Belgrade Fortress (Kalemegdan)
Београдска тврђава / Калемегдан
An ancient fortress and park on a headland where the Sava meets the Danube. The 'Pobednik' statue on the walls overlooks both rivers and New Belgrade. It is the city's birthplace and best viewpoint.
Belgrade Fortress was built on a limestone headland where the Sava flows into the Danube, rising about 125 meters above the river. Since the Celts built a settlement here in the 3rd century BC, it has been a strategic prize. Romans, Byzantines, Serbian rulers, the Ottomans and Austrians all built on and fought over the site. The surviving walls and gates are mostly bastion-style structures from the 18th century, from the Austrian and Ottoman periods. The fortress comprises the Upper Town, the Lower Town and the surrounding Kalemegdan Park (Turkish for 'battlefield'). Highlights include: the Pobednik ('Victor') statue at the western end of the Upper Town, created by Ivan Meštrović in 1928 to commemorate Serbia's victories in the Balkan Wars and World War I. The viewing platform beside it is the best place to see where the two rivers meet and to look over New Belgrade, especially at sunset. Other sights include the Stambol Gate, the Istanbul Gate, the Clock Tower and the Tomb of Damad Ali Pasha; the Military Museum, with tanks and cannons on open display; the Roman Well (about 60 meters deep) and underground Roman passages, powder magazines and other subterranean spaces; and the Nebojša Tower and riverside promenade in the Lower Town. The park has a zoo, tennis courts and cafés, and locals stroll here on summer evenings. The fortress and park are free to enter, while some museums and underground sites charge admission.
Opening hours
Park and city walls open all day; museum about 10:00–17:00, closed Mondays (check on site)
Nearby sights
- Bajrakli Mosque
- Dorćol & Danube Quay
- Military Museum
- Knez Mihailova Street & Republic Square
- Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel
- Kosančićev Venac
- Residence of Princess Ljubica
- National Museum of Serbia