Kalemegdan
Encyclopedia
Belgrade Fortress represent old citadel
(Upper and Lower Town) and Kalemegdan Park
(Large and Little Kalemegdan) on the confluence of the River Sava and Danube
, in an urban area of modern Belgrade
, the capital of Serbia
. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Stari Grad
. Belgrade Fortress was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance
in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.
geological bar. The cliff-like ridge overlooks the Great War Island
and the confluence of the Sava river into the Danube
, and makes one of the most beautiful natural lookouts in Belgrade. It borders the neighborhoods of Dorćol
(north and north-east), Stari Grad (east) and Kosančićev Venac
(Savamala
; south). It is encircled by three streets: Boulevard of Vojvoda Bojović
, Tadeuša Košćuška
, Paris
ka, and the railway along the riverside.
Belgrade Fortress is the core and the oldest section of the urban area of Belgrade and for centuries the city population was concentrated only within the walls of the fortress, thus the history of the fortress, until most recent history, equals the
history of Belgrade itself (see: Timeline of Belgrade history
). First mention of the city is when it was founded in the 3rd century BC as "Singidunum
" by
the Celt
ic tribe of Scordisci
who had defeated Thracian and Dacian tribes that previously lived at the fort and around. The city-fortress was later conquered by the Romans, became known as Singidunum
and became a part of "the military frontier", where the Roman Empire
bordered "barbaric Central Europe". Singidunum was defended by the Roman legion IV Flaviae which built a fortified camp on a hill at the confluence of the rivers the Danube and the Sava. In the period between AD 378 and 441 the Roman camp was being repeatedly destroyed in the invasions by the Goths
and the Huns
. The legend says that Attila
's grave lies on the confluence of the Sava and the Danube (under the Fortress). In 476 Belgrade again became the borderline between the empires: Western Roman Empire
and Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire
), and the Slav
-Avar
State in the North.
The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I
rebuilt the Fortress around 535. In the following centuries a fortress suffered continuous destruction under the Avar sieges. The Slavs (Serbs
) and Avars had their "state union" north of Belgrade with the Serbs and other Slavic tribes finally settling in the region of Belgrade as well as the regions west and south of Belgrade in the beginning of the 7th century. The name Belgrade (or Beograd, in Serbian), which, not just in Serbian but in most Slavic languages means a "white town" or a "white fortress", was first mentioned in AD 878 by Bulgarians. The Fortress kept changing its masters: Bulgaria
during three senturies, and then again the Byzantines and again Bulgarians. The fortress remained a Byzantine stronghold until the 12th century when it fell in the hands of a newly emerging Serbian state. It became a border city of the Serbian Kingdom, later Empire, with Hungary. The Hungarian king Béla I gave the fortress to Serbia in 11th century as a wedding gift (his son married Serbian princess Jelena), but it remained effectively part of Hungary, except for the period 1282-1319. After the Serbian state collapsed after the Battle of Kosovo
, Belgrade was chosen in 1404 as the capital of the principality of Despot Stefan Lazarević
. Major work was done to the ramparts which were encircling a big thriving town. The lower town at the banks of the Danube was the main urban center with a new build Orthodox cathedral. The upper town with its castle was defending the city from inland. Belgrade remained in Serbian hands for almost a century. After the Despot's death in 1427 it had to be returned to Hungary. An attempt of Sultan Mehmed II
to conquer the fortress was prevented by Janos Hunyadi in 1456 (Siege of Belgrade). It saved Hungary from an Ottoman invasion for 70 years.
In 1521, 132 years after the Battle of Kosovo, the fortress, like most parts of the Serbian state, was conquered by the Turks
and remained (with short periods of the Austrian and Serbian occupation), under the rule of the Ottoman Empire until the year 1867 when the Turks withdrew from Belgrade and Serbia. During the period of short Austrian rule (1718–1738) the fortress was largely rebuilt and modernized. It witnessed two Serbian Uprisings
in the 19th century, the Great Serbian Migration in the 17th century, the Turkish
Period. The fortress suffered further damages during the First and the Second world wars. After almost two millennia of continuous sieges, battles and conquests the fortress is today known as the Belgrade Fortress. The present name of Kalemegdan Park derives from two Turkish
words, kale (fortress) and meydan (battleground) (literally, "battlefield fortress").
With the neighboring residential area, fortress forms one of the local communities (mesna zajednica) within Belgrade, which had a population of 2,676 in 2002.
