Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Belgrade Fortress

Cultural Heritage site of Serbia. Author Zcvetkovic. WIKIMEDIA

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Belgrade Fortress

The fortress holds the specific historical core of the city. It is among the most important representatives of the cultural heritage of Belgrade. The fortress is protected by law as the first officially declared cultural monument in Serbia. It was declared a Monument of Culture in 1979.

As a Tourist attraction site, it is the most visited place in Belgrade, followed by Skadarlija. The fortress is free of charge to visit. it’s estimated that the total number of visitors including foreign, and domestic citizens of Belgrade is at least 2 million yearly.

The Belgrade Fortress is located at the top of 125.5 meters of the Šumadija geological bar. The sandbank of the fortress stretches from the Tašmajdan city’s section. It originates from the Miocene period together with the oldest stages of the Pannonian ancient sea.

Here are the top 10 fascinating facts about the Belgrade Fortress.

1. The Fortress was Founded in the 3rd Bc

It is the oldest core and section of the urban area of Belgrade. For many centuries, the Belgrade population was within the walls of the fortress, this makes the history of the fortress.

The fortress was founded in the 3rd century BC as a singidunum by a tribe called the Celtic tribe of Scordisci. The tribe defeated the Thracian and Dacian tribes who previously lived in and around the fort.

The Romans later conquered the fortress which was known as Singidunum. It was made a military frontier where the Roman Empire bordered barbarian Central Europe.

2. It Served as an Administrative Division

In Belgrade, the Fortress became an administrative division. It was known as the c Grad which meant city for administrative purposes. But in a foreign language, it continued to be called the fortress.

The fortress had a population of 2,219 according to the 1890 census. 2,281 in the 1895 census, 2,777 in the 1900 census 2,396 in the 1905 census and 454 in 1910.

3. The Fortress has a Cable Car

In1928, Sumadija a building company proposed the construction of a cable car, known as the air tram. The cable car project was planned to connect Zemun to Belgrade Fortress through the Great War Island.

The cabin’s interval was set at 2 minutes and the whole route was to last for 5 minutes. But the project of the cable cars was never realized, in the 21st century, the idea was revisited. To connect the upper and the lower town Funiculars were planned.

The Lower town was planned to be reorganized and demolished to build large parks, museums, artificial lakes, zoos, and stadiums instead of the military barracks. But Instead of those demolitions, a railway was put around the foothills of the fortress, encircling it completely

4. The Fortress was Nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage

It was Nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage Site by the Serbian Government. This move was welcomed by the Architects and urbanists because the fortress would be protected from “aggressive transitional construction”.

Being on UNESCO’S list its outlines and the panoramic view of the fortress are well preserved.

5. The Fortress has the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God

Fortress, Belgrade, Serbia. Author Flickr. WIKIMEDIA

The Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God was built in Belgrade in the 12th century. It served as the cathedral church during the rule of the Byzantine. It has an icon of the Mother of God. In 1315 it was recorded that, Byzantine princess and Serbian queen Simonida worshipped the Icon.

The church deteriorated in the 14th century after Belgrade was neglected. When the city was handed over to the Serbian, Stefan Lazarević, the fortress witnessed massive restoration. The church was also restored and expanded.

6. The Fortress has a Gunpowder Magazine

Cultural Heritage site of Serbia. Author Mickey Mystique. WIKIMEDIA

The magazine is a Great Austrian gunpowder magazine. It was built at the Fortress during the occupation of the Austrian at Belgrade between 1718 to 1739. The original gunpowder magazine was destroyed during the Siege of Belgrade in 1717.

The magazine was directly hit by a cannonball. The explosion that followed gave the Austrians a chance to capture the city.   Magazine powder was embellished with the Roman artefacts discovered around the fortress such as the tombstone stelae, monuments, altars, and the Sarcophagus of Jonah.

This artefact originated in the 3rd century. The magazine powder was opened to visitors in 2014.

7. Belgrade Fortress has a Roman Well

The facility which is currently known as the Roman Well is neither Roman nor a water well. The well is located in the Upper Town. This is an underground facility that existed during the medieval period. During the rule of Stefan Lazarevic, it was known as Constantine of Kostenets, in the mid-15th century.

The well was a dungeon when 30 conspirators Hungarian died in it.  This was after their scheme to let in the Turks in the fortress and surrender the city was thwarted. The Turks were to pay them for the work but they were dropped with ropes when they were discovered.

8. The Fortress has a Banker

After the Informbiro resolution in1948, due to the Tito-Stalin split. A defensive banker project started to be constructed at the Fortress. The 5 m thick rampart which was discovered was destroyed to pave way for the construction of the banker.

In 1949 the bunker was finished and covered an area of 200 m2. The dome was the tallest point and was used for artillery and military units. In 2012 the banker was adapted for the tourists and opened in December of the same year.

9. There is a Basketball Monument at the Fortress

Cultural Heritage site of Serbia. Author Mickey Mystique. WIKIMEDIA

A monument was opened on December 2018 at the Fortress. The monument was named “Monument to the Founding Fathers of Serbian and Yugoslav Basketball School”.

It also marked 95 years since basketball arrived in Serbia. Furthermore, 70 years since the founding of the basketball association.

10. The Fortress has a Little Park

Belgrade Fortress. Author Alexey Komarov. WIKIMEDIA

The Mali Kalemegdanski park borders the urban area of Belgrade and occupies the Eastern area. It was opened in 1936 and has an art Pavilion.