 cold ...

(''Dfb'') that is uncommon in Serbia except at higher elevations,

History

Prehistory and antiquity

In the

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

and

Eneolithic The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as st ...

periods, several important archaeological cultures flourished in this area, including the Starčevo culture, the Vinča culture, and the Tiszapolgár culture. Early

Indo-European The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the northern Indian subcontinent, most of Europe, and the Iranian plateau with additional native branches found in regions such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives, parts of Central Asia (e. ...

peoples settled in the territory of present-day Subotica in 3200 BC. During the

period, the

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

and the

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

, several Indo-European archaeological cultures included areas around Subotica - the Baden culture, the Vučedol culture, the

Urnfield culture The Urnfield culture () was a late Bronze Age Europe, Bronze Age culture of Central Europe, often divided into several local cultures within a broader Urnfield tradition. The name comes from the custom of cremation, cremating the dead and placin ...

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 Foot ...

and Dacian descent inhabited this area. In the 3rd century BC, this area was controlled by the Celtic

Boii The Boii (Latin language, Latin plural, singular ''Boius''; ) were a Celts, Celtic tribe of the later Iron Age, attested at various times in Cisalpine Gaul (present-day Northern Italy), Pannonia (present-day Austria and Hungary), present-day Ba ...

and Eravisci, 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 The Sarmatians (; ; Latin: ) were a large confederation of Ancient Iranian peoples, ancient Iranian Eurasian nomads, equestrian nomadic peoples who dominated the Pontic–Caspian steppe, Pontic steppe from about the 5th century BCE to the 4t ...

Iazyges The Iazyges () were an ancient Sarmatians, Sarmatian tribe that traveled westward in 200BC from Central Asia to the steppes of modern Ukraine. In , they moved into modern-day Hungary and Serbia near the Pannonian steppe between the Danube ...

, 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

and

Turkic peoples Turkic peoples are a collection of diverse ethnic groups of West Asia, West, Central Asia, Central, East Asia, East, and North Asia as well as parts of Europe, who speak Turkic languages.. "Turkic peoples, any of various peoples whose members ...

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 centuries AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was par ...

Gepids The Gepids (; ) were an East Germanic tribes, 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 and language of the G ...

, Avars,

Slavs The Slavs or Slavic people are groups of people who speak Slavic languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout the northern parts of Eurasia; they predominantly inhabit Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, and ...

and

Bulgarians Bulgarians (, ) are a nation and South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and its neighbouring region, who share a common Bulgarian ancestry, culture, history and language. They form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, ...

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 ( , ), corresponding partially with 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 throug ...

. The Slavic tribe living in the territory of present-day Subotica were the Obotrites, a subgroup of the

Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...

. 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 Early Slavs settled in the eastern and southern parts of the former Roman province of Pannonia. The term ''Lower Pannonia'', was used to designate those areas of the Pannonian Plain that lie to the east and south of the river Rába, with the ...

(846-875),

Great Moravia Great Moravia (; , ''Meghálī Moravía''; ; ; , ), or simply Moravia, was the first major state that was predominantly West Slavic to emerge in the area of Central Europe, possibly including territories which are today part of the Czech Repub ...

(833– 907) and the

Bulgarian Empire Bulgarian Empire may refer to: * First Bulgarian Empire The First Bulgarian Empire (; was a medieval state that existed in Southeastern Europe between the 7th and 11th centuries AD. It was founded in 680–681 after part of the Bulgars, led b ...

Late Middle Ages

Subotica probably first became a settlement of note when people poured into it from nearby villages destroyed during the

Tatar invasions These are lists of battles of the Mongol invasion of Europe. Lists of battles Mongol invasions of Eastern Europe Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus' (1223, 1237–1241) Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria (1223–1236) * 1223: First Mongol ...

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 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...

. Later, the city belonged to the Hunyadis, one of the most influential aristocratic families in the whole of

Central Europe Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...

