MONUMENT TO JOŽEF KIŠ – Vrbas

This monument to the designer of the Great Backa Canal has a prominent place among the town’s sights. It is situated on a hill above the dam near Slajz. Jozef Kis wanted to be buried there although he was not the citizen of Vrbas. He was emotionally attached to this town, because the first trial works started here. Jozef Kis had gained a lot of experience in constructing canals in England; when he returned to the country, he came to Backa and worked for the Royal Court Chamber. He noticed the advantages of Crna Bara (Black Marsh), which represented a natural water flow between Vrbas and the Tisza River near Becej. With some effort, this water flow could be arranged as a navigable canal. It was also necessary to build a new canal between the Danube near Bezdan and Vrbas in order to connect two main water flows in entire Hungary. Kis had certain difficulties to persuade the government, but, on March 27th 1793, the Chamber approved the works that started on May 6th 1793. The Canal was finished with difficulties in 1802. Later on, the systems of canals for draining marshes were built, which significantly decreased the level of underground waters. Several hectares of fertile land were obtained in this way. Nowadays, in the memory of Jozef Kis, there is a following inscription on his tombstone, which, translated into English, says: “This is the eternal rest of noble Hungarian Jozef Kis, the constructor of Franz’s Canal. Let this marble express immortality and may he rest in peace. Born in 1748. Died in Sombor on the 3rd day of March ides 1813 AD”.