Kikinda
Encyclopedia
Kikinda is a town and a municipality
located in Serbia
, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina
. It is the administrative centre of the North Banat District
. The town has 42,000 inhabitants, while the municipality has approximately 67,000 inhabitants.
The modern city was founded in 18th century. From 1774 to 1874 Kikinda was the seat of the District of Velika Kikinda
, the autonomous administrative unit of Habsburg Monarchy
. In 1893 Kikinda was granted the status of a town. The territory of Vojvodina
became part of the Kingdom of Serbia
in 1918. Kikinda used to be a very strong economic and industrial centre of Serbia and Yugoslavia
up until the 1990s. Currently, the industry of Kikinda is in the middle of the transitional economic process.
In 1996, the well preserved archeological remnants of a half a million-year-old mammoth
were excavated on the outer edge of the town area. The mammoth called "Kika" has become one of the symbols of the town. Today it is exhibited in the National Museum of Kikinda. Other attractions of the city are the Suvača
– a unique horse-powered dry mill, the annual Pumpkin days and the International Symposium of Sculpture "Terra".
, the city is known as Kikinda (Кикинда), in Hungarian
as Nagykikinda, in German as Gross Kikinda or Großkikinda, in Latin as Magna Kikinda, in Romanian
as Chichinda Mare, in Slovak
as Kikinda, in Rusyn
as Кикинда, and in Croatian
as Kikinda. Until 1947 it was known in Serbian as Velika Kikinda (Велика Кикинда).
The name of Kikinda is first found recorded at the beginning of the 15th century as Kokenyd, and most probably denoted, together with the name Ecehida, a number of small settlements, i.e. estates, firstly belonging to Hungarian and later to Serb
local rulers. The name of the town first appears on a map of 1718 as Gross Kikinda, indicating an uninhabited area or a wasteland and not a settlement. The adjective Gross, Nagy or Velika (Great) in German, Hungarian and Serbian versions respectively, was in official use as the name of the town until the end of 1947.
The etymological origin of the name Kikinda has not quite been agreed upon. The two most widespread theories argue that the name comes from kökény
, the Hungarian word for blackthorn
, a plant native to the region, and kik, an old Slavic
word for head.
which was issued by Maria Theresa of Austria
on 12 November 1774. The Coat of Arms represents a hand holding a sabre
on which an Ottoman Turkish
head is impaled. It symbolizes the fight of Serbs against the Turks during the Military Frontier
period and the military contributions of the population of Kikinda during the Austro-Ottoman Wars
.
In 2007, Branislav Blažić, then president of the municipality of Kikinda, asked for the change of the coat of arms, criticizing it for being "morbid". The idea proved very controversial, and ultimately the coat was not changed. Most critics of Blažić stated that the coat of arms is a part of the history and tradition of Kikinda and so an important factor of the city identity.
The severed head of a Turk is also one of the common symbols in Austrian and Hungarian heraldry
. It symbolizes the struggle of the Habsburg Empire (Austrian Empire
) against Ottoman Empire
during the Austro-Ottoman Wars.
The municipality of Kikinda comprises the city of Kikinda, nine villages and two hamlets
. The nine villages are:
The two hamlets
are:
Note: for settlement with Hungarian majority, name is also given in Hungarian.
Most of the settlements in the municipality have an ethnic Serb majority, while one settlement has a Hungarian ethnic majority: Sajan
(Hungarian: Szaján). Two others have over 20% Hungarians: Banatska Topola
and Rusko Selo
.
Ethnic groups in the city of Kikinda
and was built by Slavic duke Glad
in the 9th century. In 1337, Galad was recorded as settlement populated almost exclusively by Serbs
. This settlement was destroyed during Austro
-Ottoman
wars in the end of 17th and beginning of the 18th century.
Another settlement, Hološ (also known as Velika Holuša), was a local administrative center in the 17th century, during Ottoman
administration. This settlement was also destroyed in the end of the 17th century.
According to some sources, an older settlement named Kekenj (Kekend, Keken) existed at this location. The name of Kokenyd is first found recorded in 1423 as a property of the Hungarian king Sigismund
. In 1558, this settlement was populated by Serbs
. It was deserted after Banat Uprising in 1594.
and the Tisa
rivers. After the Požarevac
peace treaty, where an agreement between the Habsburg Monarchy
and the Ottoman Empire
was reached, the Ottomans lost Banat
and the Serbs lost their job. A newly founded settlement was soon organized, and the former border military corps started a new, land farming lifestyle. Several decades later, along with the Serbs, Germans (Banat Swabians
), Hungarians, and Jews settled the area.
About twenty years after the establishment of the settlement, on 12 November 1774, the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa
, by way of a special charter, formed the Velikokikindski privileged district – Regio-privilegiatus Districtus Magnokikindiensis, as a distinct feudal governmental administrative unit with headquarters in Kikinda. Besides Kikinda, the district included another nine settlements of the Serb border military establishments in North and Central Banat: Srpski Krstur
, Jozefovo (today part of Novi Kneževac
), Mokrin
, Karlovo (today part of Novo Miloševo
), Bašaid
, Vranjevo (today part of Novi Bečej
), Melenci
, Kumane
and Taraš
. During that period, the inhabitants of these places had substantial economic, and even political privileges within the Habsburg Monarchy
. The District functioned, with some interruptions, until 1876 when it was abolished, and Kikinda was allocated both organizationally and administratively to the direct authority of the Torontal
County with headquarters in Veliki Bečkerek (today Zrenjanin
), which covered most of the territory of present day Serbian Banat.
In 1848/1849, the famous uprising of the Serbs in Vojvodina
took place. At the beginning, Kikinda's citizens expressed, almost unanimously, social revolt, while later the riot turned into a national one, and Kikinda became part of the Serbian Voivodship, a Serb autonomous region within the Austrian Empire. During the war, Serbian
and Hungarian
governments came into power over the city one after the other, accompanied by great conflicts, suffering and destruction. It was one of the most difficult and most complex periods in the history of Kikinda.
