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'Belgrade Fortress' Exhibition
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Note: The Exhibition
Gallery is reopened for visits in 2005.
The Exhibition of the history of Belgrade fortifications is situated in
the former Austrian or Baroque gate, which was originally built in the first half
of the 18th century. The present exhibition has been arranged by the Institute for the protection of
cultural monuments of Belgrade and the Military museum. Here you can
see some excavated traces of the original pavement as well, in fact a segment of the
former road lined with sidewalks.
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There are three large models presenting
all structures of military architecture in the complex of Belgrade fortress. They depict its area disposition, internal
layout and a general view of the fortification during the major periods
of eventful and turbulent Belgrade's past.
The fortress in the second half of the 18th century (Model)
Here
is the fortress as it looked like in the second half of the 18th century, which is more or less its present-day
appearance. When the Ottoman Turks took
over the fortress from Austrians again in 1740, they met all previously
built artillery structures completely demolished. One of their main tasks was
to replace ruins with a new fortification, and those construction works started
by the end of 1740. Around 1760 the Fortress was given its
final form, preserved until this date. The new Turkish artillery
fortress appeared to be just a simplified copy of the forgoing Austrian one
for,
the Turks had built only the main fortification front with ravelins and a
line of glaces, missing out some other also important outworks.
Around the end of the 18th century, the Ottoman state revealed growing signs of
its internal weaknesses, the situation was additionally aggravated by frequent defeats and
military failures of the army. The political atmosphere in the Empire was also reflected in the appearance
of its fortress in Belgrade. All travelers who described it at that time
agreed that it had been greatly neglected; it had almost fallen into
disuse, serving only for protection of local Turkish inhabitants against
the rebellious Serbs. All artillery structures which are preserved today,
all those built in brick, belong to that last phase in the development of Belgrade
fortifications.
Major
monuments or remains
-
Remains
of glaces with their retaining wall
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The Big
Ravelin with its 2 gateways
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Fortification
front with 2 bastions
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Central gate house
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Casemates
-
A
mausoleum (Turbeh).
The fortress in
the first half of the 18th century (Model)
The
first modern artillery fortress in Belgrade was built in the period of Austrian rule,
in the first half of the 18th century. Right than, the former medieval fortified town
of Belgrade finally disappeared. The project for a Baroque fortress was designed
by Colonel
Nicolas Doxat (de Démoret). His idea to
provide Austrian masters of Belgrade with a modern and sturdy
fortification was realized by applying a generally accepted
fortification concept of
the time, authored by the French military engineer Sebastian Vauban. The construction works lasted for 15
years and surely represented an enormous attempt. For its period, that was a
very effective fortification in which high hopes were placed for the
further defense of Europe against the Ottoman Turks. Apart from the main bastion
or fortification front, various outworks such as ravelins,
counterguards, lunettes, trenches, covered walks and glaces were added,
thus giving the
whole structure a distinctive star-shape. In the same period, Austrians
started with construction of a
city wall around the town in order to surround
Belgrade with additional defensive structures. However, those works have
never
been completed. After the Austrian army suffered defeat near Belgrade in
a new Austrian-Turkish war, the city surrendered to the Turks practically
without fighting! According to a clause of the peace treaty,
Austrians handed Belgrade over to Turkey but, before they left they had
demolished their brand-new fortification. When the Turks entered Belgrade
again in 1740, the Austrian artillery fortress and the city wall
were already and entirely torn down.
Major
monuments or remains
-
'Roman
Well' (Underground cistern)
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Gunpowder
magazine of the Lower Town
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Various
segments of the walls
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A
caponier
-
Gate of
Karl VI
The
fortified town of Belgrade in the 15th century (Model)
The
foundation of Belgrade as the Serbian capital and a prosperous fortified mediaeval town in the 15th century took place during the reign of
Despot Stefan Lazarevic. He made Belgrade not only the major defensive strongpoint of
the country, but also its economic and cultural center. The model
depicts a general view of Belgrade in the 15th century with its two
fortified areas. The main fortification was situated on top of a bluff
(Upper town or Acropolis, rectangular in shape) and reserved for the ruler, his family and nobility of
the time. Double ramparts were built all around and additionally reinforced by numerous
protecting towers. Approach to the Upper town was possible through four gateways, but today only the East gate
(called Despot's Gate) exists and still serves as a passage. In the northwestern corner of the Upper town
a small 'inner fortification' was built to accommodate the Despot’s castle. The Lower Town was situated at
the foothill, right along the river banks. That was the medieval town of Belgrade with
its streets, squares, blocks of houses, churches, hospitals and inns.
