The region of Banat is populated by ethnic Romanians, Serbs, Hungarians, Romani, Germans, Krashovani, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Bulgarians, Czechs, Croats, Jews and other ethnicities.

Names

Further information: Ban (title), Banate (disambiguation), and Banat (disambiguation)

During the Middle Ages, the term `banate` was designating a frontier province led by a military governor who was called ban. Such provinces existed mainly in South Slavic, Hungarian and Romanian lands. In South Slavic and other regional languages, terms for `banate` were: Serbian - бановина / banovina, Hungarian - bánság, Romanian - banatul and Latin - banatus.

At the time of the medieval Hungarian kingdom, the territory of modern day Banat appeared in written sources as `Temesköz` (first mentioned in 1374).1need quotation to verify The Hungarian name mainly referred to the lowland areas between the Mureş, Tisza and Danube Rivers.12need quotation to verify Its Ottoman name was `Eyalet of Temeşvar` (later `Eyalet of Yanova`). During the Turkish occupation, the territory of Temesköz (Banat) was also called `Rascia` (`the country of the Serbs`, 1577).3

In the early modern period, there were two banates that partially or entirely included the territory of what is referred to in the current era as Banat: the Banate of Lugoj and CaransebeÈ™ in 16th and 17th century and the Banat of Temeswar or Banat of Temes in 18th and 19 th century. The word `Banat` without any other qualification, typically refers to the historical Banat of Temeswar, which acquired this title after the 1718 Treaty of Passarowitz. The name was also used from 1941 to 1944, during Axis occupation, for the short-lived political entity (see: Banat (1941â€"44)), which covered only today`s Serbian part of the historical Banat.

The name Banat is similar in different languages of the region: Romanian: Banat, Serbian: Banat or Банат (Serbian pronunciation: bÇŽnaːt), Hungarian: Bánát or Bánság, Bulgarian: Банат, German: Banat (German pronunciation: bÇŽnoːt), Ukrainian: Банат, Turkish: Banat, Slovak: Banát, Czech: Banát, Croatian: Banat, Greek: Î`άνατον, Vànaton. Some of these languages would also have other terms, from their own frame of reference, to describe this historical and geographic region.

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#Novi Sad, historical capital of #Vojvodina, at the beginning of 20th century

At the end of World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed. On 29 October 1918, Syrmia became a part of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs. On 31 October 1918, the Banat Republic was proclaimed in Timiș::oara. The government of Hungary recognized its independence, but it was short-lived.

On 25 #November 1918, the Assembly of Serbs, Bunjevci, and other nations of Vojvodina in Novi Sad proclaimed the unification of Vojvodina (Banat, Bač::ka and Baranja) with the Kingdom of Serbia (The assembly numbered 757 deputies, of which 578 were Serbs, 84 Bunjevci, 62 Slovaks, 21 Rusyn, 6 Germans, 3 Šokci, 2 Croats and 1 Hungarian). One day before this, on 24 November, the Assembly of Syrmia also proclaimed the unification of Syrmia with Serbia. On 1 December 1918, Vojvodina (as part of the Kingdom of Serbia) officially became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

Assembly of Serbs, #Bunjevci, and other nations of Vojvodina in Novi Sad proclaimed the unification of Vojvodina region with the Kingdom of Serbia, 1918.

Between 1929 and 1941, the region became part of the Danube Banovina, a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Its capital city was Novi Sad. Apart from the core territories of Vojvodina and Baranja, it included significant parts of Šumadija and Branič::evo regions south of the Danube (but not the capital city of Belgrade).

