Memorial to Be Erected for Victims of the Novi Sad Tragedy

A memorial will be erected at the railway station in Novi Sad to honor the victims of the tragedy that occurred on November 1, 2024. The sixteen people who died will be commemorated with a stone plaque bearing the date of the disaster and the names of the victims.

The winning design among submitted applications employs a minimalist approach (Photo: X)

According to the jury’s justification, the winning concept employs a minimalist approach. Its central feature is a five-by-five-meter, 135-centimeter-high “solid stone slab,” whose monumental presence dominates the space.

Novi Sad vlast predstavila pobednicki rad za spomenik zrtvama nadstresnice.... pic.twitter.com/a6LZjglZwI

— zarko bogosavljevic (@zarkobns) May 4, 2026

With its simple form and refined symbolic language, the memorial conveys tragedy, loss, and remembrance, while allowing space for personal reflection, the jury said.

The evaluation further noted that the concept evokes an archaic stillness and embodies an “aesthetics of pressure”: the restrained expression of the monument relies on the weight of the material and silence to speak more powerfully than any figurative depiction. The stone slab thus serves primarily as a warning memorial. Its style is characterized by associative abstraction, featuring a monolithic, horizontally placed stone structure set upon a “floating” base that suggests the brutality of weight. The overall effect is dignified and free of distracting elements, ensuring the endurance of memory and the possibility of quiet, profound contemplation.

❗️💥🇷🇸 - At least 12 people died and others were injured after the collapse of an external covering at the main railway station in Novi Sad, in northern Serbia.

The accident occurred at noon and rescue operations continue, potentially increasing the number of victims, according… pic.twitter.com/wOSkDiN6Km

— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) November 1, 2024

The canopy of the Novi Sad railway station collapsed on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people. Nationwide protests followed and continue to this day.

The station building, originally opened in 1964, underwent multiple phases of renovation between 2021 and 2022. Then–construction minister Goran Vesic announced in July 2024 that the renovation had been completed and the entire building was operational again. The minister has since resigned but has stated he does not consider himself responsible for the tragedy.

Authorities have filed charges against 16 individuals—including the former minister—for negligence and endangerment, while the Novi Sad Higher Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into possible corruption linked to the renovation.

Responsibility has also been acknowledged at the highest levels: Novi Sad Mayor Milan Djuric and Prime Minister Milos Vucevic announced their resignations at the end of January 2025. Parliament has since elected a new prime minister, but protesters continue to demand accountability as well as early elections. President Aleksandar Vucic initially rejected that possibility but recently announced that a vote will be held later this summer or in the fall.

Cover photo: The jury said the winning design employs a minimalist approach (Source: X)