Bezdan

Bezdan (hungarian: Bezdán) is a settlement in Vojvodina, in the West Bačka district, in the township Sombor. Its popular name is “water settlement”, because it is surrounded by water, and the only way to get to Bezdan is by crossing one of the bridges around it. Bezdan is one of the bigger places in the North-west Bačka. It is located 6 km away from the Croatian, 10 km from the Hungarian border and 18 km away from Sombor. From Hungary, from Baja, Bezdan can be reached via the border crossing Hercegszanto- Bački Breg, and from Croatia, from Beli Manastir, through the border crossing Batina-Bezdan. Population of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina comes to Bezdan from Sombor, which is 16km away.

It is on the left bank of the Danube in the middle of plain, height above sea level is 90m.

The afforested surfaces are especially emphasized, (more than 10% of the territory), that isn’t characteristic of settlements in Vojvodina. Bezdan with its surrounding is a perfect place for those people, who love nature, fishing and hunting. The water and the air are still clean, because there are no industrial polluters in the surrounding.

Till 1918 Bezdan belonged to Hungary, from 1918 to the Kingdom of SCS, from 1929 to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, from 1941 to Hungary and from 1944 to Yugoslavia again (FNRY, SFRY, FRY). After the separation of Montenegro from the State community of Serbia and Montenegro, Bezdan still belongs to the Republic of Serbia. After the migrations during the centuries, Bezdan has stayed ethnical diversified, but the majority are Hungarians. There are 5263 inhabitants according to the census from 2002, and 2983 of them are Hungarians (56,68%).

Besides traditional craft and a fruitful agriculture, also industry (shipyard, printing work, flour mill, and textile-factory) originates. Bezdan is rich of forests, farmland, numerous canals and seas. The Danube, the second largest river of Europe, contributes to the development of a comprehensive flora and fauna in the abutting regions. Furthermore Bezdan also disposes of those thermal springs, which are instituted for their medicinal benefit as well as for the heating of public buildings.

Archaeological excavations and numerous findings, whose age is estimated to more than 5.000 years, assure the hypothesis that this area was populated over a longer period than assumed yet. In the first centuries after Jesus Christ the Trak-, Avar- and Roman tribes populated the region, only in the 7th century ac the Slavic trunks arrived in an immigration-wave. It is assumed that they have built the mound-castle „Bodrog “, which unfortunately has fallen victim to atmospheric exposure and the Danube- flooding. Approximately around the 9th century the Hungarian tribe „Botond“conquered this castle. After the Battle of Kosovo Polje (1389) and Mohács (1526), Hungarian population has been expelled in a northward direction by the Turkish advance and Serbian tribes settled this area. The village named “Bezdán” has been mentioned first 1579 in the Turkish tax-books (Defterek).

Bezdan can be proud of its natural beauty. In addition to the river Danube, which flows near our place, there are the channels, which are a paradise for fishermen and swimmers. The construction of the system for flood protection contributed to greater popularity of the weekend settlements in the vicinity of Bezdan. As soon as warmer spring days arrive, the owners of the weekend-houses on the banks of the Danube, Baračka, the Franc channel, the Bajski channel, Korlatoš and Ken?ija start with cleaning and preparation for the new season. These are the perfect places for vacation, walking, fishing, swimming, water sports.

All these places can be easily passed through by bicycles too. After an easy drive or walk; passengers can relax in one of the "čarda" (typical restaurants by the water) which, besides refreshments, offer delicious fish specialties. Because of the environment, which is rich on forests, hunting is recently getting a very popular way of tourism. The tourist offer of Bezdan should certainly include the medical spa Bezdan.

Source: www.bezdan.org.rs, www.wikipedia.rs