Between 1941 and 1944, during World War II, the Axis Powers (Nazi Germany and its allies, Independent State of Croatia and Hungary) divided and occupied Vojvodina. Bač::ka and Baranja were annexed by Horthy`s Hungary and Syrmia was included into the Independent State of Croatia. A smaller Danube Banovina (including Banat, Šumadija, and Branič::evo) existed as part of the area governed by the Military Administration in Serbia. The administrative center of this smaller province was Smederevo. However, Banat itself was a separate autonomous region ruled by its German minority. The occupying powers committed numerous crimes against the civilian population, especially against Serbs, Jews and Roma: the Jewish population of Vojvodina was almost completely killed or deported.citation needed In total, Axis (German, Croatian and Hungarian) occupational authorities killed about 50,000 citizens of Vojvodina (mostly Serbs, Jews and Roma) while more than 280,000 people were interned, arrested, violated or tortured.16

Subotica tram system , 1914.

Axis occupation ended in 1944 and the region was temporarily placed under military administration (1944–1945) run by the new communist authorities. During and after the military administration, several thousands of citizens were killed - this affected mostly ethnic Germans, but also one part of Hungarian and Serb populations. Both the war-time Axis occupational authorities and the post-war communist a

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Blagoveštenski assembly in Sremski Karlovci, 1861

During the Great #Serb #Migration, Serbs from Ottoman territories settled in the Habsburg Monarchy at the end of the 17th century (in 1690), most of whom settled what is now Hungary, the lesser part settling in western #Vojvodina. However, because of this event, all Serbs in Habsburg Monarchy gained the status of a recognized nation with extensive rights, in exchange for providing a border militia (in the Military Frontier that could be mobilized against invaders from the south, as well as in case of civil unrest in Habsburg Kingdom of Hungary.

At the beginning of Habsburg rule, most of the region was integrated into the Military Frontier, while western parts of Bač::ka were put under civil administration within the County of Bač::. Later, the civil administration was expanded to other (mostly northern) parts of the region, while southern parts remained under military administration. Eastern part of it was held by the Ottomans between 1787–1788, during the Russo-Turkish War.

In 1716, Vienna temporarily forbade settlement by Hungarians and Jews in the area, while large numbers of German speakers were settled in the region. From 1782, Protestant Hungarians and Germans settled in larger numbers.

Proclaimed borders of Serbian Vojvodina at May Assembly (1848) and autonomous Ottoman Principality of Serbia

During the 1848-49 revolutions, Vojvodina was a site of war between Serbs and Hungarians, due to the opposite national conceptions of these two peoples. At the May Assembly in Sremski Karlovci (13–15 May 1848), Serbs declared the constitution of the Serbian Voivodship (Serbian Duchy), a Serbian autonomous region within the Austrian Empire. The Serbian Voivodship consisted of Srem, Bač::ka, Banat, and Baranja. The metropolitan of Sremski Karlovci, Josif Rajač::ić::, was elected patriarch, while Stevan Šupljikac was chosen as first voivod (duke). The ethnic war hit this area perhaps the hardest, with terrible atrocities committed against the civilian populations by both sides.

Following the Habsburg and Serb victory over Hungarians in 1849, a new administrative territory was created in the region (in November 1849), in accordance with a decision made by the Austrian emperor. By this decision, the Serbian autonomous region created in 1848 was transformed into the new Austrian crown land known as Voivodship of Serbia and Tamiš Banat. It consisted of Banat, Bač::ka and Srem, excluding the southern parts of these regions which were part of the Military Frontier. An Austrian governor seated in Temeschwar ruled the area, while the title of Voivod belonged to the emperor himself. The full title of the emperor was `Grand Voivod of the Voivodship of Serbia` (German: Großwoiwode der Woiwodschaft Serbien). German and Illyrian (Serbian) were the official languages of the crown land. In 1860, the new province was abolished and most of it (with exception of Syrmia) was aga

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Bač:: Fortress

Following territorial disputes with Byzantine and #Bulgarian states, most of Vojvodina became part of the Kingdom of Hungary between 10th and 12th century and remained under Hungarian administration until the 16th century (Following periods of Ottoman and Habsburg administrations, Hungarian political dominance over most of the region was established again in 1867 and over entire region in 1882, after abolition of the Habsburg Military Frontier).