. King

Matthias Corvinus of Hungary Matthias Corvinus (; ; ; ; ; ) was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1458 to 1490, as Matthias I. He is often given the epithet "the Just". After conducting several military campaigns, he was elected King of Bohemia in 1469 and adopted the tit ...

gave the town to one of his relatives, János Pongrác Dengelegi, who, fearing an invasion by the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

, fortified the castle of Subotica, erecting a fortress in 1470. Some decades later, after the

Battle of Mohács The Battle of Mohács (; , ) took place on 29 August 1526 near Mohács, in the Kingdom of Hungary. It was fought between the forces of Hungary, led by King Louis II of Hungary, Louis II, and the invading Ottoman Empire, commanded by Suleima ...

in 1526, Subotica became part of the

. The majority of the Hungarian population fled northward to Royal Hungary. 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 is a private individual who joins an War, armed conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any other official military. Mercenaries fight for money or other forms of payment rath ...

recruited in

Banat Banat ( , ; ; ; ) is a geographical and Historical regions of Central Europe, historical region located in the Pannonian Basin that straddles Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. It is divided among three countries: the eastern part lie ...

. These soldiers were in the service of the

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

n general John I Zápolya, a later Hungarian king. The leader of these mercenaries, Jovan Nenad, 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

and a small part of

Syrmia Syrmia (Ekavian sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srem, Срем, separator=" / " or Ijekavian sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srijem, Сријем, label=none, separator=" / ") is a region of the southern Pannonian Plain, which lies between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is div ...

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 (; also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar''; ; ; sr-Cyrl-Latn, цар, car) is a title historically used by Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word '' caesar'', which was intended to mean ''emperor'' in the Euro ...

in Subotica. He named Radoslav Čelnik as the general commander of his army, while his treasurer and

palatine A palatine or palatinus (Latin; : ''palatini''; cf. derivative spellings below) is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman Empire, Roman times.

was Subota Vrlić, a Serbian noble from

Jagodina Jagodina ( sr-cyrl, Јагодина, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Pomoravlje District in central Serbia. It is situated on the banks of the Belica (river), Belica River, in the geographical region of � ...

. When Bálint Török returned and recaptured Subotica from the Serbs, Jovan Nenad moved the administrative centre to

Szeged Szeged ( , ; see also #Etymology, other alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county seat ...

. Some months later, in the summer of 1527, Jovan Nenad was assassinated and his entity collapsed. However, after Jovan Nenad's death, Radoslav Čelnik led a part of the army to Ottoman

, where he briefly ruled as an Ottoman vassal.

Ottoman Empire

The

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

. The settlers were mostly Orthodox

. 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 List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

'' Dalmatas'' (called

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 Monarchy

In 1687, about 5,000

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 distinguished Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the Army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty durin ...

on 11 September 1697, Subotica became part of the military border zone Theiss- Mieresch established by the

Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...

. In the meantime the uprising of Francis II Rákóczi broke out, which is also known as the Kuruc War. 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 country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

. 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" came to be used for it at this time. Some decades later, in 1779, Empress

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

. 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).

Revolution of 1848–49

During the 1848–49 Revolution, the proclaimed borders of autonomous

Serbian Vojvodina The Serbian Vojvodina () was a short-lived self-proclaimed autonomous province within the Austrian Empire during the Revolutions of 1848, which existed until 1849 when it was transformed into the new (official) Austrian province named Voivodes ...

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 The Hungarian Revolution of 1848, also known in Hungary as Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848–1849 () was one of many Revolutions of 1848, European Revolutions of 1848 and was closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in ...

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 Timișoara (, , ; , also or ; ; ; see #Etymology, other names) is the capital city of Timiș County, Banat, and the main economic, social and cultural center in Western Romania. Located on the Bega (Tisza), Bega River, Timișoara is consider ...

. The province existed until 1860. During the existence of the voivodeship, in 1853, Subotica acquired its impressive theatre.