Between 1849 and 1860 Kikinda was part of the Voivodship of Serbia and Tamiš Banat
, a separate Austrian crown land. In 1860, this crown land was abolished, and Kikinda was included into Torontal county. It is an interesting piece of information that at the end of the 19th century Kikinda was the most densely inhabited place in the Torontal County, with 22,000 inhabitants. A railroad connecting Szeged
, Kikinda and Timişoara
was built in 1857 and is the oldest railroad on the territory of present-day Serbia. The period from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the First World War was a peaceful and fruitful period in the history of Kikinda and was marked by a strong economic and urban development of the city. Moreover, the picturesque core of the city, which was and still stands as a beautiful component of Kikinda even today, was formed, and the city received a defined local government in 1895 (statute, senate, town representative, mayor, etc.). According to the 1910 census, the population of Kikinda numbered 26,795 inhabitants, of whom 14,214 (53.00%) spoke Serbian, 5,968 (22.27%) Hungarian, and 5,855 (21.85%) German.
A date around the end of the First World War (20 November 1918) denotes one of the most crucial moments in the history of Kikinda. The entry of the Serbian army into the city represented the achievement of the Serbs of Kikinda in striving to unite with Serbia. From 1 December 1918, the city was part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (renamed Yugoslavia
in 1929). However, the city suffered greatly in the economic realm, as it was located in the hinterland, between two borders, with communication lines disconnected. The period between the two world wars was not a period of economic prosperity. In 1921, the population of Kikinda numbered 25,774 people and included 15,000 (58%) Serbs and Croats
, 5,500 (21%) Germans (Banat Swabians
), 4,000 (16%) Hungarians, and 5% Romanians
. Between 1918 and 1922, Kikinda was part of Banat county, Between 1922 and 1929 it was part of Belgrade
oblast, and between 1929 and 1941 it was part of Danube Banovina
.
After only twenty years of peace, in 1941 Kikinda entered the stormy period of World War II, during which it was occupied by German troops. The Banat region to which Kikinda belonged to was made an autonomous region within Serbia and was placed under the control of the region's German minority. The city was liberated on 6 October 1944, and since 1945, it has been part of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina within the new Socialist Yugoslavia.
The city's economic and political organization and structure changed significantly. There were changes in the ethnic structure of the city during and after the war. The German (about 22%) and Jewish (about 2%) populations were lost. In 1940, there were about 500 Jews in the town. In August, 1941, they were deported to the Sajmište
death camp near Belgrade
and murdered. In 1944, one part of German population left from the region, together with defeated German army. Those who remained were (during 1944–1948) detained in work camps. After abolishment of the camps, the remaining German population left from Yugoslavia because of economical reasons and went mostly to Austria and Germany.
In 1948, just after the end of World War II, Kikinda had a population of 28,070. The period from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s was, like the period from the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, characterized by a dynamic development of the city: new factories and production plants, new blocks of flats and residential settlements, various objects of general social interest, and paved streets definitely stressed and formed the urban dimension of Kikinda. In 1971 the city had a population of 37,487.
seeds. Soya
, sugar beet
and other fruits and vegetables are also produced.
Industrial production includes the production of oil derivatives by the "Naftagas" branch in Kikinda, metal processing, machine tools, special tools, car parts and flexible technologies by the former "Livnica Kikinda" (Metal foundry) and IDA-Opel
(now owned by Slovenia
n Cimos Koper), roof tile and brick production by "Toza Marković", the production of chemicals by "MCK" and "Hemik" and the processing of agricultural products by a number of factories.
Before the break-up of former Yugoslavia
, hunting tourism was widespread in Kikinda. There are a number of hunting grounds in the municipality covering an area of 300 km², mostly around the banks of the Danube-Tisa-Danube Canal
, where rabbits, pheasants and deer
are hunted.
n border at Jimbolia
, part of the former Szeged
– Timişoara
railway is the second oldest railway in present-day Serbia. http://web.archive.org/web/20091027072400/http://geocities.com/hvithrafn/jz/const.html http://www.zeleznicesrbije.com/active/sr-latin/home/glavna_navigacija/o_preduzecu/istorijat_zeleznice.html The city is also connected by rail to Subotica
and to Belgrade
through Zrenjanin
.
Regional roads connect Kikinda with all the neighbouring cities and villages. Buses operate regularly to the surrounding villages and major domestic and some European cities.
The only transport waterway in the municipality is the Danube-Tisa-Danube Canal
. There is a dock which is used for industrial transport.
There is also the Kikinda Airport
, a sports plane airstrip close to the city http://www.aeroklubkikinda.rs/Info_eng.htm. The local flying club organizes lessons in parachuting, aviation and space-modeling. Planes are also flown from this airstrip to spray agricultural fields.
There are eight primary schools in the city:
Secondary schools
All secondary schools in Kikinda use Serbian as the language of instruction:
is a horse-powered dry mill
. Kikinda has one of the two remaining such mills in Europe (the other being in Hungary
). There were many mills like this in the city, the largest recorded number being 51 in 1847. The only remaining mill was built in 1899 and was operational until 1945.
Located in the center of the square, this Serbian Orthodox church was built in 1769. Icons of the iconostasis were done by Jakov Orfelin (nephew of Zacharius Orfelin) in 1773. Teodor Ilić Češljar
is the author of the two large wall paintings "The Last Supper" and "Ascension of Jesus Christ" (1790). Both, the late baroque iconostasis
and the wall paintings show significant influence of western European art of the period. New church bells were installed in 1899.
Serb Orthodox Holy Trinity monastery
located in the south end of the city. It was built between 1885 and 1887 as a foundation of Melanija Nikolić-Gajčić.
The construction of the Roman Catholic Church in Kikinda church was started in 1808 and completed in 1811.
According to a popular belief, the treasure of Attila the Hun
is buried somewhere on the territory of the municipality of Kikinda.
and the seat of the District of Velika Kikinda until its abolishment in 1876. In 1946, the National Museum of Kikinda and the City Archive http://www.kiarhiv.org.rs/ were founded and housed in the building. The Museum boasts of numerous artifacts which are displayed in its four sections: archeological, historical, ethnological and naturalist. As of recently, it also possesses a mammoth
skeleton which was excavated on the premises of the "Toza Marković" brick factory in 1996.
The Jovan Popović National Library was founded in 1845 as Čitaonica Srbska (Serbian Reading Room). It was renamed in 1952 to Jovan Popović
in honor of a prominent poet from Kikinda. Besides serving its primary function of loaning books, the library also organizes literary meetings, book promotions, seminars, lectures, exhibitions, and has published several works.