The regional demographic balance started changing in the 11th century when Magyars began to replace the local Slavic population. But from the 14th century, the balance changed again in favour of the Slavs when #Serbian refugees fleeing from territories conquered by the Ottoman army settled in the area. Most12 of the Hungarians left from the region during Ottoman conquest and early period of Ottoman administration, so the population of Vojvodina in Ottoman times was predominantly Serbs (who comprised an absolute majority of Vojvodina at the time13) and Muslims.14

Ottoman rule

After the defeat of the Kingdom of Hungary at Mohács by the Ottoman Empire, the region fell into a period of anarchy and civil wars. In 1526 Jovan Nenad, a leader of Serb mercenaries, established his rule in Bač::ka, northern Banat and a small part of Syrmia. He created an ephemeral independent state, with Subotica as its capital. At the peak of his power, Jovan Nenad proclaimed himself Serbian Emperor in Subotica. Taking advantage of the extremely confused military and political situation, the Hungarian noblemen from the region joined forces against him and defeated the Serbian troops in the summer of 1527. Emperor Jovan Nenad was assassinated and his state collapsed. After the fall of emperor`s state, the supreme military commander of Jovan Nenad`s army, Radoslav Č::elnik, established his own temporary state in the region of Syrmia, where he ruled as Ottoman vassal.

A few decades later, the whole region was added to the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over it until the end of the 17th and the first half of the 18th century, when it was incorporated into the Habsburg Monarchy. The Treaty of Karlowitz of 1699, between Holy League and Ottoman Empire, marked the withdrawal of the Ottoman forces from Central Europe, and the supremacy of the Habsburg Empire in that part of the continent. According to the treaty, western part of Vojvodina passed to Habsburgs. Eastern part of it (eastern Syrmia and Province of Tamı::ş::var) remained in Ottoman hands until Austrian conquest in 1716. This new border change is ratified by the Treaty of Passarowitz in 1718.

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In the Neolithic period, two important archaeological cultures flourished in this area: the Starč::evo culture and the Vinč::a culture. Indo-European peoples first settled in the territory of present-day #Vojvodina in 4200 BC. During the Eneolithic period, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, several Indo-European archaeological cultures were centered in or around Vojvodina: the Vuč::edol culture, the Vinkovci culture, the Vatin culture, the Belegiš culture, the Bosut culture, etc. Before the #Roman conquest in the 1st century BC, Indo-European peoples of Illyrian, Thracian and Celtic origin inhabited this area. The first states organized in this area were the Celtic State of the Scordisci (3rd century BC-1st century AD) with capital in Singidunum (Belgrade), and the Dacian Kingdom of Burebista (1st century BC).

During Roman rule, Sirmium (modern Sremska Mitrovica) was one of the four capital cities of the Roman Empire, and six Roman Emperors were born in this city or in its surroundings. The city was also the capital of several Roman administrative units, including Pannonia Inferior, Pannonia Secunda, the Diocese of Pannonia, and the Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum. Roman rule lasted until the 5th century, after which the region came into the possession of various peoples and states. While Banat was a part of the Roman province of Dacia, Syrmia belonged to the Roman province of Pannonia. Bač::ka was not part of the Roman Empire and was populated and ruled by Sarmatian Iazyges.

Novi Sad , the capital city of Vojvodina

Early Middle Ages and Slavic settlement

After the Romans were driven away from this region, various Indo-European and Turkic peoples and states ruled in the area. These peoples included Goths, Sarmatians, Huns, Gepids and Avars. For regional history, the largest in importance was a Gepid state, which had its capital in Sirmium. According to the 7th-century Miracles of Saint Demetrius, Avars gave the region of Syrmia to a Bulgar leader named Kuber circa 680. The Bulgars of Kuber moved south with Maurus to Macedonia where they co-operated with Tervel in the 8th century.