Austria-Hungary

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 "''Fin de siècle''" () is a French term meaning , a phrase which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom '' turn of the century'' and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another. Without co ...

architecture. In 1902 a Jewish synagogue was built in the Art Nouveau 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, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

until the end of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. In 1918, the city became part of the

Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () has been its colloq ...

. As a result, Subotica became a border-town in

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

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 is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...

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, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...

. In 1941, Yugoslavia was invaded and partitioned by the

Axis Powers The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis and also Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis, was the military coalition which initiated World War II and fought against the Allies of World War II, Allies. Its principal members were Nazi Ge ...

, 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 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 (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the city lost approximately 7,000 of its citizens, mostly Serbs, Hungarians and Jews. Before the war about 6,000

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

had lived in Subotica; many of these were deported from the city during the

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

, mostly to

Auschwitz Auschwitz, or Oświęcim, 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 consisted of Auschw ...

. In April 1944, under German administration, a ghetto was set up. In addition, many

communists Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, d ...

were executed during Axis rule. In 1944, the Axis forces left the city, and Subotica became part of the new

. 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 postwar period, Subotica has gradually been modernised. During the Yugoslav and

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

wars of the 1990s, a considerable number of Serb refugees came to the city from

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

, and

, while many ethnic Hungarians and Croats, as well as some local Serbs, left the region.

Cityscape

Subotica boasts a remarkable collection of buildings built in the Hungarian Secession style, a distinct variant of

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

. The Hungarian Secession style 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, Dezső Jakab and Ferenc Raichle. Iconic buildings like the

Subotica Synagogue The Subotica Synagogue, officially the Jakab and Komor Square Synagogue in Subotica (; ), is a former Neolog Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Subotica, Serbia. Completed in 1903 in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style, the synagogue ...

and the Reichel Palace, are recognized as some of the finest examples of this architectural style in Europe. The

City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

(built in 1908–1910) and the

Synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

(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 also from the 18th century, and the Hungarian Art Nouveau

from the early 20th century that reopened after a major renovation in 2018. 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 () * Bajnat (''Bajnát'') * Centar (''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'') * Srpski Šor (''Szerb sor'') * Teslino Naselje * Veliki Radanovac (''Nagyradanovác'') * Zorka (''Zorka'') * Željezničko Naselje (''Vasutastelep'')

Suburbs and villages

The administrative area of Subotica comprises Subotica proper, the town of

() and 17 villages. The villages are: * Bački Vinogradi (''Bácsszőlős'') * Bačko Dušanovo (''Zentaörs'') * Bajmok (''Bajmok'') * Bikovo (''Békova'') *

Čantavir Čantavir ( sr-cyr, Чантавир, , ) is the largest village with Hungarians in Vojvodina, Hungarian ethnic majority in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated in the municipality of Subotica, North Bačka District. The v ...

(''Csantavér'') * Donji Tavankut (''Alsótavankút'') * Đurđin (''Györgyén'') * Gornji Tavankut (''Felsőtavankút'') * Hajdukovo (''Hajdújárás'') * Kelebija (''Alsókelebia'') * Ljutovo (''Mérges'') * Mala Bosna (''Kisbosznia'') * Mišićevo (''Hadikörs'') * Novi Žednik (''Újnagyfény'') * Stari Žednik (''Nagyfény'') * Šupljak (''Ludas'') * Višnjevac (''Meggyes'')

Demographics

According to the 2022 census results, the city proper-urban area of Subotica including adjacent settlement of Palić had 94,228 inhabitants, or 88,752 excluding Palić, while administrative area of Subotica had 123,952 inhabitants.

Ethnic structure

The ethnic structure of population of Subotica city proper (according to the 2022 census): The ethnic structure of population of Subotica administrative area (according to the 2022 census): Places with an absolute or relative Serb ethnic majority is Novi Žednik. Places with either an absolute or relative Hungarian ethnic majority are:

(Hungarian: Palicsfürdő), Hajdukovo (Hungarian: Hajdújárás), Bački Vinogradi (Hungarian: Bácsszőlős), Šupljak (Hungarian: Alsóludas),

(Hungarian: Csantavér), Bačko Dušanovo (Hungarian: Zentaörs), Kelebija (Hungarian: Alsókelebia) and Subotica. Places with a relative ethnic majority

Croat The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...

are: Mala Bosna, Đurđin, Donji Tavankut, Gornji Tavankut, Bikovo, Stari Žednik. Ljutovo has a relative Bunjevac ethnic majority.