Belgrade Fortress is generally divided into four sections:
Kalemegdan′s is the most popular park among Belgraders and for many tourists visiting Belgrade because of the park's numerous winding walking paths, shady benches, picturesque fountains, random statues, mammoth historical architecture and incredible river views (Sahat kula – The clock tower, Zindan kapija – Zindan gate, etc.). Former canal which was used for city supplying in the Middle Ages is completely covered by earth but the idea of recreating it resurfaced in the early 2000s. Belgrade Fortress is known for its kilometers long lagums, underground corridors and catacombs, which are still largely unexplored. In the true sense, fortress is today the green oasis
in the Belgrade's urban area.
The Belgrade Race Through History
, an annual 6 km footrace, takes place in the park and fortress as a way of highlighting the history and culture of the area.
Citadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
(Upper and Lower Town) and Kalemegdan Park
Kalemegdan Park
Kalemegdan Park is the largest park and the most important historical monument in Belgrade. It is located on a cliff, at the junction of the River Sava and the Danube...
(Large and Little Kalemegdan) on the confluence of the River Sava and Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, in an urban area of modern Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, the capital of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Stari Grad
Stari Grad, Belgrade
Stari Grad is an urban neighborhood and one of 17 municipalities which constitute the Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It encompasses some of the oldest sections of urban Belgrade, thus the name...
. Belgrade Fortress was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance
Monuments of Culture of Exceptional Importance (Serbia)
Cultural Monuments of Exceptional Importance are the monuments in the Republic of Serbia that have the highest level of the State protection, and some of them are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites....
in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.
Location
Belgrade Fortress is located on top of the 125.5 meters high ending ridge of ŠumadijaŠumadija
Šumadija is a geographical region in Serbia. The area is heavily covered with forests, hence the name...
geological bar. The cliff-like ridge overlooks the Great War Island
Great War Island
Great War Island is a river island in Belgrade, capital of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of Sava and Danube rivers. Though uninhabited, the island is part of the Belgrade City proper, and belongs to the city municipality of Zemun.-Location:...
and the confluence of the Sava river into the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, and makes one of the most beautiful natural lookouts in Belgrade. It borders the neighborhoods of Dorćol
Dorcol
Dorćol is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Stari Grad.- Location :Dorćol begins already some 700 meters north of Terazije, the central square of Belgrade...
(north and north-east), Stari Grad (east) and Kosančićev Venac
Kosancicev Venac
Kosančićev Venac is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Stari Grad.- Location :...
(Savamala
Savamala
Savamala is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipalities of Savski Venac and Stari Grad.- Location :...
; south). It is encircled by three streets: Boulevard of Vojvoda Bojović
Petar Bojovic
Petar Bojović OKS GCMG was one of four Serbian vojvodas in Balkan Wars and World War I.-Early:Petar was born on July 16, 1858 in Miševići, Nova Varoš. He had distant ancestry from the Vasojevići....
, Tadeuša Košćuška
Tadeusz Kosciuszko
Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko was a Polish–Lithuanian and American general and military leader during the Kościuszko Uprising. He is a national hero of Poland, Lithuania, the United States and Belarus...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ka, and the railway along the riverside.
History
history of Belgrade itself (see: Timeline of Belgrade history
Timeline of Belgrade history
These lists show a timeline of Belgrade history:...
). First mention of the city is when it was founded in the 3rd century BC as "Singidunum
Singidunum
Singidunum is the name for the ancient city in Serbia which became Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It was recorded that a Celtic tribe Scordisci settled the area in the 3rd century BC following the Gallic invasion of the Balkans. The Roman Empire conquered the area in 75 BC and later garrisoned...
" by
the Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic tribe of Scordisci
Scordisci
The Scordisci were an Iron Age tribe centered in the territory of present-day Serbia, at the confluence of the Savus , Dravus and Danube rivers. They were historically notable from the beginning of the third century BC until the turn of the common era...
who had defeated Thracian and Dacian tribes that previously lived at the fort and around. The city-fortress was later conquered by the Romans, became known as Singidunum
Singidunum
Singidunum is the name for the ancient city in Serbia which became Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It was recorded that a Celtic tribe Scordisci settled the area in the 3rd century BC following the Gallic invasion of the Balkans. The Roman Empire conquered the area in 75 BC and later garrisoned...
and became a part of "the military frontier", where the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
bordered "barbaric Central Europe". Singidunum was defended by the Roman legion IV Flaviae which built a fortified camp on a hill at the confluence of the rivers the Danube and the Sava. In the period between AD 378 and 441 the Roman camp was being repeatedly destroyed in the invasions by the Goths
Goths
The Goths were an East Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin whose two branches, the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths, played an important role in the fall of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Medieval Europe....
and the Huns
Huns
The Huns were a group of nomadic people who, appearing from east of the Volga River, migrated into Europe c. AD 370 and established the vast Hunnic Empire there. Since de Guignes linked them with the Xiongnu, who had been northern neighbours of China 300 years prior to the emergence of the Huns,...
