Trg cara Urosa 1, Sombor
phone: 025/468-111
web: www.sombor.rs
work hours: 8:00-20:00 (with mandatory announcements of visits, contact: 025/434-350)
“The Battle of Zenta”, painting by Franz Eisenhut
“The Battle of Zenta” is a magnificent realistic painting by Franz Eisenhut commissioned in 1896. for the celebration of the millennium of Hungarian colonization of the area. The oil painting with its enormous 7x4 meters dimensions represents the biggest painting of its kind in the country. The painting was put in its place in 1898. in the Gala Hall in the Prefecture building. The battle depicted on the painting took place on the 11th of Spetember 1697. in Bačka region near the city of Zenta (Senta). Austrian soldiers are seen in the foreground of the painting crossing the barricades set by the Ottoman empire soldiers. At the center of the painting the Austrian Prince Eugene of Savoy is seen on his white horse and next to him the count Palfin stands on his black horse with a Turkish machete in his hands with a few soldiers approaching them carrying the captured Cafer Djafer Pasha. In the background of the painting the struggles of the immense ongoing battle is seen.
The motive of the battle has an extreme significance for the people of Sombor since among Hungarian soldiers some 500 people from Sombor participated in the battle. The Austrian regiments were ruthless in the battle which ultimately provided them with a victorious outcome gaining momentum and changing the power balance between the two armies- after the battle the Turkish army starts retreating from this area in 1699. when the peace treaty was signed in Sremski Karlovci. The frame that holds the painting is an artwork itself with gold plate covering and on the very top of it reconstructed models of battle flags and weapons are seen with an image of apostle Paul (guardian of Bač-Bodrog County) with a blue and red flag representing the municipality. On the ceiling of the Hall paintings of emblems, that represent the historical past of the country that was under the jurisdiction of the Hungarian monarchy, are seen. In the middle of the crest the emblem of the Royal City of Sombor was painted by Eugen Kocsis based on the original Chart of the Empress Maria Theresa from 1749. The room holds several statues of goddess Athena (the patron of wisdom, towns and military forts) and the goddess Justicia (the goddess of justice).
“Bird eye view of Sombor” drawing by Branislav Jovin, architect
The drawing was done by Branislav Jovin an architect who spent several years perfecting the drawing that represents a unique combination of architectural plan, engineering and artistic bird eye view of the city. Geodesic maps and more than 600 areal snapshots of the most important sights of the city were used in the process of making this hand drawn map with more than 15000 buildings of Sombor. The process of drawing this momentous idea on the paper, dimensions 2.70 x 1.60 meters, required from the architect to make precise calculations before reviving the areal images of the city. The buildings are done in 2D and in 1:2000 scale and it took the architect more than a year to make. The drawing is kept in the hallway near the main entrance to the building.