Linguistic structure

Linguistic structure of population of Subotica administrative area (according to the 2022 census): Serbian is the most used language in everyday life, while Hungarian is used by almost 30% of the population in their daily conversations. Both languages are also widely used in commercial and official signage.

Religious structure

Katedrala Svete Tereze Avilske - panoramio

Religious structure of population of the Subotica administrative area (according to the 2022 census): Subotica has the highest concentration of Catholics in Serbia with almost half of the city's population being Catholic. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese with jurisdiction over the

region. There are eight Catholic parish churches, a

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

spiritual centre (the city has communities of both Franciscan friars and Franciscan nuns), a female Dominican community, and two congregations of Augustinian religious sisters. The diocese of Subotica has the only Catholic secondary school in Serbia (Paulinum). Among other Christian communities, the members of the

Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...

are the most numerous with almost third of city's population. There are two Orthodox church buildings in the city. Orthodox Christians in Subotica belong to the Eparchy of Bačka of the

. Subotica has two

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

churches as well,

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

and

Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...

. The

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

community of Subotica is the third largest in Serbia, after those in

and

. About 1,000 (of the 6,000 pre-WWII Jews of Subotica) survived the Holocaust. According to the 2022 census, only 54 practicing Jews remained in Subotica.

Politics

Results of 2024 local elections in Subotica: * Serbia of Tomorrow: 49.3% * Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians: 26.2% * Serbia Against Violence: 14.7% * Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina: 4.1% ;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" 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 technology conglomerate. It is focused on industrial automation, building automation, rail transport and health technology. Siemens is the largest engineering company in Europe, and holds the positi ...

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 zone A free-trade zone (FTZ) is a class of special economic zone. It is a geographic area where goods may be imported, stored, handled, manufactured, or reconfigured and re- exported under specific customs regulation and generally not subjec ...

s 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 2022):

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

Sport

Subotica has one major

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

stadium, the Subotica City Stadium, indoor arena and indoor swimming pool. The local football team is Spartak and plays in the

Serbian SuperLiga The Serbian Super League (), also known as Mozzart SuperLiga for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Serbia and the highest level of the Serbian football league system. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a sys ...

, the country's primary football competition.

Media

Newspapers and magazines published in Subotica: * '' Magyar Szó'', daily newspaper in Hungarian, founded 1944, published in Subotica since 2006 * '' Subotičke novine'', main weekly newspaper in Serbian * '' Hrvatska riječ'', in Croatian * '' Zvonik'', in Croatian * '' Bunjevačke novine'', in Bunjevac

Infrastructure

A1 motorway connects the city with

and

to the south and, across the border with Hungary, with

to the north. It runs alongside the Budapest–Belgrade railway, 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 Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total population of 41,814 (), while its adminis ...

, Senta (with passenger service), and

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 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, 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.

Notable citizens

* Branimir Aleksić (born 1990), football player and member of the

Serbia national football team The Serbia men's national football team ( sr-Cyrl, Фудбалска репрезентација Србије, translit=Fudbalska reprezentacija Srbije) represents Serbia in men's international Association football, football competition. It is ...

