History and Cultural heritage of Northern Serbia

During the centuries under the Ottoman rule Serbs tried to preserve their national identity and culture. At the same time, whenever Christian countries (Habsburg Empire, Venetia and Russia) were at war against the Ottomans, Serbs would make rebellions and tried to aid to the Christian cause. One such episode had a huge price: in 1690 Ottomans decided to punish Serbs for taking part in war against them and launched a huge punitive operation in modern-day territory of Kosovo, south central Serbia and northern Montenegro. In order to save as much people as possible, Serbian Patriarch Aresenius III led the huge migration, taking as much as 40.000 families north to Habsburg Empire. Clergy was migrating with people and entire monastery brotherhoods relocated to the territory of Fruška Gora Mountain. There has already been some Serbian churches and monasteries there, but after the great migration under Arsenius, some 30 monasteries were active in 18th and 19th Century. This territory became a Serbian Holy land, a place where national identity, spirituality and culture were nurtured and preserved. Although some of the monasteries suffered damages and destruction in 20th Century many of them are still active. Built in peaceful natural surroundings, these mostly baroque styled churches are witness of an era and hardships that fell upon Serbian nation. Small town of Sremski Karlovci was a spiritual center and the seat of archbishops and patriarchs. It has a short but beautiful pedestrian area situated between 18th and 19th century churches and buildings. It is quite famous for numerous family wineries and kugloffs (local cakes), as like as for the oldest Serbian high school still active today.