Although the National Theater in Kikinda was founded only 50 years ago, Kikinda has a long theatrical tradition. Kikinda witnessed its first theatrical play in 1796 in German. The first play in Serbian was acted out in 1834. The theater is very popular with the citizens of Kikinda and has a continuous program all year round, including the summer when the stage is moved outside to the garden of the theater.
. The term ludaja is specific to the Kikinda region, while the common Serbian word for pumpkin is bundeva. Kikinda has a special relationship with this plant because throughout its history, the locals used to say that one can stand on a pumpkin while working in the fields and get a clear view of the whole city. This exaggeration was supposed to depict the flatness of the city's territory. A local standing on a pumpkin, dressed in traditional attire, and with his hand blocking the sun so that he can see into the distance, thus became the symbol for the region. A group of local enthusiasts started the Pumpkin Days manifestation in 1986 and it quickly attracted pumpkin and gourd lovers from all over the country. The three-day event also includes lectures and seminars on the advancement of pumpkin and gourd cultivation, a culinary competition in preparing meals from pumpkins and gourds, children's competitions in creating masks and sculptures, and various concerts and exhibitions. Over the past few years this event has gained prominence and has drawn visitors from Hungary, Romania
and the former Yugoslav republics
. The largest pumpkin measured at the event to date weighed 247 kilograms, while the longest gourd was 213 centimeters in length. In 2006 the event celebrated its 20th anniversary and had the largest number of visitors so far, as well as a richer program. A tamburitza
festival was included in the event, contributing to the authentic Banat experience.
Every year, since 1982, 6 to 8 world renowned sculptors are invited to Kikinda at the premises of an old production plant of the Toza Marković brick factory for an international symposium
of sculpture "Terra". The symposium lasts throughout the month of July. Over the years, "Terra" has hosted sculptors from all corners of the world who are drawn by the unique and peaceful ambience of the studio. All sculptures are done in terracotta and some have appeared at the Venice Biennale
. Over 300 sculptors have so far participated in the symposium and have together produced more than 500 sculptures. Plans for the construction of a "Terra" museum are underway in which all the sculptures will be exhibited in a modern setting adjacent to the old studio.
TV stations
Radio stations
, Norway Nazareth Illit, Israel Bihać
, Bosnia and Herzegovina Prijedor
, Bosnia and Herzegovina Reşiţa
, Romania Jimbolia
, Romania Medgidia
, Romania Kiskunfélegyháza
, Hungary Kondoros
, Hungary Nagydobos
, Hungary Szolnok
, Hungary Žilina
, Slovakia Silistra
, Bulgaria
Mission to Serbia awarded the Municipality of Kikinda with the Municipal Award for Tolerance.
Municipalities of Serbia
Serbia is divided into 150 municipalities and 24 cities , which are the basic units of local self-government. The city may and may not be divided into city municipalities . Five cities, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac and Požarevac comprise several city municipalities, divided into "urban" ...
located in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
. It is the administrative centre of the North Banat District
North Banat District
North Banat District is a northern district of Serbia. It lies in the regions of Banat and Bačka, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. As of the 2002 census, the district has a population of 165,881. The seat of the district is Kikinda....
. The town has 42,000 inhabitants, while the municipality has approximately 67,000 inhabitants.
The modern city was founded in 18th century. From 1774 to 1874 Kikinda was the seat of the District of Velika Kikinda
District of Velika Kikinda
The District of Velika Kikinda was an administrative unit of the Habsburg Monarchy between 1774 and 1876. It was an autonomous area mainly inhabited by ethnic Serbs.-History:...
, the autonomous administrative unit of Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
. In 1893 Kikinda was granted the status of a town. The territory of Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
became part of the Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
in 1918. Kikinda used to be a very strong economic and industrial centre of Serbia and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
up until the 1990s. Currently, the industry of Kikinda is in the middle of the transitional economic process.
In 1996, the well preserved archeological remnants of a half a million-year-old mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
were excavated on the outer edge of the town area. The mammoth called "Kika" has become one of the symbols of the town. Today it is exhibited in the National Museum of Kikinda. Other attractions of the city are the Suvača
Suvača
Suvača in Kikinda, Serbia, is one of two remaining horse-powered dry mills in the whole of Europe.Suvača in Kikinda is characteristic of the Vojvodina area of the 19th century. It was built in 1899, and the mill stopped working in 1945. It is located in the western part of town, on the corner of...
– a unique horse-powered dry mill, the annual Pumpkin days and the International Symposium of Sculpture "Terra".
Name
In SerbianSerbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
, the city is known as Kikinda (Кикинда), in Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
as Nagykikinda, in German as Gross Kikinda or Großkikinda, in Latin as Magna Kikinda, in Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
as Chichinda Mare, in Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
as Kikinda, in Rusyn
Pannonian Rusyn language
Pannonian Rusyn or simply Rusyn is a Slavic language or dialect spoken by Pannonian Rusyns in north-western Serbia and eastern Croatia...
as Кикинда, and in Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
as Kikinda. Until 1947 it was known in Serbian as Velika Kikinda (Велика Кикинда).
The name of Kikinda is first found recorded at the beginning of the 15th century as Kokenyd, and most probably denoted, together with the name Ecehida, a number of small settlements, i.e. estates, firstly belonging to Hungarian and later to Serb
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
local rulers. The name of the town first appears on a map of 1718 as Gross Kikinda, indicating an uninhabited area or a wasteland and not a settlement. The adjective Gross, Nagy or Velika (Great) in German, Hungarian and Serbian versions respectively, was in official use as the name of the town until the end of 1947.
The etymological origin of the name Kikinda has not quite been agreed upon. The two most widespread theories argue that the name comes from kökény
Blackthorn
Prunus spinosa is a species of Prunus native to Europe, western Asia, and locally in northwest Africa. It is also locally naturalised in New Zealand and eastern North America....
, the Hungarian word for blackthorn
Blackthorn
Prunus spinosa is a species of Prunus native to Europe, western Asia, and locally in northwest Africa. It is also locally naturalised in New Zealand and eastern North America....
, a plant native to the region, and kik, an old Slavic
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
word for head.