. The legend says that Attila
Attila the Hun
Attila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
's grave lies on the confluence of the Sava and the Danube (under the Fortress). In 476 Belgrade again became the borderline between the empires: Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
and Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
), and the Slav
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
-Avar
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
State in the North.
The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
rebuilt the Fortress around 535. In the following centuries a fortress suffered continuous destruction under the Avar sieges. The Slavs (Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
) and Avars had their "state union" north of Belgrade with the Serbs and other Slavic tribes finally settling in the region of Belgrade as well as the regions west and south of Belgrade in the beginning of the 7th century. The name Belgrade (or Beograd, in Serbian), which, not just in Serbian but in most Slavic languages means a "white town" or a "white fortress", was first mentioned in AD 878 by Bulgarians. The Fortress kept changing its masters: Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
during three senturies, and then again the Byzantines and again Bulgarians. The fortress remained a Byzantine stronghold until the 12th century when it fell in the hands of a newly emerging Serbian state. It became a border city of the Serbian Kingdom, later Empire, with Hungary. The Hungarian king Béla I gave the fortress to Serbia in 11th century as a wedding gift (his son married Serbian princess Jelena), but it remained effectively part of Hungary, except for the period 1282-1319. After the Serbian state collapsed after the Battle of Kosovo
Battle of Kosovo
The Battle of Kosovo took place on St. Vitus' Day, June 15, 1389, between the army led by Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Sultan Murad I...
, Belgrade was chosen in 1404 as the capital of the principality of Despot Stefan Lazarević
Stefan Lazarevic
Stefan Lazarević known also as Stevan the Tall was a Serbian Despot, ruler of the Serbian Despotate between 1389 and 1427. He was the son and heir to Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo against the Turks in 1389, and Princess Milica from the subordinate branch of the Nemanjić dynasty...
. Major work was done to the ramparts which were encircling a big thriving town. The lower town at the banks of the Danube was the main urban center with a new build Orthodox cathedral. The upper town with its castle was defending the city from inland. Belgrade remained in Serbian hands for almost a century. After the Despot's death in 1427 it had to be returned to Hungary. An attempt of Sultan Mehmed II
Mehmed II
Mehmed II , was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to September 1446, and later from...
to conquer the fortress was prevented by Janos Hunyadi in 1456 (Siege of Belgrade). It saved Hungary from an Ottoman invasion for 70 years.
In 1521, 132 years after the Battle of Kosovo, the fortress, like most parts of the Serbian state, was conquered by the Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
and remained (with short periods of the Austrian and Serbian occupation), under the rule of the Ottoman Empire until the year 1867 when the Turks withdrew from Belgrade and Serbia. During the period of short Austrian rule (1718–1738) the fortress was largely rebuilt and modernized. It witnessed two Serbian Uprisings
First Serbian Uprising
The First Serbian Uprising was the first stage of the Serbian Revolution , the successful wars of independence that lasted for 9 years and approximately 9 months , during which Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and...
in the 19th century, the Great Serbian Migration in the 17th century, the Turkish
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
Period. The fortress suffered further damages during the First and the Second world wars. After almost two millennia of continuous sieges, battles and conquests the fortress is today known as the Belgrade Fortress. The present name of Kalemegdan Park derives from two Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
words, kale (fortress) and meydan (battleground) (literally, "battlefield fortress").
Overview
Belgrade Fortress is generally divided into four sections:
- Donji Grad (Доњи Град or "Lower Town"); occupies the slope towards the riversides, from the top spot (ridge where "The Victor" is). Between the lowest section and the Danube is Kula Nebojša ("Impregnable, Fearless, or Daredevil Tower"), which was turned into a museum of the GreekGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
revolutionary Rigas FeraiosRigas FeraiosRigas Feraios or Rigas Velestinlis was a Greek writer and revolutionary of Aromanian origin, active in the Modern Greek Enlightenment, remembered as a Greek national hero, a victim of Balkan uprising against the Ottoman Empire and a forerunner of the Greek War of Independence.-Early...
as the Turks strangled him in this tower and thrown him into the Danube. Donji Grad, so as the neighboring Savamala, gets flooded during the high levels of water in the rivers and Kula Nebojša suffered extensive damage during the major floods of 20062006 European floodsFrom February to April 2006 many rivers across Europe, especially the Elbe and Danube, swelled due to heavy rain and melting snow and rose to record levels...