* Sava Babić (1934–2012), writer, translator, and university professor * Géza Csáth (1887–1919), Hungarian writer, musician, music critic, psychiatrist, and physician * Gyula Cseszneky (born 1914), Hungarian, poet, voivode * Ilona Csepreghyné-Meznerics (1906–1977), Hungarian stratigrapher and invertebrate paleontologist * Sreten Damjanović (born 1946), wrestler * Marko Dmitrović (born 1992), goalkeeper for the

and Spanish football club Eibar * Oliver Dulić (born 1975), politician * Vlatko Dulić (1943–2015), actor * Sanja Malagurski (born 1990), volleyball player * 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 (born 1958), table tennis champion * Danilo Kiš (1935–1989), writer * Juci Komlós (1919–2011), Hungarian actress * Dezső Kosztolányi (1885–1936), Hungarian poet and prose-writer * Zoran Kuntić (born 1967), Serbian retired professional footballer *

Félix Lajkó Félix Lajkó (, ''Feliks Lajko''; born 17 December 1974 in Bačka Topola, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Hungarians, Hungarian violinist, zither player and composer. He plays a variety of musical styles: folk music (traditional Strings (music ...

(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 (1880–1952), central-European cinematographer *

Bela Lugosi Blaskó Béla Ferenc Dezső (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), better known by the stage name Bela Lugosi ( ; ), was a Hungarian–American actor. He was best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the horror film classic Dracula (19 ...

(1882–1956), actor * Boris Malagurski (born 1988), Serbian Canadian film director, producer, and TV host *

Refik Memišević Refik Memišević (14 May 1956 in Bačko Novo Selo, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia – 4 January 2004 in Subotica, Serbia and Montenegro) was a Yugoslav wrestler who competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics and in the 1984 Summer Olympics The 198 ...

(1956–2004), wrestling champion * Đula Mešter (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 (1927–2006), Serbian footballer for the

Yugoslavia national football team The Yugoslavia national football team; ; ; represented Yugoslavia in international association football. Although the team mainly represented the pre-war Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the post-war SFR Yugoslavia, various iterations of the state ...

* Momir Petković (born 1953), wrestling champion * Bojana Radulović (born 1973), handball player * Mirna Radulović (born 1992), Serbian singer who represented

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 as part of Moje 3 * Eva Ras (born 1941), actress, painter, and writer * Magdolna Rúzsa (born 1985), Hungarian pop singer * Ivan Sarić (1876–1966), aviation pioneer and cyclist * Tibor Sekelj (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 (1878–1918),

racewalking Race walking, or racewalking, 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. Race judges carefully asses ...

champion at the

Intercalated Games The 1906 Intercalated Games or 1906 Olympic Games (), held from 22 April 1906 to 2 May 1906, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated in Athens, Kingdom of Greece. They were at the time considered to be Olympic Games and were re ...

* Itzchak Tarkay (1935–2012), Israeli artist *

Đorđe Tutorić Đorđe Tutorić (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: Ђорђе Туторић; born 5 March 1983) is a Serbian retired Association football, footballer. Club career Born in Subotica, Tutorić began his career in his native Serbia play ...

(born 1983), Serbian professional football player *

Ajs Nigrutin Vladan Aksentijević ( sr-Cyrl, Владан Аксентијевић; born 12 August 1977), better known by his stage name Ajs Nigrutin, is a Serbian rapper, actor and singer. Known for his nasal baritone vocals, comedic lyrical style and ecce ...

(born 1977), Serbian rapper.

International cooperation

* Subotica is a pilot city of the

Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; , CdE) is an international organisation with the goal of upholding human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. Founded in 1949, it is Europe's oldest intergovernmental organisation, represe ...

and the EU Intercultural cities programme.

Twin towns – sister cities

Subotica is twinned with: * Brest, Belarus * Dunajská Streda, Slovakia * Kiskunhalas, Hungary *

Łomża Łomża () is a city in north-eastern Poland, approximately to the north-east of Warsaw and west of Białystok. It is situated alongside the Narew river as part of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is the capital of Łomża County and has been the se ...

, Poland * Odorheiu Secuiesc, Romania *

Olomouc Olomouc (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 103,000 inhabitants, making it the Statutory city (Czech Republic), sixth largest city in the country. It is the administrative centre of the Olomouc Region. Located on the Morava (rive ...

, Czech Republic *

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

, Croatia *

, Hungary

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

*
JP Subotica Trans
– public transport official website
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