Coat of arms
The official coat of arms of the municipality dates back to the Austrian rule and the 18th century. It is derived from the coat of arms of the District of Velika KikindaDistrict of Velika Kikinda
The District of Velika Kikinda was an administrative unit of the Habsburg Monarchy between 1774 and 1876. It was an autonomous area mainly inhabited by ethnic Serbs.-History:...
which was issued by Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
on 12 November 1774. The Coat of Arms represents a hand holding a sabre
Sabre
The sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
on which an Ottoman Turkish
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
head is impaled. It symbolizes the fight of Serbs against the Turks during the Military Frontier
Military Frontier
The Military Frontier was a borderland of Habsburg Austria and later the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, which acted as the cordon sanitaire against incursions from the Ottoman Empire...
period and the military contributions of the population of Kikinda during the Austro-Ottoman Wars
Ottoman wars in Europe
The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older, European texts.- Rise :...
.
In 2007, Branislav Blažić, then president of the municipality of Kikinda, asked for the change of the coat of arms, criticizing it for being "morbid". The idea proved very controversial, and ultimately the coat was not changed. Most critics of Blažić stated that the coat of arms is a part of the history and tradition of Kikinda and so an important factor of the city identity.
The severed head of a Turk is also one of the common symbols in Austrian and Hungarian heraldry
Hungarian heraldry
Hungarian heraldry generally follows German heraldry in its artistic forms,but has its own distinctive character. It is classified to Central and Eastern Europe heraldry.-Private armory:...
. It symbolizes the struggle of the Habsburg Empire (Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
) against Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
during the Austro-Ottoman Wars.
Inhabited places
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
. The nine villages are:
- Banatska TopolaBanatska TopolaBanatska Topola is a village in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of the Republic of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a population of 1,066 of which 570 are ethnic Serbs and 434 are ethnic Hungarians. The location of the village...
- Banatsko Veliko SeloBanatsko Veliko SeloBanatsko Veliko Selo is a village in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of the Republic of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a population of 3,034 of which the majority are Serbs.-Name:The name of the village means "Great Banat...
- BašaidBašaidBašaid is a village located in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of the Republic of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has an ethnic Serb majority and a population of 3,503...
- Iđoš
- MokrinMokrinMokrin is the largest village in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and a population of 5,918 .-Name:...
- NakovoNakovoNakovo is a village located in the Kikinda municipality of the North Banat District of Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. It is situated near the border with Romania. The population of the village numbers 2,419 inhabitants, of whom 2,301 are ethnic Serbs.-Name:Its name originates...
- Novi KozarciNovi KozarciNovi Kozarci is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Kikinda municipality, North Banat District, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has an ethnic Serb majority and its population numbering 2,277 people .-Name:...
- Rusko SeloRusko SeloRusko Selo is a village in the Republic of Serbia. It is situated in the Kikinda municipality, North Banat District, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a population of 3,328 ....
- SajanSajan (village)Sajan is a village in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and a population of 1,348 .-Name:...
The two hamlets
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
are:
- BikačBikacBikač is a settlement in the Kikinda municipality, Republic of Serbia. Officially, Bikač is not classified as a separate settlement, but as a part of the village of Bašaid.-History:...
, officially part of BašaidBašaidBašaid is a village located in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of the Republic of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has an ethnic Serb majority and a population of 3,503... - VincaidVincaidVincaid is a settlement in the municipality of Kikinda, Republic of Serbia. It is officially classified as part of the village of Banatska Topola....
, officially part of Banatska TopolaBanatska TopolaBanatska Topola is a village in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of the Republic of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a population of 1,066 of which 570 are ethnic Serbs and 434 are ethnic Hungarians. The location of the village...
Note: for settlement with Hungarian majority, name is also given in Hungarian.
Ethnic groups
Municipality- SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
= 51,212 (76.43%) - Hungarians = 8,607 (12.84%)
- YugoslavsYugoslavsYugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
= 1,670 (2.49%) - Roma = 1,564 (2.33%)
- Others = 3,747 (5.91%)
Most of the settlements in the municipality have an ethnic Serb majority, while one settlement has a Hungarian ethnic majority: Sajan
Sajan (village)
Sajan is a village in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and a population of 1,348 .-Name:...
(Hungarian: Szaján). Two others have over 20% Hungarians: Banatska Topola
Banatska Topola
Banatska Topola is a village in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of the Republic of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a population of 1,066 of which 570 are ethnic Serbs and 434 are ethnic Hungarians. The location of the village...
and Rusko Selo
Rusko Selo
Rusko Selo is a village in the Republic of Serbia. It is situated in the Kikinda municipality, North Banat District, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a population of 3,328 ....
.
Ethnic groups in the city of Kikinda
- Serbs = 31,317 (74.68%)
- Hungarians = 5,290 (12.62%)
- Yugoslavs = 1,355 (3.23%)
- Others.
Religion
Language
Origins
The city of Kikinda is located on a territory rich in remains of old and disappeared cultures. Numerous archeological findings are the testimony of people who lived here more than seven thousand years ago. However, the continuity of that duration was often broken. People arrived and departed, lived and disappeared, depending on various historical circumstances.Medieval history
Two important medieval settlements existed near the location of modern Kikinda. Names of these settlements were Galad and Hološ. Galad was one of the oldest Slavic settlements in northern BanatBanat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
and was built by Slavic duke Glad
Glad (duke)
Glad was a duke of Bulgarian origin who, according to the 13th-century chronicle Gesta Ungarorum "", ruled in the territory of modern Banat at the time of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin around 896...
in the 9th century. In 1337, Galad was recorded as settlement populated almost exclusively by Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
. This settlement was destroyed during Austro
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
-Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
wars in the end of 17th and beginning of the 18th century.
Another settlement, Hološ (also known as Velika Holuša), was a local administrative center in the 17th century, during Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
administration. This settlement was also destroyed in the end of the 17th century.
According to some sources, an older settlement named Kekenj (Kekend, Keken) existed at this location. The name of Kokenyd is first found recorded in 1423 as a property of the Hungarian king Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
. In 1558, this settlement was populated by Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
. It was deserted after Banat Uprising in 1594.
