Belgrade Fortress history

The first Roman military camp was established at the beginning of the 1st century, most likely between the year 6 and 11 AD, as a response to repeated attacks of the barbarian tribes against the ridge over the confluence of the Sava and the Danube. At the beginning of the 2nd century, Singidunum became the base of the IV Flavia legion.

This legion was also called Felix, meaning lucky, due to its war successes. The first Roman fortification was a palisade, soon after a military camp – castrum was built. The castrum had a rectangular basis, 560 meters long and approximately 350 meters wide. It was situated in the area of today’s Upper Town with a part of Kalemegdan Park up to the Pariska Street. 

Being aware of the importance of the border towns in the struggle against barbarians, the emperor Iustinian I (527-565) started with the renewal of Singidon just before the beginning of the year 535. Procopius, Iustinian’s court writer, noted that the emperor surrounded the town with strong ramparts turning it into a ‘city of great glory’.

Under its authority, at that time, comes and the Belgrade area. For Bulgarian state the position of Belgrade in the border area with the Franks, certainly had great strategic importance. During the 11th and 12th century Belgrade was under the Byzantine rule. In these turbulent times, Belgrade was destroyed and renewed more than once.

Numerous different crusader armies passed over the territory of Belgrade several times. After the crusader’s invasions in 1096 and 1147, in the Third crusade in 1189, Belgrade was the centre of Frederick I Barabarossa’s crusader army. Re-establishing the border at the Danube during the reign of Manuel I Comnenus (1143-1180) the Byzantine Empire showed interest in Belgrade by renewing the town’s fortifications.

Several towers and walls were built following the principles of Byzantine military architecture, as well as the deltoid castle in the Upper town, which was 135 metres long and 60 metres wide. During the entire 13th century Belgrade was, apart smaller interruptions, in the hands of Hungarians.

In 1282, Serbian king Dragutin gave up his throne in favour of his younger brother Milutin at the council in Dezevo, and got a part of Serbian country to govern. Dragutin was married to Katarina, the daughter of Hungarian king Stephen V, from whom he got Macva with Belgrade to rule over in 1284. Historical records about Belgrade in this period are very poor.

It is known for sure that the Byzantine princess and Serbian queen Simonida visited Belgrade, most probably in 1315. On that occasion, Simonida made an obeisance to the icon of Holy Mother, which was considered to be miraculous and the greatest sanctity ever since 1070s. Belgrade remained Serbian until Dragutin’s death in 1316.

After the battle of Angora in 1402, Stefan Lazarevic, the son of duke Lazar, was given a title of despot by the Byzantine Emperor, while Hungarian king Zsigmund gave him Belgrade to rule over. Thus, in 1404, Belgrade became, in a diplomatic way, for the first time the capital of the Serbian state, and therefore its military, economical and cultural centre. 

Belgrade was defended against Turkish attacks for the first time in 1440. Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, undertook the Great campaign against Belgrade in 1456. After great battles on the rivers, with outstanding Serbs- ‘sajkasi’, and on the ground, Belgrade managed to defend and became ‘Antemurale Christianitatis`, the wall of Christianity.

During the third siege of Belgrade in 1521, Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent succeeded to conquer the town. At that time, Belgrade became a very important stronghold for their further movement towards the heart of Europe. The town field in front of the Fortress was named Kalemegdan (kale – town, megdan – field). 

The hill on which the Fortress was built, was called ‘ficir bair’ – hill for contemplation. From this period, only two of many Turkish buildings at the Belgrade Fortress are preserved: the fountain of Mehmed-pasha Sokolovic (second half of the 16th century) and the tomb (turbeh) of Damad Ali-Pasha (18th century).

Austria took over Belgrade and again began new constructions of walls bastions and earthwork. Colonel Nicolaus Doxat De Morez managed the works. The Belgrade Fortress became one of the strongest military strongholds in Europe. However, according to the Belgrade Peace Treaty in 1739, Turkey got the town without fight.

Following a clause of this peace treaty, Austria was obliged to destroy all newly built fortifications. Once again Austria succeeded in taking over Belgrade in October 1789. By the Treaty of Svishtova in 1791, Austrians left Belgrade, and the janissaries were forbidden to enter the Belgrade pashadom.

The rebels had taken the town in 1806 and the Fortress in 1807. After the debacle of the Uprising in 1813, the Turks ruled over the Fortress again until they finally left Belgrade. The Turkish commander of Belgrade handed over the keys of the town to prince Mihajlo Obrenovic at Kalemegdan on 6/19 April 1867.

Serbian soldiers replaced Turkish military guards and the flag of Serbia was raised next to the Turkish one. After this period, the importance of the Fortress as the military stronghold decreased. The first works on arranging the town field Kalemegdan started in 1869.

The life at the ridge over the confluence of the Sava and the Danube has lasted for over two millenniums. Six centuries elapsed since Belgrade became the capital for the first time in its history. The core of today’s two million agglomerations is the Belgrade fortress and the Kalemegdan Park.

The park got its present appearance between the two world wars. The promenade along the Sava bank was made together with the Big Staircase on the road to the Kings Gate and newly built statue ‘Victor’. The first archaeological research started in this period and is still ongoing. The Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan were placed under the state protection in 1946.

They form a unique spatial entity with clearly visible remains of the Fortress divided into Upper and Lower Town, with two distinct styles – elements of medieval architecture combined with dominant baroque solutions typical for the 18th century. The Kalemegdan Park, Large and Little, developed in the area that once was the town field, are the place of rest and joy.

The Belgrade Fortress and the Kalemegdan Park together represent a cultural monument of exceptional importance, the area where various sport, cultural and arts events take place, and are fun and joy for all generations of Belgraders and numerous visitors of the city.