Belgrade Fortress (Belgrade) was founded in the first century AD. It is from her that the history of the Serbian capital begins. Over the centuries, many rulers have owned the fortress, and each of them left their mark here.
Belgrade Fortress
In the Serbian capital of Belgrade, at the place where the Sava flows into the Danube, there is a defensive fortress. It is located on the Shumadi Ridge, 125.5 meters above sea level. In ancient times, the Belgrade Fortress was of extremely important strategic importance, being at the crossroads that connected Tsargrad with the interior of the European continent.
Defensive walls began to be built in the 1st century AD. The entire territory is divided into the Lower and Upper Towns, next to the Kalemegdan Park.
History of the fortress
Celtic tribes, having settled in these territories, built the city of Singidunum, two kilometers from the fortress. In the first century AD, it was occupied by the Romans. On the site of the fortress (in the Upper Town), they built a castrum 560 meters high. Over time, residential buildings and quarters began to be built around the Roman military camp,turning it into a town.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the city goes to Byzantium, in 535 Emperor Justinian built a rampart around it. Serbs came here in the 8th century. The limestone walls inspired them to call the settlement the White City.
In the 9th-10th centuries, the Belgrade fortress belonged to the Bulgarians, then to Byzantium in the 10th-12th centuries, in the 14th it became Hungarian. Under the despot (a title bestowed by the Byzantine emperor) Stefan Lazarevich, the fortress city was actively developing. The palace in the Upper City was rebuilt into a fortified castle, there were new towers, double walls and moats around, a drawbridge.
In the 15th century, Belgrade was captured by the Turks. The hill on which the fortress stands was called the Hill of Reflections, and the territory adjacent to it was called Kalemegdan. The fountain of Mehmed Pasha Skolovich and the grave of Damad Ali Pasha serve as a reminder of Turkish domination in these lands. For a long time, the fortress passed either to the Austrians or back to the Turks. And each time it was slightly rebuilt or supplemented.
In 1807, the Belgrade fortress passed to the Serbian rebels. It was badly damaged during the war years, many parts were destroyed. In 1946, the state took the historic building under its protection.
Upper and Lower City
The Istanbul Outer Gate is the main one. They lead straight to the Upper City. There are 13 gates in total, each of them has a name: Vidin, Stefan Lazarevich, Dark, Prison, etc. Near the Senate you can see an old nuclear cannon.
MostThe surviving structures in the defensive walls date back to the 18th century, for example, the bastions in the western part of the fortress. Ruzica Church is considered the oldest in Belgrade. It was built back in the 13th century, but it was destroyed during the battles, so the building that we can see now is a building rebuilt in the 19th century. In the past, the church served as a powder magazine for some time.
The clock tower, like other Austrian fortifications, is made in the Baroque style. It was built in the 19th century. The earlier towers have also been preserved: Neboisha, Yakshicha, Despota, Mlinaritsa. In the Upper City are the ruins of the Roman castrum, the palace of the despot. The ruins of the Metropolitan Palace and a powder store are located in Nizhny.
In the inner territory of the fortress there is the Military Museum, the National Observatory, the Museum of Natural History. The communist and military past of the object is evidenced by the grave of heroes and the bronze monument to the Victor, the bunker of Joseph Broz Tito, Artillery Square with exhibits of military equipment.
Kalemegdan Park
Earlier it was a field at the foot of the fortress, now it is one of the most beautiful parks in the city. It was founded at the end of the 19th century. There is a lot of greenery in Kalemegdan, more than 3,000 trees have been planted here. On the territory of the park there is a music pavilion, a large staircase, an art gallery.
There are many monuments and statues here. You can see the sculpture of the Genius of Death, Tired fighter, Partisan with a child. Many monuments are dedicated to famous personalities,which played an important role in the history of the city and the country. Among them is a monument to Mark Milyanov, Brank Radicevic, writer Ivan Goran Kovacic.
On the territory of Kalemegdan there is a large zoo covering about 7 hectares. Its inhabitants are elephant, lions, tigers, jaguars, giraffe and the world's oldest alligator. The main highlight of the zoo is albinos. Where else can you see a white lion, kangaroo and wolf?
Belgrade Fortress: how to get there
The fortress is located in the center of the city, opposite the Ratny Island in Belgrade. Not far from the fortress is the Bayrakli Mosque and the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael.
The entire historical and architectural complex "Belgrade Fortress" occupies a huge territory. The address of its directory is assigned to Terziya Street, 3. The complex itself is located a little further. It is bounded by Parizhska Street, Tadeusz Koszczuska Street and Voyvoda Bojevic Boulevard.
Many tuists are interested in Belgrade Fortress. How to get here? You can get to the stronghold itself through the Kalemegdan park. Buses No. 26, 24, 79 and trams No. 2, 5, 11, 10, 13 regularly go to it. You need to get off at the stop "Kalemegdan 2".
The complex is open for visits daily. In summer it is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., in winter from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entrance to the territory is free, and you will have to pay for the entrance to certain rooms. Rates are:
- Clock tower - 80 dinars.
- Roman well - 120 dinars.
- Nebojša Tower - 200 dinars.