Modern history
The history of modern Kikinda can be traced in continuation for 250 years, from 1751–1752, when the area where the city is presently located was settled. The first settlers were Serbs, a Habsburg border military corps who protected the border against the Ottomans on the MorišMoris
-Given name:* Moris Carrozzieri , Italian football defender* Moris Farhi , vice-president of International PEN* Moris Pfeifhofer , Swiss figure skater* Moris Tepper , American musician...
and the Tisa
Tisá
Tisá is a village and municipality in Ústí nad Labem District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 786 ....
rivers. After the Požarevac
Treaty of Passarowitz
The Treaty of Passarowitz or Treaty of Požarevac was the peace treaty signed in Požarevac , a town in Ottoman Empire , on 21 July 1718 between the Ottoman Empire on one side and the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and the Republic of Venice on the other.During the years 1714-1718, the Ottomans had...
peace treaty, where an agreement between the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
and the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
was reached, the Ottomans lost Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
and the Serbs lost their job. A newly founded settlement was soon organized, and the former border military corps started a new, land farming lifestyle. Several decades later, along with the Serbs, Germans (Banat Swabians
Banat Swabians
The Banat Swabians are an ethnic German population in Southeast Europe, part of the Danube Swabians. They emigrated in the 18th century to what was then the Austrian Banat province, which had been left sparsely populated by the wars with Turkey. This once strong and important ethnic Banat Swabian...
), Hungarians, and Jews settled the area.
About twenty years after the establishment of the settlement, on 12 November 1774, the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
, by way of a special charter, formed the Velikokikindski privileged district – Regio-privilegiatus Districtus Magnokikindiensis, as a distinct feudal governmental administrative unit with headquarters in Kikinda. Besides Kikinda, the district included another nine settlements of the Serb border military establishments in North and Central Banat: Srpski Krstur
Srpski Krstur
Srpski Krstur , also known as Krstur , is a village located in Serbia, in the Novi Kneževac municipality of the North Banat District, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
, Jozefovo (today part of Novi Kneževac
Novi Kneževac
Novi Kneževac is a town and municipality in the North Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 7,567, while the Novi Kneževac municipality has 12,952 inhabitants .-Name:...
), Mokrin
Mokrin
Mokrin is the largest village in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and a population of 5,918 .-Name:...
, Karlovo (today part of Novo Miloševo
Novo Miloševo
Novo Miloševo is a village located in the Novi Bečej municipality, in the Central Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
), Bašaid
Bašaid
Bašaid is a village located in the Kikinda municipality, in the North Banat District of the Republic of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has an ethnic Serb majority and a population of 3,503...
, Vranjevo (today part of Novi Bečej
Novi Becej
Novi Bečej , is a town and municipality in Central Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 14,406, while Novi Bečej municipality has 26,881 inhabitants.-Name:Its name means "new Bečej"...
), Melenci
Melenci
Melenci is a village located in the Zrenjanin municipality, in the Central Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 6,737 people . The brackish water lake of Okanj is nearby.-Sports:FK...
, Kumane
Kumane
Kumane is a village located in the Novi Bečej municipality, in the Central Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
and Taraš
Taraš
Taraš is a village located in the Zrenjanin municipality, in the Central Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
. During that period, the inhabitants of these places had substantial economic, and even political privileges within the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
. The District functioned, with some interruptions, until 1876 when it was abolished, and Kikinda was allocated both organizationally and administratively to the direct authority of the Torontal
Torontál
Torontál was the name of administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary. Its territory is presently in northern Serbia , western Romania and southern Hungary...
County with headquarters in Veliki Bečkerek (today Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin is a city and municipality located in the eastern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina. It is the administrative centre of the Central Banat District of Serbia...
), which covered most of the territory of present day Serbian Banat.
In 1848/1849, the famous uprising of the Serbs in Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
took place. At the beginning, Kikinda's citizens expressed, almost unanimously, social revolt, while later the riot turned into a national one, and Kikinda became part of the Serbian Voivodship, a Serb autonomous region within the Austrian Empire. During the war, Serbian
Serbian Vojvodina
The Serbian Vojvodina was a Serbian autonomous region within the Austrian Empire...
and Hungarian
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
governments came into power over the city one after the other, accompanied by great conflicts, suffering and destruction. It was one of the most difficult and most complex periods in the history of Kikinda.
Between 1849 and 1860 Kikinda was part of the Voivodship of Serbia and Tamiš Banat
Voivodship of Serbia and Tamiš Banat
The Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar or Serbian Voivodeship and Banat of Temeschwar was a province of the Austrian Empire that existed between 1849 and 1860....
, a separate Austrian crown land. In 1860, this crown land was abolished, and Kikinda was included into Torontal county. It is an interesting piece of information that at the end of the 19th century Kikinda was the most densely inhabited place in the Torontal County, with 22,000 inhabitants. A railroad connecting Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
, Kikinda and Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
was built in 1857 and is the oldest railroad on the territory of present-day Serbia. The period from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the First World War was a peaceful and fruitful period in the history of Kikinda and was marked by a strong economic and urban development of the city. Moreover, the picturesque core of the city, which was and still stands as a beautiful component of Kikinda even today, was formed, and the city received a defined local government in 1895 (statute, senate, town representative, mayor, etc.). According to the 1910 census, the population of Kikinda numbered 26,795 inhabitants, of whom 14,214 (53.00%) spoke Serbian, 5,968 (22.27%) Hungarian, and 5,855 (21.85%) German.
A date around the end of the First World War (20 November 1918) denotes one of the most crucial moments in the history of Kikinda. The entry of the Serbian army into the city represented the achievement of the Serbs of Kikinda in striving to unite with Serbia. From 1 December 1918, the city was part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (renamed Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in 1929). However, the city suffered greatly in the economic realm, as it was located in the hinterland, between two borders, with communication lines disconnected. The period between the two world wars was not a period of economic prosperity. In 1921, the population of Kikinda numbered 25,774 people and included 15,000 (58%) Serbs and Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
, 5,500 (21%) Germans (Banat Swabians
Banat Swabians
The Banat Swabians are an ethnic German population in Southeast Europe, part of the Danube Swabians. They emigrated in the 18th century to what was then the Austrian Banat province, which had been left sparsely populated by the wars with Turkey. This once strong and important ethnic Banat Swabian...
