Belgrade Fortress

Top choice in Belgrade


Some 115 battles have been fought over imposing, impressive Belgrade Fortress (aka Kalemegdan); the citadel was destroyed more than 40 times throughout the centuries. Fortifications began in Celtic times, and the Romans extended it onto the flood plains during the settlement of 'Singidunum', Belgrade's Roman name. Much of what stands today is the product of 18th-century Austro-Hungarian and Turkish reconstructions. The fort's bloody history, discernible despite today's jolly cafes and funfairs, only makes the fortress all the more fascinating.

Entering from Knez Mihailova and passing through Kalemegdan Park, you first reach the Upper Town whose attractions include the Military Museum, Clock Tower, Damad Ali-Paša's Turbeh, Roman Well and Victor Monument. In the Lower Town, which slopes down towards the river, look out for the Big Gunpowder Magazine, Ružica and Sveta Petka Churches, Old Turkish Bath (Hamam) and Nebojša Tower.

Audio guides in six languages with a map (300RSD; plus ID as deposit) are available from the souvenir shop within the Inner Stambol Gate, which is also where you must purchase tickets for the Clock Tower, Roman Well and Big Gunpowder Magazine.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Belgrade attractions

1. Clock Tower

0.05 MILES

Climb the 18th-century, 27.5m-tall tower’s narrow stairs to check out the inner workings of this landmark clock and snap some panoramic shots of…

2. Roman Well

0.1 MILES

The daring can peek down this mysterious 60m-deep hole (actually more a cistern than a well). Of dubious origin and shrouded in horrifying legends, the…

3. Military Museum

0.12 MILES

Tucked away in Belgrade's sprawling Belgrade Fortress, this museum presents the complete military history of the former Yugoslavia. Gripping displays…

4. Big Gunpowder Magazine

0.12 MILES

The huge Gunpowder Magazine (1718) was set up by the Austrians as a safe place to hide artillery; today it houses a collection of stone monuments,…

5. Gallery of the Natural History Museum

0.13 MILES

Within the Belgrade Fortress, a building that was once a Turkish guardhouse now serves as exhibition space for the varied collection of fossils, minerals,…

6. Ružica Church

0.14 MILES

The ivy-swathed Ružica Church looks innocuous from the outside; inside, you'll find chandeliers made by WWI Serbian soldiers from spent bullet casings,…

7. Sveta Petka Church

0.15 MILES

This small church was built in 1937 above a spring that's believed to have miraculous powers. Djuro Radulović's striking mosaics cover the church's…

8. Nebojša Tower

0.27 MILES

A former dungeon, the tower (1460) – the largest and best preserved in the fortress – now serves as a museum, with some excellent exhibits on the Ottoman…

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