Fortresses and remnants of fortifications have always attracted the attention and imagination of visitors. Their ruins still stay to tell us the story of transience and difficult times. In my country there are several hundred sites with the remains of fortifications, and in the best condition are those that were in function in the period under Turkish rule.
Famous fortresses are Kalemegdan in Belgrade, Petrovaradin in Novi Sad, Smederevo fortress, Nis fortress, Golubac etc.
This is the list of fortresses that Ottomans have built in Serbia. I only have visited the Ram fortress that is in bad condition, but i hope that will be reconstructed soon as possible, because it is located on the beautiful place and has a great significance.
Famous fortresses are Kalemegdan in Belgrade, Petrovaradin in Novi Sad, Smederevo fortress, Nis fortress, Golubac etc.
This is the list of fortresses that Ottomans have built in Serbia. I only have visited the Ram fortress that is in bad condition, but i hope that will be reconstructed soon as possible, because it is located on the beautiful place and has a great significance.
Fetislam
On the bank of river Danube, the second largest river of Europe, lies the fotress of Fetislam. Fortress has been built on one of the largest corridors of Europe. At the beginning of the 16th century the Ottomans strengthen their control of the river by construction of the Fetislam fortress, which raised both their offensive and defensive abilities. The Fetislam Fortress was a part of larger defensive system along the Danube within a chain of fortresses: Belgrade, Smederevo, Ram, Fetislam... The precious name of the fortification is Fethislam, in Turkish Fethul Islam, which means "the Gate of Islam", but is found in literature in various forms.
Fetislam Fortress is the most important cultural monument of the recent past built by Turks after they have conquered those territories of Serbia. The area of the present day Kladovo became part of the Ottoman Empire after the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396, which ended with failure of the attemt of the Hungarian King Zigmund and the crusaders, allied with armies of France and Byzantium to decisively defeat the Ottoman army led by Sultan Bayazed, supported with the army of the Serbian despot Stefan Lazarevic. The Fetislam fort in Kladovo consists of two parts : Small and Large town. Because of the gunpowder, walls were built to be much thicker and lower, so that could resist the canon fire. In terms of shape, fortifications were built with many angles, in order to catch the enemy in cross fire. According to the preserved remains it can be concluded that the Small town of the Fetislam fortress had characteristics of the artillery base, which was protected with walls comprising circular towers on the angles and the loopholes within the wall. Beneath walls, except from the Danube side, there was the trench with two moving bridges to enter the fortress. There was the third gate within the wall which was located close to the Danube which enabled solders to escape from the fortress taking secret way and get to the boats. The Large Town as the part of the whole Fetislam fort has been built by the Turks later, during the wars between Austria and Turkey. Turks accomplished the construction of the fortress when they were exhausted by long wars and forced to pay attention to defend earlier occupied territories. Above the gates that led into the Fetislam Fortress there were marble plates with inscriptions that glorified the Sultan Mehmed II.
After the incident at Cukur cesma, Serbian people have succeded eventually to push out all of the Ottoman military forces from Serbia. Since then the Fetislam Fortress is in Serbian hands. As the years passed, Fetislam was constanly losing on military importance, until it became a silent monument to the ages that passed long ago.
Nis Fortress
Nis Fortress was built in the early 18th century by the Turks, on the right bank of the Nisava river, in the very centre of the city. It is one of the best preserved and most beautiful medieval fortresses in central Balkans. It was pulled down and restored a number of times, by the Romans, over the Byzantines, Slavs, Bulgarians, and Serbs. Its assumed its final shape in 1723, when the Turks built it, facing the end of their reign in this area. It was constructed upon Roman and mediaeval foundations. Its shape is that of an irregular polygon, with sides of varying lengths. It was built of stone extracted from the nearby Hum quarry, though monuments, sarcophagi and other building materials from earlier periods were used.
It has four large gates: the Stambol (Istanbul), Belgrade, Vidin and Great Gate, the latter providing access to the river. All the gates are well-preserved even today. The fortress was encircled by a large moat which, when needed, was filled with water from the Nisava.