), 4,000 (16%) Hungarians, and 5% Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
. Between 1918 and 1922, Kikinda was part of Banat county, Between 1922 and 1929 it was part of Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
oblast, and between 1929 and 1941 it was part of Danube Banovina
Danube Banovina
The Danube Banovina or Danube Banate was a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. This province consisted of the geographical regions of Syrmia, Bačka, Banat, Baranja, Šumadija, and Braničevo. The capital city of the Danube Banovina was Novi Sad...
.
The city's economic and political organization and structure changed significantly. There were changes in the ethnic structure of the city during and after the war. The German (about 22%) and Jewish (about 2%) populations were lost. In 1940, there were about 500 Jews in the town. In August, 1941, they were deported to the Sajmište
Sajmište concentration camp
Sajmište concentration camp was a German run Nazi concentration camp located on the outskirts of Belgrade whilst part of NDH . It was established in December 1941 and shut down in September 1944...
death camp near Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and murdered. In 1944, one part of German population left from the region, together with defeated German army. Those who remained were (during 1944–1948) detained in work camps. After abolishment of the camps, the remaining German population left from Yugoslavia because of economical reasons and went mostly to Austria and Germany.
In 1948, just after the end of World War II, Kikinda had a population of 28,070. The period from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s was, like the period from the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, characterized by a dynamic development of the city: new factories and production plants, new blocks of flats and residential settlements, various objects of general social interest, and paved streets definitely stressed and formed the urban dimension of Kikinda. In 1971 the city had a population of 37,487.
City planning
The city belongs to the group of so-called planned organized settlements. Plans of streets and crossroads were completed in the second half of the 18th century according to the standard city plans of the time used for the construction of new settlements in Banat. Those plans defined settlements with regularly lined and wide streets cutting at right angles, with a central town square, market place, church, city hall, school, pub, etc.Economy
The principal branch of the city's economy is agriculture, with its 598.17 km² of arable land. The annual production of wheat is about 60,000 tons, 114,670 tons of sunflowerSunflower
Sunflower is an annual plant native to the Americas. It possesses a large inflorescence . The sunflower got its name from its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image is often used to depict the sun. The sunflower has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads...
seeds. Soya
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
, sugar beet
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
and other fruits and vegetables are also produced.
Industrial production includes the production of oil derivatives by the "Naftagas" branch in Kikinda, metal processing, machine tools, special tools, car parts and flexible technologies by the former "Livnica Kikinda" (Metal foundry) and IDA-Opel
IDA-Opel
After eight years of successful cooperation in 1977 iron foundry from Kikinda, Serbia and Opel signs contract about joint venture and long-term cooperation in manufacturing valid for 15 years...
(now owned by Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n Cimos Koper), roof tile and brick production by "Toza Marković", the production of chemicals by "MCK" and "Hemik" and the processing of agricultural products by a number of factories.
Before the break-up of former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, hunting tourism was widespread in Kikinda. There are a number of hunting grounds in the municipality covering an area of 300 km², mostly around the banks of the Danube-Tisa-Danube Canal
Danube-Tisa-Danube Canal
Danube–Tisa-Danube Canal is a unique hydro-engineering system for flood control and hydrotechnical, amelioration forestry, water supply, waste water evacuation, navigation, tourism, fishing, hunting...
, where rabbits, pheasants and deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
are hunted.
Transport
Rail line Banatsko Aranđelovo – Kikinda – RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n border at Jimbolia
Jimbolia
Jimbolia is a town in Timiş county, Romania. In 2004, it had a population of 11,605.-History:The earliest record of a community in this location is a place identified as Chumbul in a papal tax record in 1333. This place came under Turkish administration in 1552. As a result of the Treaty of...
, part of the former Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
– Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
railway is the second oldest railway in present-day Serbia. http://web.archive.org/web/20091027072400/http://geocities.com/hvithrafn/jz/const.html http://www.zeleznicesrbije.com/active/sr-latin/home/glavna_navigacija/o_preduzecu/istorijat_zeleznice.html The city is also connected by rail to Subotica
Subotica
Subotica is a city and municipality in northern Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
and to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
through Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin is a city and municipality located in the eastern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina. It is the administrative centre of the Central Banat District of Serbia...
.
Regional roads connect Kikinda with all the neighbouring cities and villages. Buses operate regularly to the surrounding villages and major domestic and some European cities.
The only transport waterway in the municipality is the Danube-Tisa-Danube Canal
Danube-Tisa-Danube Canal
Danube–Tisa-Danube Canal is a unique hydro-engineering system for flood control and hydrotechnical, amelioration forestry, water supply, waste water evacuation, navigation, tourism, fishing, hunting...
. There is a dock which is used for industrial transport.
There is also the Kikinda Airport
Kikinda Airport
Kikinda Airport is a domestic airport in Serbia, situated in the vicinity of the northern town of Kikinda , close to the Subotica-Novi Sad route....
, a sports plane airstrip close to the city http://www.aeroklubkikinda.rs/Info_eng.htm. The local flying club organizes lessons in parachuting, aviation and space-modeling. Planes are also flown from this airstrip to spray agricultural fields.
Education
Primary schoolsThere are eight primary schools in the city:
- Đura Jakšić Primary School http://www.djurajaksic.edu.rs. Language of instruction: Serbian.
- Feješ Klara Primary School. Language of instruction: Serbian and Hungarian.
- Jovan Popović Primary School. Language of instruction: Serbian.
- Sveti Sava Primary School http://www.svetisava.edu.rs. Languages of instruction: Serbian and Hungarian.
- Vuk Karadžić Primary School. Language of instruction: Serbian.
- Žarko Zrenjanin Primary School. Language of instruction: Serbian.
- 6 October Special Primary School. School for children with special needs. Language of instruction: Serbian.
- Slobodan Malbaški Primary Music schoolMusic schoolThe term music school refers to an educational institution specialized in the study, training and research of music.Different terms refer to this concept such as school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department or conservatory.Music instruction can be provided...
. Language of instruction: Serbian.
Secondary schools
All secondary schools in Kikinda use Serbian as the language of instruction:
- Dušan Vasiljev GymnasiumGymnasium (school)A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
, founded in 1858. Students can choose between three main courses: socio-linguistic, mathematics and natural sciences, and general. - Mihajlo Pupin Technical Secondary School
- Economics and Trade Secondary School
- Miloš Crnjanski Secondary Vocational SchoolVocational schoolA vocational school , providing vocational education, is a school in which students are taught the skills needed to perform a particular job...