. Orthodox churches of RužicaRužica ChurchRužica Church is located in the Kalemegdan Fortress, in Belgrade, Serbia. A church of the same name existed on the site in the time of Stefan Lazarević. It was demolished in 1521 by the invading Ottoman Turks. Today's church was a gunpowder magazine in the 18th century, and was converted into a...
(former Austrian gun depot) and Sveta PetkaSveta PetkaSveta Petka may refer to:*Saint Paraskevi*A monastery in the village Brajčino in the Republic of Macedonia*Sveta Petka church, in Kalemegdan, Serbia...
are also located in this area. - Gornji Grad (Горњи Град or "Upper Town"); a top section of fortress, turned into a park, with beautiful promenades and the statue of "The Victor" (Serbian PobednikPobednikStatue of the Victor or Statue of Victory is a monument in the Kalemegdan fortress in Belgrade, erected on 1928 to commemorate the Kingdom of Serbia's war victories over Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary . It is one of the most famous works of Ivan Meštrović. Name od Statue represent Victory of...
), the "Roman well" (Serbian Rimski bunar) (actually, built by the Austrians), the Observatory and Planetarium, tennis and basketball courts, etc. - Mali Kalemegdanski park (Мали Калемегдански парк or "Little Kalemegdan Park"); occupies the area in the eastern section, which borders the urban section of Belgrade. Northern section of Little Kalemegdan Park is occupied by the Belgrade's ZOO, opened in 1936. The art pavilion Cvijeta Zuzorić is also located here.
- Veliki Kalemegdanski park (Велики Калемегдански парк or "Large Kalemegdan Park"); occupies the southern corner of fortress, with geometrical promenades, Military MuseumMilitary Museum (Belgrade)The Military Museum in Belgrade was founded in 1878. The museum has over 3000 ancient and modern items. These include Roman swords and helmets, Greek helmets and daggers, Serbian heavy knight's armor, axes, shields, helmets, crossbows, armoured gloves, as well as Western medieval weapons...
, Museum of forestry and hunting, and the Monument of Gratitude to France.
Kalemegdan′s is the most popular park among Belgraders and for many tourists visiting Belgrade because of the park's numerous winding walking paths, shady benches, picturesque fountains, random statues, mammoth historical architecture and incredible river views (Sahat kula – The clock tower, Zindan kapija – Zindan gate, etc.). Former canal which was used for city supplying in the Middle Ages is completely covered by earth but the idea of recreating it resurfaced in the early 2000s. Belgrade Fortress is known for its kilometers long lagums, underground corridors and catacombs, which are still largely unexplored. In the true sense, fortress is today the green oasis
Oasis
In geography, an oasis or cienega is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source...
in the Belgrade's urban area.
The Belgrade Race Through History
Belgrade Race Through History
The Belgrade Race Through History is an annual men's footrace of around 6 kilometres that is held in Belgrade, Serbia. The course of the race traces a path through the capital's ancient fortress; the Kalemegdan. The purpose of the race is to emphasise the history and culture of the city...
, an annual 6 km footrace, takes place in the park and fortress as a way of highlighting the history and culture of the area.
See also
- Monument of Culture of Exceptional ImportanceMonuments of Culture of Exceptional Importance (Serbia)Cultural Monuments of Exceptional Importance are the monuments in the Republic of Serbia that have the highest level of the State protection, and some of them are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites....
- Tourism in SerbiaTourism in SerbiaSerbia stretches across two geographic and cultural regions of Europe: Central Europe and Southeast Europe. This boundary splits Serbia roughly in a ratio of 1:2 alongside the Danube and Sava rivers. The northern parts of the country are Central-European lowlands while the southern and central...
- Military MuseumMilitary Museum (Belgrade)The Military Museum in Belgrade was founded in 1878. The museum has over 3000 ancient and modern items. These include Roman swords and helmets, Greek helmets and daggers, Serbian heavy knight's armor, axes, shields, helmets, crossbows, armoured gloves, as well as Western medieval weapons...
- Ružica ChurchRužica ChurchRužica Church is located in the Kalemegdan Fortress, in Belgrade, Serbia. A church of the same name existed on the site in the time of Stefan Lazarević. It was demolished in 1521 by the invading Ottoman Turks. Today's church was a gunpowder magazine in the 18th century, and was converted into a...
External links
For more information, visit the official site of Belgrade Fortress- 3Digital reconstruction of the Belgrade Fortress as it looked in the 15 th century
- A brief history of Belgrade Fortress
- Kalemegdan and the Belgrade fortress
- Kalemegdan images (day and night shots, September 2009)
- The History of Belgrade Fortress