Within the fortress there was a settlement with shops, a place of worship, barracks and other structures for military use. All that remains of these today is a number of gunpowder stores, the Bali-beg mosque from the 16th century and an arched structure.
Within the fortress there was a settlement with shops, a place of worship, barracks and other structures for military use. All that remains of these today is a number of gunpowder stores, the Bali-beg mosque from the 16th century and an arched structure.
Accompanying the fortress is a hamam (Turkish bath), built in the 15th century and one of the oldest examples of non-religious architecture from the beginning of Turkish rule.
Due to its primarily strategic nature, the fortress remained under Turkish control until 1877, when it passed into Serbian hands.
Nis Fortress is a cultural property of great importance, today a venue for frequent cultural and artistic events.
In Nis tourist can also visit Skull tower that I have already mentioned in my previous blog post, concentration camp, archaeological site Mediana, Bubanj Memorial park etc.
Due to its primarily strategic nature, the fortress remained under Turkish control until 1877, when it passed into Serbian hands.
Nis Fortress is a cultural property of great importance, today a venue for frequent cultural and artistic events.
In Nis tourist can also visit Skull tower that I have already mentioned in my previous blog post, concentration camp, archaeological site Mediana, Bubanj Memorial park etc.
Ram Fortress
Ram Fortress is located on the bank of Danube River, in Ram village, about 25 km northeast of Pozarevac and 15 km away from Veliko Gradiste. Ram Fortress ranks among the oldest artillery strongholds in Serbia.
There are no historical record on the time when the Ram Fortress was erected, but it was first mentioned in the 12th century as the place nearby of the battle between Byzantines and Hungarians. During the period of Ottoman campaign on Pannonia and teritory of the present day Serbia, the Turks continued occupation of Hungary. In order to defend the right side of the Danube River, Turkish sultat Bayazed II restored and strengthened the Ram fortress which was capable to whitstand the artillery attacks.
There are no historical record on the time when the Ram Fortress was erected, but it was first mentioned in the 12th century as the place nearby of the battle between Byzantines and Hungarians. During the period of Ottoman campaign on Pannonia and teritory of the present day Serbia, the Turks continued occupation of Hungary. In order to defend the right side of the Danube River, Turkish sultat Bayazed II restored and strengthened the Ram fortress which was capable to whitstand the artillery attacks.
Ram Fortress contains 5 towers located in four levels, on 3 floors and the ground floor, 3 towers on the eastern sides and 2 towers on the western walls. You can enter Ram Fortress through the Donjon tower, situated in the southwestern part of the fort. On each wall of the Ram stronghold, except on the western wall which faces the Danube River, there are special holes for canons. Within the walls of the Ram Fortress there are ruins of the structure featuring a proper octagon, whose sides are 3 meters long. Close from the Ram Fortress, Turks have been erected caravan seray, what in time provided establishment of the present day Ram settlement.
When you visit this fortress you can also visit the archaeological site Viminacium, Smederevo Fortress and Silver Lake, which is considered one of the most beautiful lakes in Serbia.
When you visit this fortress you can also visit the archaeological site Viminacium, Smederevo Fortress and Silver Lake, which is considered one of the most beautiful lakes in Serbia.
Fortress in Novi Pazar
The Fortress is in the center of Novi Pazar, on a mound in the area of the city park. Those are the wall ramparts of a Turkish fortress featuring immense historical and urban values. The fortress is of a triangular plan with strong defense towers.
The data are scarce, but they suggest that it was built in the 15th century upon order of Isa-Bey Ishakovic, the founder of Novi Pazar. The fortress was being added new buildings from the end of 17th to the middle of 19th century.
The data are scarce, but they suggest that it was built in the 15th century upon order of Isa-Bey Ishakovic, the founder of Novi Pazar. The fortress was being added new buildings from the end of 17th to the middle of 19th century.
Stroll down to Novi Pazar’s town park and you will discover the remains of a 17th century Turkish fortress. The structure features two towers, barracks and a small mosque, which were added after the completion of the structure.