. The school offers courses in food processing, building, and health sciences. - Higher School for the Education of Teachers
Main sights
The SuvačaSuvača
Suvača in Kikinda, Serbia, is one of two remaining horse-powered dry mills in the whole of Europe.Suvača in Kikinda is characteristic of the Vojvodina area of the 19th century. It was built in 1899, and the mill stopped working in 1945. It is located in the western part of town, on the corner of...
is a horse-powered dry mill
Horse mill
A horse mill is a mill that uses a horse as the power source. Any milling process can be powered in this way, but the most frequent use of animal power in horse mills was for grinding grain and pumping water. Other animals used for powering mills include dogs, donkeys and oxen. Engines powered by...
. Kikinda has one of the two remaining such mills in Europe (the other being in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
). There were many mills like this in the city, the largest recorded number being 51 in 1847. The only remaining mill was built in 1899 and was operational until 1945.
Located in the center of the square, this Serbian Orthodox church was built in 1769. Icons of the iconostasis were done by Jakov Orfelin (nephew of Zacharius Orfelin) in 1773. Teodor Ilić Češljar
Teodor Ilic Cešljar
Teodor Ilić Češljar was born in 1746 in Čurug, Serbia and died on November 20, 1793 at age 47 in Bačko Petrovo Selo . He was a late Baroque Serbian painter from Vojvodina best known for being the creator of the Royal Doors from Ostojićevo...
is the author of the two large wall paintings "The Last Supper" and "Ascension of Jesus Christ" (1790). Both, the late baroque iconostasis
Iconostasis
In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. Iconostasis also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed anywhere within a church...
and the wall paintings show significant influence of western European art of the period. New church bells were installed in 1899.
Serb Orthodox Holy Trinity monastery
Holy Trinity monastery (Kikinda)
The Holy Trinity Monastery is a Serb Orthodox monastery located in the Banat region, in the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina. The monastery is situated in the town of Kikinda. It was built in 1885-87 as a foundation of Melanija Nikolić-Gajčić.-External links:**...
located in the south end of the city. It was built between 1885 and 1887 as a foundation of Melanija Nikolić-Gajčić.
The construction of the Roman Catholic Church in Kikinda church was started in 1808 and completed in 1811.
According to a popular belief, the treasure of Attila the Hun
Attila the Hun
Attila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
is buried somewhere on the territory of the municipality of Kikinda.
Cultural institutions
Situated on the city square, the building of the National Museum of Kikinda http://www.muzejkikinda.com/ was built in 1839. The building was at first the city curiaCuria
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
and the seat of the District of Velika Kikinda until its abolishment in 1876. In 1946, the National Museum of Kikinda and the City Archive http://www.kiarhiv.org.rs/ were founded and housed in the building. The Museum boasts of numerous artifacts which are displayed in its four sections: archeological, historical, ethnological and naturalist. As of recently, it also possesses a mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
skeleton which was excavated on the premises of the "Toza Marković" brick factory in 1996.
The Jovan Popović National Library was founded in 1845 as Čitaonica Srbska (Serbian Reading Room). It was renamed in 1952 to Jovan Popović
Jovan Popovic
Jovan Popović , born in Kikinda, Serbia was a Serbian writer and poet. He entered the Yugoslav Partisans in the beginning of the armed struggle in Serbia in 1941....
in honor of a prominent poet from Kikinda. Besides serving its primary function of loaning books, the library also organizes literary meetings, book promotions, seminars, lectures, exhibitions, and has published several works.
Although the National Theater in Kikinda was founded only 50 years ago, Kikinda has a long theatrical tradition. Kikinda witnessed its first theatrical play in 1796 in German. The first play in Serbian was acted out in 1834. The theater is very popular with the citizens of Kikinda and has a continuous program all year round, including the summer when the stage is moved outside to the garden of the theater.
Manifestations
The Pumpkin Days (Дани лудаје/Dani ludaje in Serbian) are an annual manifestation that takes place in mid-October. Every year people from all over the region gather in Kikinda to take part in a competition of who has the largest pumpkin and longest gourdGourd
A gourd is a plant of the family Cucurbitaceae. Gourd is occasionally used to describe crops like cucumbers, squash, luffas, and melons. The term 'gourd' however, can more specifically, refer to the plants of the two Cucurbitaceae genera Lagenaria and Cucurbita or also to their hollow dried out shell...
. The term ludaja is specific to the Kikinda region, while the common Serbian word for pumpkin is bundeva. Kikinda has a special relationship with this plant because throughout its history, the locals used to say that one can stand on a pumpkin while working in the fields and get a clear view of the whole city. This exaggeration was supposed to depict the flatness of the city's territory. A local standing on a pumpkin, dressed in traditional attire, and with his hand blocking the sun so that he can see into the distance, thus became the symbol for the region. A group of local enthusiasts started the Pumpkin Days manifestation in 1986 and it quickly attracted pumpkin and gourd lovers from all over the country. The three-day event also includes lectures and seminars on the advancement of pumpkin and gourd cultivation, a culinary competition in preparing meals from pumpkins and gourds, children's competitions in creating masks and sculptures, and various concerts and exhibitions. Over the past few years this event has gained prominence and has drawn visitors from Hungary, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and the former Yugoslav republics
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. The largest pumpkin measured at the event to date weighed 247 kilograms, while the longest gourd was 213 centimeters in length. In 2006 the event celebrated its 20th anniversary and had the largest number of visitors so far, as well as a richer program. A tamburitza
Tamburitza
Tamburica or Tamboura refers to any member of a family of long-necked lutes popular in Eastern and Southern Europe, particularly Croatia , Serbia and Hungary. It is also known in southern Slovenia and Burgenland...
festival was included in the event, contributing to the authentic Banat experience.
Every year, since 1982, 6 to 8 world renowned sculptors are invited to Kikinda at the premises of an old production plant of the Toza Marković brick factory for an international symposium
Symposium
In ancient Greece, the symposium was a drinking party. Literary works that describe or take place at a symposium include two Socratic dialogues, Plato's Symposium and Xenophon's Symposium, as well as a number of Greek poems such as the elegies of Theognis of Megara...
of sculpture "Terra". The symposium lasts throughout the month of July. Over the years, "Terra" has hosted sculptors from all corners of the world who are drawn by the unique and peaceful ambience of the studio. All sculptures are done in terracotta and some have appeared at the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
. Over 300 sculptors have so far participated in the symposium and have together produced more than 500 sculptures. Plans for the construction of a "Terra" museum are underway in which all the sculptures will be exhibited in a modern setting adjacent to the old studio.