Ruins of Arač::a church

Slavs settled today`s Vojvodina in the 6th and 7th centuries,91011 before some of them crossed the rivers Sava and Danube and settled in the Balkans. Slavic tribes that lived in the territory of present-day Vojvodina included Abodrites, Severans, Branič::evci and Timoč::ani. In the 9th century, after the fall of the Avar state, the first forms of Slavic statehood emerged in this area. The first Slavic states that ruled over this region included the Bulgarian Empire, Great Moravia and Ljudevit`s Pannonian Duchy. During the Bulgarian administration (9th century), local Bulgarian dukes, Salan and Glad, ruled over the region. Salan`s residence was Titel, while that of Glad was possibly in the rumoured rampart of Galad or perhaps in the Kladovo (Gladovo) in eastern Serbia

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Name

The term vojvodina in Serbian means a type of duchy – more specifically, a voivodeship. It derives from the word `vojvoda` (See: voivode) which stems from the Proto-Slavic language word `voevoda`. Those words are etymologically connected with modern-day words `vojnik` (soldier) and `voditi` (to lead). Its original name (from 1848) was the `Serbian Voivodeship` (Srpska Vojvodina) which then became `Voivodeship of Serbia` (`Vojvodstvo Srbija`).

The full official names of the province in all official languages of Vojvodina are:

Serbian: А::у::т::о::
П::о::к::р::
В::о::ј::в::
/ Autonomna Pokrajina Vojvodina

Hungarian: Vajdaság Autonóm Tartomány

Slovak: Autonómna pokrajina Vojvodina

Romanian: Provincia Autonomă:: Voivodina

Croatian: Autonomna Pokrajina Vojvodina

Pannonian Rusyn: А::в::т::о::
П::о::к::р::
В::о::й::в::
(Avtonomna Pokrajina Vojvodina)

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●: Dominik Dujo Marković: – first Chief of Sombor Police Department

●: Jovan Janko Branković: – Captain of Sombor Military Guard

●: Martin Parč:etić: – first Mayor and judge of Sombor in 18th century

●: Vasilije Damjanović: – Mayor

●: Bona Mihaljević: – First chronicler

●: Avram Mrazović: – founder and Principal of „Norma" – first serbian school for teachers

●: Kuzman Kozma Josić: – first chronicler of school plays, dialogues and theatrical pieces

●: Nikolaj Šimić: – philosopher and theoretician

●: Gedeon (Georgije) Petrović: – supporter of the Serbian Gymnasium in Novi Sad

●: Avram Maksimović: – first president of „Srpska Č:itaonica"

●: Jovan Savić: – also known as Ivan Jugović: – Secretary of Education during the 18th centrury uprisings in Serbia.

●: Dimitrije Isailović: – cofounder and Vice president of „Društvo srpske slovesnosti" later transformed into Serbian Academy od Sciences („Srpska akademija nauka")

●: Platon (Pavle) Atanaković: – President of „Matica srpska": during his term „Matica srpska" was moved from Budapest to Novi Sad

●: Jovan Hadžić: – also known as Miloš Svetić:, first President of „Matica srpska" and cowriter of „Građ:anski zakonik" („Charter of Rights") in 1842

●: Samuil (Sava) Maširević: – Archbishop of Karlovac and Patriarch of the serbian Ortodox Church

●: Isidor Nikolić: Srbogradski – notable politician during the creation of the serbian Duchy in Hungary

●: Nikola Nika Mihailović: – Mayor and lawyer

●: Grosschmid Gábor – cofounder of the Historical society of Bacs-Bodrog municipality (Bács Bodrog vm. Történelmi Társulata)

●: Karlo Bijelicki – founder of the Town Library Sombor

●: Dimitrije Popović: – coworker and correspodent of Vuk Karadžić:

●: Aleksandar Stojać:ković: – journalist, politician and historian

●: Jovan Djordjević: – cofounder of Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad and Serbian National Theter in Belgrade

●: Georgije (Djordje) Branković: - Archbishop of Karlovac and Patriarch of the serbian Ortodox Church

●: Nikola Vukič:ević: – pedagogue and long-time principal of „Srpska uč:iteljska škola" (Serbian School for Teachers) in Sombor

●: Nikola Nika Maksimović: – most notable politician in Sombor in second half of the 19th century

●: Mita Popović: – lawyer, poet and translator

●: Laza Kostić: – poet, writer, publicist, journalist, philosopher, politician, author of the most famous poem in serbian language „Santa Maria della Salute"

●: Nika Grujić: Ognjan – pedagogue, writer and politician

●: Vértesi Käroly – recognized hungarian journalist and traveler

●: Demeter Pál – poet and translator into hungarian l

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Sombor Tourist Organization

Trg cara Lazara 1

25000 Sombor, Serbia

www.visitsombor.or info@visitsombor.org

Working hours: Mon – Fri 07:30am – 03:00pm

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Sombor Sport Association was founded in 1997. Primary goals were the development of sport activities, promotion of healthy life and work with youth, especially with school children. There are 120 sport clubs and organizations in Sombor. Some of them (79) are receiving funds from local administration in the form of subsidies. Town is regularly participating in the organization of 27 annual events and is awarding scholarships for talented sportsman and children.

The Association is along with the local administration, a sponsor of annual school competitions in various disciplines such as football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, tennis, gimnastics etc. These competitions ranges from local to national level.

Sport Facilities.

Sombor has 78 open fields (37 in urban and 41 in rural areas): 14 closed courts in town and 15 in villages. Some of these facilities are neglected and in a need of extensive repairs in order to be ready for use. Town officials are constantly working on the improvement of conditions through cooperation with national authorities and local clubs and investors who are willing enough to help.

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Cultural Institutions

#Library ‘#Karlo Bijelicki`

#Gallery‘#Milan Konjović::`

The #Museum of the City of #Sombor

#Cultural Centre ‘#Laza Kostić::` Sombor

The National Theatre Sombor

#Sombor #Tourism Organisation

Castles. There are several castles and landmark structures in the surrounding area that have the potential to be used for tourism purposes. The buildings have extraordinary past and distinguishing architectural features. Some of them are enriched with parks with rare plant species. Most of the buildings are in a very bad condition. Some are abandoned and some are used as schools, office buildings etc. Once restored, the sites would make attractive tourist destinations. The most attractive of them are located in Riđ::ica and there are also castles ‘Redl` in Rastina, ‘Baba pusta` in Aleksa Šantić::, ‘Semze` in Kljajić::evo, ‘Vamošer` in Bač::ki Monoštor etc.

Churches. Each settlement in the city has its own church. They are mostly baroque buildings dating back to the end of the 18th century. There are many sacral buildings within the cemeteries and settlements. Their revitalisation, with appropriate marketing would make them attractive to visitors.

Monasteries. The Monastery of Saint Archdeacon Stephen and the Franciscan Friary witness to a rich religious past. Some of the facilities are suitable to be utilised as accommodation.

Holy wells: ‘Vodice` (Dorislovo, Č::onoplja, Stapar, Č::ič::ovi, Milč::ić::) are also spots that could be made more accessible to visitors by repairing access roads, which would enhance pilgrim tourism.

Museums (The City Museum of Sombor). The Museum of Sombor possesses several different collections. They include items originating from the entire West Bač::ka District and are rich in items of national significance. The museum with its collections represents an important point of reference not only for tourism of the region but of a wider area as well.

Industrial Architecture, first of all Bezdan lock, should be revitalised and open for tourists. Many of the structures are surrounded by beautiful nature giving them additional potential to be utilised as accommodation.

The Theatre in Sombor, well-known for its ‘theatre marathon` is absolutely an essential place to visit.

Galleries (gallery ‘Milan Konjović::`, gallery ‘Laza Kostić::`).

Danube Swabians` execution sites (Gakovo, Kruševlje, Kronić:: Palace) are attracting more and more tourists – ex camp inmates and their descendants, in recent years. The sites are point of destination for large groups of Danube Swabians for which reason the locations need to be made more accessible and attractive to tourists.

Rarities (painting ‘The Battle of Senta`, the heaviest postcard in the world, ‘Sombor from a Bird`s Eye View`) are very attractive and should hold an important place in the city`s promotion.

Archaeological Monuments. Both immobile (

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In 1541 Sombor was occupied by the Ottomans and soon it became a part of the Ottoman Empire. The use of the towns current name, Sombor, can be traced back to Ottoman administration which in 1543 started to use the name Sombor instead of older hungarian name Cobor de Szentmihadly. During the Ottoman conquest Sombor was prosperous town with fortress and numerous workshops and around 2,000 households. Population represented a mix of Hungarians, Serbs, Romanians and other ethnicities.

In 1554, Sombor was declared the administrative, judicial and military center of Sanjak of Segedin (Szegedi szandzsák) which held 46 settlements. The Ottomans expanded the town by building a couple of madrasah, the house of dervishes, several elementary schools, guest houses and publlic baths.

After more than a century of Ottoman rule, Sombor was conqured by Austrian army in September 1687. By the time Austrians established their rule, Sombor was inhabited by more than 5,000 people. Only three years later large number of serbs, under the lead of the ortodox bishop Arsenije Č::arnojević::, moved into Sombor which soon became part of the ``Military Frontier`` between Ottoman and Habsburg empires. In the coming years several military units from Sombor took part in the Battle of Slankamen and Senta and other small skirmishes throughout the Habsburg Empire.

In 1702 Sombor was declared ``Oppidium Fossatum`` (frontier town) and in 1717. ``Oppidium Militare`` (military town). First captain of the military town was Jovan Branković::, one of many notable persons born in Sombor. With the passage of time, Sombor was becoming peaceful town, far away from border and skirmishes with the Ottomans, which proved to be great opportunity for the cultural development of the town and its surroundings. First Ortodox school was opened in 1717, followed by the Catholic elementary school five years later (1722). At the time around two thirds of population was a member of ortodox religion.

People of Sombor was known as loyal and hard-working and as such they often received praises and rewards, mostly in land deeds and offices. However, when the immidiate danger of Ottomans ceased so did the royal appreciations as well. Sombor lost all of the benefits it enjoyed as a military town and was put under the civil rule by the order of Maria Theresa in 1741. Aware of what they lost, the people of Sombor mutually agreed to try to negotiate the return of previous owned rights with the Royal Court. On 17th February 1749 Empress Maria Theresa signed a decree which elevated the status of Sombor to status of free town. The people of Sombor payed 150,000 gold forints for it. N

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Military airport, which is placed 7km from the city, is currently not operational since it was heavily damaged in the 1999 bombings campaign. Nevertheless, its conversion into civil airport is envisioned by the Development strategy of the Ministry of Defense. There are several propositions regarding this conversion which are empowered by the fact that this airport has the least number of foggy days in the country and can easily serve as an alternative airport and landing strip for the international airfields in the region.

#Sombor has a great potential of becoming one of the most important commercial and transportation hubs in Serbia and in the wider region as well. Being mostly agriculture environment, companies positioned in Sombor could be able to produce a variety of healthy and organic food products and transport them to the whole of Europe in no more than 24 hours.

The Tourist Organization of Sombor has in its portfolio a great number of localites and places which can be of interest to domestic and foreign visitors. One of them is National Reserve „Gornje Podunavlje", a place of great beauty and ecological diversity.

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●: Area 1178 km2

●: Population 85,903

●: Location 16"31` E 46"34` N

●: Temperate Climate Zone

●: Number of Local Communities: 22

●: Multinational environment with people from 27 nations

●: Administrative center of the West Bač:ka District

●: Located on the tri-border area of Serbia, Hungary and Croatia

●: 175 km northwest from #Belgrade

●: 220 km south from Budapest

●: 345 km southeast from Vienna

●: 375 km east from Zagreb

●: 7 km from airport

●: Between european coridors 7 and 10

●: Average income – 350 €

●: Average real estate price per square meter / 650 €

●: Extended local and regional road network

●: Access to the Dunav – Tisa – Dunav cannal

General Information

The City of Sombor is located in the northwest corner of Serbia with the metropolitan area of 1,178 km2. Sombor is second largest administrative center by area in Vojvodina, and fifth by population. It is the seat of the West Bač:ka District. The city of Sombor consists of 15 rural settlements: Aleksa Šantić:, Bač:ki Breg, Bač:ki Monoštor, Bezdan, Gakovo, Kljajić:evo, Kolut, Rastina, Ridjica, Svetozar Miletić:, Stanišić:, Stapar, Teleč:ka and Č:onoplja. There are 22 local communities in total which are the place where people can communicate with local officials and city authorities.Out of the total city area, 82.65% is arable land which represents the potential for further agricultural and economic development.

According to the 2011 census the population of Sombor is 85,569 out of which 52% lives in urban and 48% in rural areas. The population of the city is culturally diverse with people from 27 ethnicities. The majority of the population (63.29%) is of serbian descent. Signifiant minoroties are Hungarians (11.49%) and Croats (8.23%). Religion is important element of everyday life. Most of the people are members of the Ortodox Church (61%), next to the Catholic Church and other confessions (28%). Most of the people speak serbian language (82%), hungarian (12%) and croatin (2.93%).

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The Danube was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire, and today flows through 10 nations. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for 1,914 km (1,189 mi), passing through or touching the border of Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine before emptying into the Black Sea. Its drainage basin extends into nine more nations.

Names and etymology

The Latin name Dā::::nuvius is one of a number of `Old European` river names derived from a Proto-Indo-European .dā::::nu. Other river names from the same root include Don, Donets, Dzvina/Duna, Dneiper and Dniestr. In Rigvedic Sanskrit, dā::::nu means `fluid, drop`, in Avestan, the same word means `river`. In the Rigveda, Dā::::nu once appears as the mother of Vrtra. It is possible that dā::::nu in Scythian as in Avestan was a generic word for `river`: Dniepr and Dniestr, from Danapris and Danastius, are presumed to continue Scythian .dā::::nu apara `far river` and .dā::::nu nazdya- `near river`, respectively.1

The Greek name of the Danube was Ἴ::::σ::::τ::::ρ:: (Istros), a borrowing from a Daco-Thracian name meaning `strong, swift` (akin to Sanskrit iṣ::::iras `swift`).2 In Latin, the Danube was variously known as Danubius, Danuvius or as Ister. The Dacian/Thracian name was Donaris/Donaris for the upper Danube and Istros for the lower Danube.2 The Thraco-Phrygian name was Matoas,3 `the bringer of luck`.4

The Latin name is masculine (as is the name of the Rhine). #German Donau (Early Modern German Donaw, Tonaw,5 Middle High German Tuonowe6) is feminine, as it has been re-interpreted as containing the suffix -ouwe `wetland`.

The modern languages spoken in the Danube basin all use names derived from Dā::::nuvius: German: Donau (ˈ::::doː::::naʊ::::&# Bavarian: Doana, Yiddish: Duney ד::::ו::::נ::::• dʊ::::nɛ::::j): Silesian: Dů::::naj: Upper Sorbian: Dunaj: Slovak: Dunaj (ˈ::::dunaj) Hungarian: Duna (ˈ::::dunɒ::::): Serbo-Croatian: Dunav / Д::::у::::н::::k (dǔ::::naʋ:::: or dǔ::::naː::::ʋ::::): Romanian: Dună::::rea (ˈ::::dunə::::re̯::::a Romani: Dunaja (ˈ::::dunaja): Bulgarian: Д::::у::::н::::k Dunav (ˈ::::dunɐ::::f): Ukrainian: Д::::у::::н::::k Dunai (duˈ::::nɑ::::j).

Geogra of the Danube, marked in red.

Classified as an international waterway, it originates in the town of Donaueschingen—which is in the Black Forest of Germany—at the confluence of the rivers Brigach and Breg. The Danube then flows southeast for 1,914 km (1,189 mi), passing through four capital cities before emptying into the Black Sea via the Danube Delta in Romania and Ukraine.

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