BELGRADE FORTRESS
Singidunum,
Singidon, Alba Greaca, Alba Bulgarica, Bello Grado, Nandor Alba, Griechisch
Weissenburg, Castelbianco, Beograd, all meaning the same – the White Town, the
city with millennia-long history that lies on confluence of the Sava and the Danube
rivers.
The
sun abundantly spills its golden rays over the huge Kalemegdan Park as I resist
the cold wind together with hundreds of Belgraders who came out to greet the remains
of fading summer. Tall trees with wide branches that shelter leaves of the rich
autumn spectrum of green, yellow and red, coat the pavement with a pattern of dancing
shadows. Elderly ladies sell their original knitwear while their husbands
gather over a game of chess on neighboring benches. Children swarm around
ice-cream, grilled corn on the cob and popcorn stalls, the vivid colors of
their clothing matching numerous balloons that float around.
My
feet already know the way: my favorite place in Belgrade, the one that I dream about whenever
I am away is the most amazing vista in the world: the confluence of the Danube and the Sava
rivers that on this bright day justify the name of the Viennese waltz. With the
tall statue of the Victor on the right, shaped masterly by Ivan Mestrovic,
holding a sword in one hand and an eagle in the other, I feel comfortable as I
let my eyes graze on the immense green of the Great War Island standing in
front of me, right in the middle of the confluence. The overwhelming peace that
I feel here makes it difficult to imagine all the blood that had been soaking
the earth inside and around the fortress throughout centuries.
Belgrade,
now the capital of Serbia, was founded in the 3rd century BC by the
Scordisci Celtic tribe, although there are numerous archaeological sites around
the city that confirm that the area was populated as early as 6.000 BC. Its
perfect strategic position made it one of the most wanted settlements in the
Balkans, even Europe. In its early days
Belgrade was confined to the area that is today known as the Belgrade Fortress
– Kalemegdan, “the fortress amidst battlefield” in mixture of Turkish and
Arabic language.
Its
name is fully justified: the banks of the Danube
and the Sava rivers witnessed many a
conqueror. After the Celts, the Romans came and used Singidunum, as they called
it, as a boundary between the “civilized” and “barbaric” world. They suffered
attacks of Goths and Huns (it is said that even Attila the Hun’s grave is in Belgrade), who left the
fortification in ruins. It was rebuilt by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I who
was unable to keep it - Avars and Slavs flocked here in order to establish the
first Slavic settlement on the confluence. The name Belgrade (Beograd
in Serbian) denotes a white town or fortress and was first mentioned in AD 868
in a letter from the Pope. The stones and bricks of the fortress were
contributed by the Hungarians (in 11th century AD Hungarian king
Bella’s wedding gift to his son who married Jelena, Serbian princess was the fortress
itself), Bulgarians and later by Turks who sieged it three years after
conquering Constantinople, but managed to defeat it only in 1521. They held the
town under their firm and cruel rule until 18 April, 1867 when the keys to Belgrade
were handed over to Serbian ruler, Knez Miloš Obrenović. But that was not all:
it was also target of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, the Germans, First and
Second World War destruction, numerous local uprisings, political turmoil and
finally, the 78 days long NATO bombing in 1999.
Kalemegdan
rests today on 52,5 hectares and is divided into the Upper and Lower town. The latter
lies on the river banks, guarded by the Nebojša Tower
dating from 1460 AD which was turned into the most notorious dungeon during 18th
century. Among other very valuable monuments in this area, the gate dedicated
to Charles VI stands out proudly with its baroque ornaments. It was dedicated
to the German emperor in whose name Eugene of Savoy conquered the town in 1717.
Not far away from it is the Turkish bath, now housing the Planetarium of the Ruđer
Bošković Astronomical Society.