The city was supplied with two piers, one was military - located on the Sava
river, and the other was for commercial purposes on the Danube. As for
the cultural life in the new Serbian capital, literary work was
particularly fruitful and a whole school of writers, translators and
manuscripts copyists was established. In the court premises there was a
large library used by the Serbian ruler and his guests, a private chapel
and a treasury. The town's further development after the death of Despot
Stefan (1427), now again under Hungarian rule, was hampered by the
appearance of the Ottoman Turks, who first besieged the city in
1440. There will follow another two sieges in 1456 and 1521, when
Belgrade was eventually conquered by the Ottoman army and the sultan
Suleiman the Magnificent.
Major
monuments or remains
-
Ramparts
of the Upper Town (partly reconstructed)
-
East Gate
with the remains of a machicolation
-
Traces of
the South Gate
-
Traces of
the Little Gate (Reconstruction)
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Remains
of the Castle
-
Barbican
(Zindan Gate)
-
Remains
of the Metropolitan Palace
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Remains
of the East Gate I and II in the Lower Town
One
of the most cultured and illuminating rulers in Serbia's history
Despot
Stefan Lazarevic (1377-1427)
The family Lazarevics was
called after Lazar Hrebeljanovic, who was the most important
nobleman after the Nemanjics disappeared
from the political scene of Serbia. Although he actually never ruled
entire Serbia which was divided between several families, Lazar was
the most influential and the strongest personality. He led Serbian
army on June 28, 1389 (The battle of Kosovo) when he was captured by
the Turks and beheaded. His wife Milica ruled the country after his
death until his son, Stefan became new Prince of Serbia in 1402 and
soon received a title of Despot from the Byzantine court. Stefan was
under obligation to participate in the Turkish campaigns, his sister
Olivera was given to the Turkish sultan Bayazid, but Stefan was
always trying to provide his country with a certain degree of
independence. While Stefan was responsible for building the new
capital of the state, it was as a cultured ruler, a chevalier and a diplomat that he was most influential. And rightly, it is for this
that he is best remembered. He simply had no equal in the art of
diplomacy and keeping a political balance of power in those days
when Serbia found itself by conflicted interests of Turkey and
Hungary. He was man of letters as well, he owned huge personal
library and loved literature. He was a writer himself. His
best-known endowment is Manasija Monastery, one of the most beautiful
sacral monuments of the mediaeval Serbia. Its original defensive
ramparts are excellently preserved today as a fine example of medieval
military architecture in Serbia. Stefan didn't
have his own sons so he left the title and named his cousin Djuradj
Brankovic as his successor. Stefan Lazarevic died in 1427.
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Side rooms
exhibits
There are two small side exhibition
rooms. In the left one, one can see some fine exhibits such as the medieval
armaments, side arms and war equipment - a few preserved body armors,
a mail shirt of exquisite workmanship, two small medieval cannons
etc. The entrance to the sally port of the Southeast rampart can also be seen
in this space. (This room is not open to the
public in 2005).
In the opposite room one can see medieval
instruments, employed for construction of the fortification
(a mattock, an axe, a double axe, a hammer etc.). A crossbow used
by despot’s archers is also on display. In the showcase a few
interesting exhibits are exposed, e. g. a copy of the fresco painting
depicting Despot Stefan Lazarevic (Manasija monastery) and photocopies
of two mediaeval manuscripts - the Gospel of Radoslav and the
famous Despot’s Mine law. The mining law was enacted in 1412 in
Novo Brdo, a prosperous provincial town, where a lead and silver
mine was once located. Wishing to secure a detached view on mining matters
and to provide Serbia with an objective law, Despot engaged 24 men
originating from various towns of Serbia, but none of them was from Novo
Brdo itself. Finally, some pottery pieces excavated in the castle’s
area of the Upper town (a ceramic jug for wine or water and a ceramic cup) complete the collection.
A
new guide book to the Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, authored by Marko Popovic Ph.D. can be purchased at info offices of the Tourist Organization of Belgrade.
Product details: ISBN 86-7708-007-4, 135 pp, 213x110mm, 2004
Edition: English
or Serbian
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