Media
Newspapers- Nove Kikindske Novine, weekly newspaper. Printed in Serbian, using the Cyrillic alphabet, with a supplement in Hungarian.
- Kikindske, weekly independent newspaper. Printed in Serbian, using the Latin alphabetLatin alphabetThe Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
, with a supplement in Hungarian.
TV stations
- TV VK, independent TV station.
- TV Rubin, TV station favoring the local government.
Radio stations
- VK Radio (frequency: 98.3 MHz), independent regional radio station
- Radio Kikinda (frequency: 93.3 МHz), state-owned local station, broadcasts programs in both Serbian and Hungarian
- Radio Ami (frequency: 89.7 МHz), local commercial music radio station
Prominent citizens
- Miroslav Mika AntićMika AnticMiroslav "Mika" Antić was a Serbian poet, movie director, journalist and painter. Antić was born in Mokrin, Kikinda municipality, Vojvodina, Serbia . He had six children. His oldest son, Igor Antic, is a visual artist.He wrote poems, articles, dramas, movie and TV scripts and documentaries...
– poet - Jovan ĆirilovJovan ĆirilovJovan Ćirilov is a Serbian theater expert, philosopher, writer, theatre selector, poet, and significant contributor to Serbian culture.- Biography :After finishing school in Kikinda, he enrolled and graduated philosophy at the University of Belgrade in 1955...
– dramaturgeDramaturgeA dramaturge or dramaturg is a professional position within a theatre or opera company that deals mainly with research and development of plays or operas...
, poet, writer - Dušan VasiljevDušan VasiljevDušan Vasiljev was a Serbian poet, novelist and playwright. He was one of the most significant Serbian expressionists.- Life :...
– poet - Đura Jakšić – poet and painter, lived in Kikinda for some time
- Mladen KrstajićMladen KrstajicMladen Krstajić is a former Serbian footballer who currently works as a director of football for FK Partizan.-Early life:...
– former football player, now director of football in FC Partizan - Maja LatinovićMaja LatinovicMaja Latinović is a Serbian model.At 16, Latinović's modeling career began accidentally with her sister entering her into a local modeling contest...
– supermodel - Jovan PopovićJovan PopovicJovan Popović , born in Kikinda, Serbia was a Serbian writer and poet. He entered the Yugoslav Partisans in the beginning of the armed struggle in Serbia in 1941....
– poet - Srđan V. Tešin – writer and journalist
- Goran ŽivkovGoran ŽivkovGoran Živkov was appointed on June 20, 2006 as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management in the Government of Serbia and resigned on October 1 same year...
– politician - Predrag BubaloPredrag BubaloPredrag Bubalo became the Minister of Industry and Privatization in the Government of Serbia in October 2004, replacing Dragan Maršićanin. Before that Bubalo was the Minister of International Economic Relations....
– politician, former Government minister
Twin towns
NarvikNarvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
, Norway Nazareth Illit, Israel Bihać
Bihac
Bihać is a city and municipality on the river Una in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. Bihać is located in the Una-Sana Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina Prijedor
Prijedor
Prijedor is a city and municipality in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the Bosanska Krajina region....
, Bosnia and Herzegovina Reşiţa
Resita
' is a city in western Romania and the capital of Caraş-Severin County, in the Banat region. Its 2004 population was 83,985.- Etymology :The name of Reşiţa, might comes from the Latin recitia, meaning "cold spring", as the great historian Nicolae Iorga once suggested, presuming that the Romans...
, Romania Jimbolia
Jimbolia
Jimbolia is a town in Timiş county, Romania. In 2004, it had a population of 11,605.-History:The earliest record of a community in this location is a place identified as Chumbul in a papal tax record in 1333. This place came under Turkish administration in 1552. As a result of the Treaty of...
, Romania Medgidia
Medgidia
-History:Archaeological findings show that Dobruja was inhabited since the Neolithic period. Starting with 46 BC the region was administered by the Roman Empire. A castrum was built in the Carasu Valley, becoming the cradle of the settlement....
, Romania Kiskunfélegyháza
Kiskunfélegyháza
Kiskunfélegyháza is a town in the Bács-Kiskun county in southern Hungary, 130 kilometres southeast of Budapest by rail.Among the principal buildings are a fine Art Nouveau town hall, a Roman Catholic high school and a modern large parish church. The surrounding country is covered with vineyards,...
, Hungary Kondoros
Kondoros
Kondoros is a large village in Békés County, in the Southern Great Plain region of south-east Hungary.- Geography :It covers an area of 81.84 km² and has a population of 5355 people .- External links :*...
, Hungary Nagydobos
Nagydobos
Nagydobos is a village in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of and has a population of 2280 people ....
, Hungary Szolnok
Szolnok
Szolnok is the county seat of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county in central Hungary. Its location on the banks of the Tisza river, at the heart of the Great Hungarian Plain, has made it an important cultural and economic crossroads for centuries....
, Hungary Žilina
Žilina
Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...
, Slovakia Silistra
Silistra
Silistra is a port city of northeastern Bulgaria, lying on the southern bank of the lower Danube at the country's border with Romania. Silistra is the administrative centre of Silistra Province and one of the important cities of the historical region of Southern Dobrudzha...
, Bulgaria
Awards
In 2003, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in EuropeOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
Mission to Serbia awarded the Municipality of Kikinda with the Municipal Award for Tolerance.
General references
- Brane Marijanović et al. Kikinda: istorija, kultura, sela, privreda, sport, turizam, Novi Sad: Prometej, 2002.
- Jovan M. Pejin, Iz prošlosti Kikinde, Kikinda: Istorijski arhiv & Komuna, 2000.
- Milivoj Rajkov, Istorija grada Kikinde do 1918. godine, Kikinda, 2003.
- Dr Slobodan Ćurčić, Naselja Banata – geografske karakteristike, Novi Sad, 2004.