The
Upper Town is safely tucked in by the thick
city walls. It is reached from the Lower Town by a cobbled stairway leading to
the Saint Petka (Paraskeva) Church, much respected by Belgraders who believe
its spring waters to have medicinal properties (not scientifically confirmed,
though, but it’s the faith that counts!). Your feet might rebel after all that
walking, just in time when you arrive at the “Belgrade Terrace”, a beautiful
restaurant with a magnificent view over the rivers. There, it is nice either to
just enjoy the view over a cup of local coffee or indulge in an abundant plate
of ćevapčići, Serbian style kebabs and other tasty local dishes. You need
calories in order to proceed; there is an entire both medieval and modern world
lurking behind the Zindan, Despot and Dizdar gates close to the restaurant. The
walls continue across the grassy fields with scattered ancient remnants and
sarcophagi. Here you can feel the medieval spirit as you enter some of the
numerous gates (Western, Leopold’s, Karadjordje’s…) with their heavy iron doors
and dungeon-like interior. Today, unlike many centuries ago, these passages are
penetrated with lively accordion or violin music of local street musicians.
Between
the Victor monument and the Sahat Kula, the 18th century clock tower
and gate from the time of Austrian occupation, there are numerous interesting sights
to see: the octagonal Damad Ali Pasha’s tomb that had inspired Ivo Andric
(Serbian Literature Nobel Prize winner) to write one of his short stories, the Military
Museum founded in 1878 holding a rich collection of weapons from all periods,
some of the heavy artillery being permanently exhibited in the yard, as well as
the King’s Gate right below the Victor. The gate was built in 1725 in baroque
style and on its side towards the river has a wooden suspension bridge. For
those who are interested to know what the fortress looked like during the time
of Despot Stefan Lazarević (1377-1427, successor of the famous tsar Lazar,
appointed despot by the Byzantine emperor John VII) in 15th century,
there is a small bronze model on the plateau close to the Victor. Not far from
it stands a white stone, its inscription telling the story of Janos Hunyadi, Hungarian
hero, in Serbian heroic poems known as Sibinjanin Janko, who defended Belgrade from Turks in
1456.
The
spot where Despot Stefan Lazarević’s medieval court once stood is adorned today
with an interesting edifice known among the Belgraders as “the Roman Well”.
However, its name is not historically correct; it was reconstructed in 1731 by
Austrians who needed water supplies for the fortress. Turkish writer Evli
Tchelebi whose travel accounts are valuable for reconstruction of the past,
described in 1660 a very similar well. Today, it is 60 meters deep with
openings for rain which is the only contributor to supplies, and a double
spiral staircase. Its mysterious interior is worth visiting.
The
eastern part of Kalemegdan, as you go through the massive Stanbol (Istanbul)
gate, just past the National History Gallery, holds both artistic and
scientific importance: the Cvijeta Zuzoric pavilion has hosted many interesting
art exhibitions and there is not a Belgrader who has not sat in its café, while
further to the east there is a small but nice ZOO garden much loved by
children. The ZOO is famous for its collection of albino animals, true
representatives of ‘the White City’. And there again we reach the walls of the
“Belgrade Terrace” café, nested comfortably on the top of high fortress walls
of red, yellow and brown bricks.
The
way back towards the city center leads through a nice green park, with joyful
squirrels darting from tree to tree, among numerous busts of famous Serbian
artists, scientists, politicians… With the powerful monument raised in
gratitude to France for its help and friendship during I World War behind us,
we enter a new dimension as we step into the Knez Mihajlova Street, the most
beautiful pedestrian zone of Belgrade. Filled with modern shops that look snug
in old buildings with facades painted in pastel colors, galleries, numerous
cafes and restaurants serving delicious food, this street is the first thing to
be seen both by those who are in Belgrade for the first time as well as those
who were here before but are lured back by the memory of the wonderful
atmosphere that it holds. And not only this street. Belgrade has so much more to offer: fantastic
squares, a warm and welcoming bohemian quarter, very tasty cuisine, river
cruises and the thing that is most appreciated by both locals and newcomers – a
fantastic nightlife.
Wandering
along the streets and squares of Belgrade
I cannot help but still think of Kalemegdan. I decide to leave it be and come
to peace with the coming winter which will bring new colors and show the
fortress in a new light, not in the least less fascinating. I contemplate on
the meaning of this “fortress amidst battlefields”, of what it signifies.
Definitely,
is much more than a landmark – it is the meeting point. It is the place where
past meets present, where the Sava meets the Danube, where the sky meets the water, where the East
meets the West, where the citizens of Belgrade
meet for walks and chat over a cup of coffee, where foreigners and travelers
meet a warm welcome by locals and their own delight for being there.
