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Belgrade Fortress is the place where you figure out how Belgrade's fatal location made it a city like no other in Europe. See the border of the Balkans and four contrasting Belgrades on rivers banks.

Highlights

• Get the big picture of Belgrade's strategic location and dramatic history
• Discover and decode heritage of various powers holding the fortress
• Enjoy panoramic views, greenery and artistic value of monuments

Description

What we make you see in 90 minutes, away from the crowds, is the big picture. You'll understand the whys and why the hells of Belgrade's epic past and complex present. The fatally strategic location destined Belgrade for its unique history. Here the historic superpowers and their civilizations were clashing for centuries, leaving little of the 2,000 years long history of Belgrade visible to the eye. We'll guide your gaze from the Fortress, now in 2024, to unfold four Belgrades of discerning backgrounds and appearances! Belgrade Old Town, the 19th century capital of Serbia liberating itself from the Ottomans, marked by the cross on the belfry of its cathedral; New Belgrade, the capital of Socialist Yugoslavia that emerged from the WWII, eager to build what it believed was a classless society; Zemun, a town of Austro-Hungarian look and feel, with a tower celebrating a millennium of Hungarian presence in the Pannonian plane; Belgrade Waterfront, a 21st century Belgrade, dividing opinions and classes. Walking across the Fortress, you'll see marks of heritage of various powers that held it: the ancient Romans, the Serbian late-medieval prince, the Ottomans, the Hapsburgs, the Socialist Yugoslavia. You'll discover the tensions and consequences of the historical dramas happening here: clashes of Christian and Ottoman armies in distant past or anxieties of the Cold War. The Fortress is also the place to learn of importance of WWI for Serbia, as one of the most tragic yet most formative events in its history. We'll tell this story through the lenses of three different memorials - the iconic Victor monument, the monument of Gratitude to France and the church Ružica. To balance the epic and often harsh history, the Fortress offers beautiful views over two rivers, a greenish Sava and a blueish Danube, with a lush river island at their confluence, and the greenery of its park. Should you decide to explore more of the Fortress before or after the tour, there is plenty to visit. For nature explorers there is a zoo, natural history gallery, observatory and dinosaur park. The culture explorers may opt for the Military Museum or the Art Pavilion. The skill seekers can try their hand at archery or tennis. If you ask us to pick the best times to do the tour, we would probably go for the morning or around sunset. When the panoramic views give their best.

Includes

The tour narrative is based on thorough research yet told in a guest friendly way in fluent English. The stops are arranged to follow the storyline and to enable guests to experience aesthetically pleasing. The guide is a Belgrade born and raised Art Historian, MA, who used to play at the Fortress as a child.

Easy cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund