Bela Crkva

For other uses, see Bela Crkva (disambiguation).

"Biserica Albă" redirects here. For churches or places that bear this name in Romanian, see White Church.

Town and municipality in Vojvodina, Serbia

Bela Crkva

Бела Црква (Serbian)
Biserica Albă (Romanian)[1]
Fehértemplom (Hungarian)[1]
Bílý Kostel (Czech)[1]

Town and municipality

Bela Crkva

Coat of arms

Location of Bela Crkva within Serbia

Coordinates: 44°53′51″N 21°25′01″E﻿ / ﻿44.89750°N 21.41694°E﻿ / 44.89750; 21.41694
Country|  Serbia
Province|  Vojvodina
District| South Banat
Government

• Mayor| Tatjana Kokar (SNS)
Area

• Town| 38.82 km2 (14.99 sq mi)
• Municipality| 353.34 km2 (136.43 sq mi)
Elevation

| 78 m (256 ft)
Population

(2022 census)[2]

• Town

| 7,456
• Town density| 190/km2 (500/sq mi)
• Municipality

| 14,451
• Municipality density| 41/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code|

26340

Area code| +381(0)13
Official languages| Serbian together with Romanian, Hungarian and Czech[1]
Website| www.belacrkva.rs
Map of Bela Crkva municipality

Bela Crkva (Serbian Cyrillic: Бела Црква, pronounced [bɛ̂ːlaː tsr̩̂ːkv̞a]; German: Weißkirchen; Hungarian: Fehértemplom; Romanian: Biserica Albă) is a town and municipality located in the South Banat District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 7,456, while the Bela Crkva municipality has 14,451 inhabitants (2022 census).

Bela Crkva lakes at the outskirts of the town are a popular summer tourist destination.

## Name

[edit]

The name of the town Bela Crkva means "white church" in English. In Romanian, the town is known as Biserica Albă (formerly Albești), in German as Weißkirchen, in Hungarian as Fehértemplom (formerly Fejéregyház[3]), and in Turkish as Aktabya.

## History

[edit]

Neolithic findings of ceramics and burial with Greek-style pots dating to late fifth century BCE have been found in the area.[4]

The town was founded in 1717 when this region was included into the Habsburg monarchy. It was part of the Banatian Military Frontier of the Monarchy and, since 1774, was a seat of the Illyrian (Serbian) section of the Banatian Frontier. Briefly, in 1787–1788, the town was controlled by the Ottomans. In 1848–1849, the town was part of autonomous Serbian Vojvodina, but in 1849 it was again placed under military administration. With the abolishment of the Military Frontier, the town was included into Temes county of the Kingdom of Hungary, one of two autonomous parts of Austria-Hungary. The town was also a seat of the district since 1867.

According to the 1910 census, the town itself was mainly populated by Germans with a group of French[5][dubious – discuss][better source needed], but its surrounding municipal area was mainly populated by Serbs. Census recorded 11,524 citizens in the town, of whom 6,062 spoke German language, 1,994 Serbian, 1,806 Romanian, and 1,213 Hungarian. The municipal area numbered 36,831 inhabitants, of whom 20,987 spoke Serbian, 8,234 Romanian, and 4,791 German. The total population of the town and its municipal area counted together was 48,355, of whom 22,981 spoke Serbian, 10,853 German, 10,040 Romanian, and 2,122 Hungarian.[6]

In the 1920s, it was a center of Russian emigration in Yugoslavia.[citation needed]

Between 1918 and 1945 Bela Crkva was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. From 1945 until 1992 it was part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. From 1992-2006 it was part of Serbia and Montenegro. Since 2006 it has been part of the independent republic of Serbia.

## Inhabited places

[edit]

Bela Crkva municipality includes the town of Bela Crkva and the following villages:

* Banatska Palanka
* Banatska Subotica
* Vračev Gaj
* Grebenac
* Dobričevo
* Dupljaja
* Jasenovo
* Kajtasovo
* Kaluđerovo
* Kruščica
* Kusić
* Crvena Crkva
* Češko Selo

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1948| 25,179| —
1953| 25,774| +0.47%
1961| 26,276| +0.24%
1971| 25,450| −0.32%
1981| 25,690| +0.09%
1991| 23,707| −0.80%
2002| 20,367| −1.37%
2011| 17,367| −1.75%
2022| 14,451| −1.66%
Source: [7]

According to the 2011 census results, the municipality of Bela Crkva had 17,367 inhabitants.

### Ethnic groups

[edit]

See also: Slovaks in Vojvodina, Serbs in Vojvodina, Hungarians in Vojvodina, Romani people of Vojvodina, Romanians in Vojvodina, and List of Hungarian communities in Vojvodina

Settlements with Serb ethnic majority are: Bela Crkva, Banatska Palanka, Banatska Subotica, Vračev Gaj, Dupljaja, Jasenovo, Kajtasovo, Kaluđerovo, Kruščica, Kusić, and Crvena Crkva. The settlement with Romanian ethnic majority is Grebenac. The settlement with Hungarian ethnic majority is Dobričevo. The settlement with Czech ethnic majority is Češko Selo.

The ethnic composition of the municipality (as of 2011 census):

Ethnic group  | Population  | %

|
|

Serbs | 12,715  | 73.21%
Romanians | 842  | 4.85%
Roma | 791  | 4.55%
Hungarians | 425  | 2.45%
Macedonians | 97  | 0.56%
Montenegrins | 66  | 0.38%
Germans | 59  | 0.34%
Yugoslavs | 52  | 0.30%
Others | 2,320  | 13.36%
Total | 17,367  |

## Gallery

[edit]

* Bela Crkva monument dedicated to fallen Red Army Soviet soldiers

* The Russian church

* The Romanian Orthodox church

* The St. Ana Catholic Church

* Bela Crkva street

* Bela Crkva street

* A typical sight in Bela Crkva, Vojvodina

* One of the lakes of Bela Crkva

## See also

[edit]

* List of places in Serbia
* List of cities, towns and villages in Vojvodina
* Historical Archive of Bela Crkva

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Статут општине Бела Црква" [Municipality of Bela Crkva Statute] (PDF) (in Serbian). Municipality of Bela Crkva. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
2. ^ "Census 2022: Total population, by municipalities and cities". popis2022.stat.gov.rs.
3. ^ Apor (23 April 2014). Metamorphosis Transylvaniae. Routledge. pp. 20–. ISBN 978-1-317-85664-1.
4. ^ The Illyrians-John Wilkes
5. ^ István Németh - A magyarországi francia telepek
6. ^ "Temes County". www.talmamedia.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2006.
7. ^ "2011 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Serbia" (PDF). stat.gov.rs. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Retrieved 20 October 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* www.belacrkva.eu
* www.belacrkva.rs
* www.belacrkva.co.rs
* www.bela-crkva.net

* v
* t
* e

Cities, towns and villages in the South Banat District

Pančevo|

* Banatski Brestovac
* Banatsko Novo Selo
* Glogonj
* Dolovo
* Ivanovo
* Jabuka
* Kačarevo
* Omoljica
* Starčevo

Alibunar|

* Banatski Karlovac
* Vladimirovac
* Dobrica
* Ilandža
* Janošik
* Lokve
* Nikolinci
* Novi Kozjak
* Seleuš

Bela Crkva|

* Banatska Palanka
* Banatska Subotica
* Vračev Gaj
* Grebenac
* Dobričevo
* Dupljaja
* Jasenovo
* Kajtasovo
* Kaluđerovo
* Kruščica
* Kusić
* Crvena Crkva
* Češko Selo

Vršac|

* Vatin
* Veliko Središte
* Vlajkovac
* Vojvodinci
* Vršački Ritovi
* Gudurica
* Zagajica
* Izbište
* Jablanka
* Kuštilj
* Mali Žam
* Malo Središte
* Markovac
* Mesić
* Orešac
* Pavliš
* Parta
* Potporanj
* Ritiševo
* Sočica
* Straža
* Uljma
* Šušara

Kovačica|

* Debeljača
* Idvor
* Padina
* Putnikovo
* Samoš
* Uzdin
* Crepaja

Kovin|

* Bavanište
* Gaj
* Deliblato
* Dubovac
* Malo Bavanište
* Mramorak
* Pločica
* Skorenovac
* Šumarak

Opovo|

* Baranda
* Sakule
* Sefkerin

Plandište|

* Banatski Sokolac
* Barice
* Velika Greda
* Veliki Gaj
* Dužine
* Jermenovci
* Kupinik
* Laudonovac
* Margita
* Markovićevo
* Miletićevo
* Stari Lec
* Hajdučica

(*) bold are municipalities or cities

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and cities of Serbia

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities of Belgrade

Municipalities|

* Barajevo
* Čukarica
* Grocka
* Lazarevac
* Mladenovac
* New Belgrade
* Obrenovac
* Palilula
* Rakovica
* Savski Venac
* Sopot
* Stari Grad
* Surčin
* Voždovac
* Vračar
* Zemun
* Zvezdara

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and cities of Vojvodina

Cities|

* Kikinda
* Novi Sad
* Pančevo
* Sombor
* Sremska Mitrovica
* Subotica
* Vršac
* Zrenjanin

Municipalities|

* Ada
* Alibunar
* Apatin
* Bač
* Bačka Palanka
* Bačka Topola
* Bački Petrovac
* Bečej
* Bela Crkva
* Beočin
* Čoka
* Inđija
* Irig
* Kanjiža
* Kovačica
* Kovin
* Kula
* Mali Iđoš
* Nova Crnja
* Novi Bečej
* Novi Kneževac
* Odžaci
* Opovo
* Pećinci
* Plandište
* Ruma
* Sečanj
* Senta
* Šid
* Srbobran
* Sremski Karlovci
* Stara Pazova
* Temerin
* Titel
* Vrbas
* Žabalj
* Žitište

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and cities of Šumadija and Western Serbia

Cities|

* Čačak
* Jagodina
* Kragujevac
* Kraljevo
* Kruševac
* Loznica
* Novi Pazar
* Šabac
* Užice
* Užice
* Sevojno
* Valjevo

Municipalities|

* Aleksandrovac
* Aranđelovac
* Arilje
* Bajina Bašta
* Batočina
* Bogatić
* Brus
* Čajetina
* Ćićevac
* Ćuprija
* Despotovac
* Gornji Milanovac
* Ivanjica
* Knić
* Koceljeva
* Kosjerić
* Krupanj
* Lajkovac
* Lapovo
* Lučani
* Ljig
* Ljubovija
* Mali Zvornik
* Mionica
* Nova Varoš
* Osečina
* Paraćin
* Požega
* Priboj
* Prijepolje
* Rača
* Raška
* Rekovac
* Sjenica
* Svilajnac
* Topola
* Trstenik
* Tutin
* Ub
* Varvarin
* Vladimirci
* Vrnjačka Banja

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and cities of Southern and Eastern Serbia

Cities|

* Bor
* Leskovac
* Niš
* Crveni Krst
* Medijana
* Niška Banja
* Palilula
* Pantelej
* Pirot
* Požarevac
* Požarevac
* Kostolac
* Prokuplje
* Smederevo
* Vranje
* Vranje
* Vranjska Banja
* Zaječar

Municipalities|

* Aleksinac
* Babušnica
* Bela Palanka
* Blace
* Bojnik
* Boljevac
* Bosilegrad
* Bujanovac
* Crna Trava
* Dimitrovgrad
* Doljevac
* Gadžin Han
* Golubac
* Kladovo
* Knjaževac
* Kučevo
* Kuršumlija
* Lebane
* Majdanpek
* Malo Crniće
* Medveđa
* Merošina
* Negotin
* Petrovac
* Preševo
* Ražanj
* Smederevska Palanka
* Sokobanja
* Surdulica
* Svrljig
* Trgovište
* Velika Plana
* Veliko Gradište
* Vladičin Han
* Vlasotince
* Žabari
* Žagubica
* Žitorađa

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and cities of Kosovo i Metohija1

Cities|

Priština

Municipalities|

* Dečani
* Đakovica
* Glogovac
* Gnjilane
* Gora
* Kosovo Polje
* Kosovska Kamenica
* Kosovska Mitrovica
* Istok
* Kačanik
* Klina
* Leposavić
* Lipljan
* Novo Brdo
* Obilić
* Orahovac
* Peć
* Podujevo
* Prizren
* Srbica
* Suva Reka
* Štimlje
* Štrpce
* Vitina
* Vučitrn
* Zubin Potok
* Zvečan

1 Kosovo declared independence in 2008 but is still claimed as part of its territory by Serbia.

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Czech Republic
* Israel

Other|

* Yale LUX

*[Pop.]: Population
*[±% p.a.]: Per annum growth rate
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template