Karling klub Vukovi

On Sunday, April 23rd, The NUSANTARA Association of Serbian-Indonesian Friendship was touring central areas of Banat; that Sunday, the excursion began therefore with a visit to Zrenjanin, centre of the Middle Banat administrative district.

In the city formerly called Veliki Bečkerek, the members of The NUSANTARA Association first visited The City Hall, located in the one-time building of the county, today’s seat of the mayor, then the solemn Baroque hall and the adjoining garden. The next thing to do was a visit to the National Museum of Zrenjanin, located in the building of the former Palace of Finance, and the examination of its abundant art collection testifying to the succession of different periods, styles and fashions in this area.

While walking along the main city street, named after king Peter I Karađorđević The Liberator, whose equestrian monument dominates over The Square of Liberty, main city square, the members of The Association found out where the objects, such as the Public Theater „Toša Jovanović“, which is the oldest theater in Serbia, The City Public Library „Žarko Zrenjanin“, as well as the city cathedral, were located. The rarity shown to NUSANTARA by Mr. Vojislav Cvejić, its guide across Zrenjanin during this sightseeing, was the only „Kieibitzfenster“ in Zrenjanin, one of just several remaining in Vojvodina. The city prides itself on one of just three buildings whose facade was decorated in the style of the Alhambra castle in Granada – besides Zrenjanin, only Brussels and New Jersey have a building with a facade like that.

The big city, which used to be an industrial centre, is attempting to regain the old splendour and living standard. Passing by the building of The „Beograd“ Department Stores, visiting the brewery, built once by Lazar Dunđerski and transformed into „Zrenjaninska industrija piva“ in 1958, having lunch in The „Četir’ konja debela“ ale-house and seeing installations in the Brewhouse, recently enabled for the wort production, pertaining to The Beer Museum, meant to realize the economic importance this town had once had. At the same time, it implied receiving some first-hand, unforgettable lessons on the neoliberal economy.

The building where the decision of annexation of Vojvodina to the Kingdom of Serbia was taken is an attraction in its own right. Very few are familiar either with the building or with the relevance it has, but the members of The NUSANTARA Association of Serbian-Indonesian Friendship learnt this important part of the Serbian history that Sunday. The establishment is located in the yard of the Orthodox church of the Ascension of Madonna.

The one-day excursion ended with a cruise around Carska bara, „the Amazonia in the heart of Banat“, nature reserve falling under the protection of UNESCO. First the cruise, and then the stay at the viewpoint, were an opportunity for the members of The NUSANTARA Association to learn a lot about the ecosystem itself from Mr. Milivoj Putić Puta, Director of Tourism for Carska bara, as well as about the succession process which will transform Carska bara first into a swamp, and then irreversibly into a meadow within a certain number of years. They also learnt that hunting and fishing within the nature reserve brings bad luck and that animals should be left alone.
Left in peace as well!

Biljana Đorđević