Novi Pazar

Novi Pazar is a city in the Raška District of southwestern Serbia. As of the 2022 census, the urban area has 71,462 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 106,720 inhabitants. The city is the cultural center of the Bosniaks in Serbia and of Sandžak.

The area is known for its multicultural history, with many people following different traditions and beliefs. You can find important places from both Muslim and Orthodox Christian traditions, such as the Altun-Alem Mosque and the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The region has 30 protected monuments that show its rich history.

Name

In the 1300s, near an old Serbian fortress called Stari Ras, a busy marketplace named Trgovište began to grow. Later, during the time when the Ottoman Empire took control of Old Serbia, another marketplace started about 11 kilometers away. The older market became known as Staro Trgovište, while the newer one was called Novo Trgovište. This newer market eventually became the city we now know as Novi Pazar.

The name "Novi Pazar" means 'New Bazaar' and comes from the Serbian words Novo Trgovište, through the Turkish name Yeni Pazar. The word 'bazaar' originally comes from the Persian word for market. In Albanian the city is called Pazari i Ri or Tregu i Ri, and in Bosnian it is simply Novi Pazar. Some people in modern-day Turkey still call it Yeni Pazar.

Geography

Novi Pazar is found in the valleys of several rivers: the Jošanica, Raška, Deževska, and Ljudska. It sits at a height of 496 meters above sea level in the southeastern part of the Raška region. The city is wrapped by the Golija and Rogozna mountains, with the Pešter plateau lying to its west. The area covers 742 km² and includes 100 settlements, most of which are small villages spread across the surrounding hills and mountains. The biggest village is Mur, home to over 3000 people.

The city has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfb), which is typical for the hilly Raška region. It tends to be cooler than other major cities in Serbia but is still warmer than the nearby town of Sjenica.

History

The city of Novi Pazar has a long and rich history. One of its oldest landmarks is the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, which was first built in Roman times and rebuilt in the 9th century. Over the centuries, the area was influenced by many different empires, including the First Bulgarian Empire, Serbian Principality, and Byzantine Empire.

In the late 12th century, the area became an important part of the Serbian realm. It was governed directly by Serbian kings and served as a key region for many Serbian states, including the Serbian Kingdom and the Serbian Empire. In 1461, the Ottoman general Isa-Beg Ishaković founded Novi Pazar as a city, building a mosque, a bath, a market, a hostel, and other buildings.

Later, the town was part of the Ottoman Empire, then controlled by Austria-Hungary, and later again by the Ottomans. It became part of Serbia in 1912 during the First Balkan War, and then joined the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1918.

In 1941, during World War II, there was a battle near Novi Pazar. After 2000, efforts were made to support the area's economy, and the International University of Novi Pazar was founded in 2002.

Demographics

According to the 2022 census, the municipality of Novi Pazar has 106,720 inhabitants, while the city itself has 71,462 inhabitants. Many people live in the city area, and the number of people per square kilometer is 135.32. Novi Pazar has many homes and households.

Religion structure in the city of Novi Pazar includes many Muslim people, with some Serbian Orthodox, Atheists, Catholics, and other minority groups. Most people speak either Bosnian or Serbian.

The composition of population by sex and average age includes males and females with different average ages.

Many citizens have secondary education, and some have higher education, including university education.

Ethnic composition

Novi Pazar has had a rich history with many different ethnic groups living together, including Albanians, Serbs, and others. Sadly, during World War II, the entire Jewish population of Novi Pazar was taken away and faced terrible harm.

Settlements

The city of Novi Pazar includes many small villages and towns besides its main urban area. These settlements each have their own people living there, though some are very small with just a few families. This list shows the names and populations of these places from an older count in 2002.

Politics

Novi Pazar is run by a city assembly with 47 councillors, plus a mayor and a vice-mayor. The most recent legislative election was in 2020, and the assembly includes groups such as SDP - European Novi Pazar led by Rasim Ljajić, SPP led by Muamer Zukorlić, and SDA - Party of Democratic Action of Sandžak. There are also representatives from Aleksandar Vučić's groups, including SNS, SPS, and SRS.

Economy

Novi Pazar has always been a strong place for trade because it is located where many old and new countries meet. The city also has a history of making things, especially clothes. In the 1900s, it became known for its textile industry.

Even during difficult times in the 1990s, Novi Pazar did well because of its strong private businesses in making clothes. Jeans from Novi Pazar became well-known in the area. But in the 2000s, the city's economy struggled because big textile companies were sold and there was more competition from other places.

As of 2023, about 23,000 people in Novi Pazar did not have jobs, which is one of the highest rates in Serbia. This was partly because of unstable politics and poor infrastructure, like not having airports or major roads nearby.

Economic figures

Society and culture

The city of Novi Pazar has many important historic buildings. West of the city is the old Serbian Orthodox monastery of Sopoćani, built in the 1200s. It is a special place protected by the world. There is also a very old church called the Church of St Peter that dates back to the 800s. On a hilltop is a monastery called Đurđevi stupovi that has been fixed up recently. The city's main mosque, the Altun-Alem Mosque, was built a long time ago in the 1500s.

Novi Pazar has two universities: the International University of Novi Pazar and the State University of Novi Pazar.

Football is a very popular sport in Novi Pazar. The city's football club, FK Novi Pazar, was started in 1928. The team worked hard and finally joined the top league in Serbia in 2012. The city also has volleyball, handball, and basketball teams. Some famous athletes come from Novi Pazar, including basketball and football players.

International cooperation

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Serbia

Novi Pazar has many friends and partner cities around the world. Some of these include:

• Shusha, Azerbaijan
• Bayrampaşa, Turkey
• Jagodina, Serbia
• Karatay, Turkey
• Kocaeli Province, Turkey
• Novi Pazar, Bulgaria
• Pendik, Turkey
• Vranje, Serbia
• Yalova, Turkey

The city also works closely with other places such as:

• Goražde, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Ilidža, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Podgorica, Montenegro
• Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Sombor, Serbia
• Damietta, Egypt

Notable people

Novi Pazar has been home to many interesting people throughout history. Some of them include:

• Samuilo Jakovljević (1760–1825), an Orthodox clergyman and Serbian diplomatic envoy
• Tahir Efendi Jakova (1770–1850), an Albanian poet
• Aćif Hadžiahmetović (1887–1945), a politician who served as mayor of Novi Pazar during the Second World War
• Milunka Savić (1888–1973), one of the most decorated female combatants in all of warfare history
• Abdulah Gegić (1924–2008), a former football coach for Partizan Belgrade
• Ejup Ganić (born 1946), an engineer and politician
• Laza Ristovski (1956–2007), a keyboardist who played with the bands Smak and Bijelo Dugme
• Rasim Ljajić (born 1964), a politician
• Muamer Zukorlić (1970–2021), a politician and Islamic theologian
• Mirsad Jahović Türkcan (born 1976), a Turkish basketball player
• Emina Jahović (born 1982), a pop singer
• Miljan Mutavdžić (born 1986), a football player
• Adem Ljajić (born 1991), a football player
• Amela Terzić (born 1993), a runner
• Erhan Mašović (born 1998), a football player
• Hamad Medjedovic (born 2003), a tennis player
• Hena Kurtagić (born 2004), a volleyball player
• Asim Đulović (born 2005), a basketball player