In the previous part I wrote to you about Kalemegdan, Smederevo Fortress, Maglič and Lazarev's Town in Kruševac. You can find a link to that article at the end of this one. after a little long break finally we continue.

I hope you are excited, I know I am.

→ PETROVARADIN Fortress - Symbol of Novi Sad

Novi Sad can proudly present the famous Petrovaradin and the beautiful fortress that rises majestically from its foundations. Given that Novi Sad is one of the leading economic, tourist and economic centers of the country, and especially of beautiful Vojvodina, it is also a city of unreal architecture, unique beauty and a warm, pleasant atmosphere, so it is no wonder why many tourists always go to it. they are happy to return. 

Petrovaradin fortress history - How was the fortress created? 

The history of the Petrovaradin fortress goes back really far into the ancient past. The latest archaeological research indicates that the history of Petrovaradin is more than 200 thousand years long and leads us to the time when the Celts lived in this area. In the Byzantine era, the fortress was called Petricon, and since then there are many testimonies that speak of its beauty and magnificence. We can safely say that even today the Petrovaradin fortress is one of the most beautiful and famous ancient buildings in all of Serbia. The construction of the fortress lasted for 88 years, a whole lifetime, until 1867. The Petrovaradin fortress is of great importance for the city of Novi Sad and the entire surrounding area, so in the middle of the 20th century it was declared a historical monument that was placed under the protection of the state. The day is hosted by the award-winning music festival Exit, which put Serbia on the world music map. 

The Petrovaradin is always open and easily accessible to all tourists and residents of Novi Sad, precisely because of this, for many years, you can find many interesting attractions and educational content on it. While walking around the fortress, be sure to stop at:

• Museums and studios of the Petrovaradin fortress : We single out the Museum and Archive of Novi Sad , which are located in the very heart of the fortress. If you visit them, they will introduce you to the long tradition and all the turmoil that happened in the area of ​​Novi Sad, while the hidden corridors will lead you directly to the underground well that supplies water to the whole of Novi Sad. In addition, for all art lovers, the Petravaradin fortress has a number of small studios and galleries of fine artists, such as the unique Atelier 61, where unique tapestries are created. 

• Drunken clock: This is the famous tower with the drunken clock, which has become a recognizable sign of Novi Sad. What sets this watch apart from the others is the large hand that shows the hours and the small hand that shows the minutes. This was done because of the boatmen on the Danube so that the hours would be visible from afar.

• Planetarium: The first line for stargazing is the planetarium on the fortress, open every Thursday from 8 p.m. Attend lectures and workshops, where enthusiastic lecturers will bring distant galaxies closer to you with the help of audio-visual aids. 

→ NIŠ Fortress - The historical heart of Niš

From the north of the country and the plains of Vojvodina, we move straight to the opposite end, to the warm and temperamental, slightly more hilly regions of southern Serbia. The city of Niš is one of the three leading centers of the country and the capital of the entire southern region. In addition, today Niš is one of the leading commercial and administrative centers, and the striking symbol is certainly the unique and imposing Niš fortress, which has successfully resisted time and many turmoils for centuries. It is a symbol of the city of Nis and one of its most beautiful places, which are really worth your visit and time.

If you come to Niš, it is impossible to avoid visiting the Niš Fortress, which is located in the very center of the city, surrounded by strong and strong stone ramparts on all sides. The fortress is proud of a really long, very turbulent history and tradition. The first information about the fortress can be found from the time when the Huns ruled this area and ruthlessly conquered it. Unfortunately, the fortress suffered the first major blows and major destruction by the merciless Huns, so that the famous emperor Justinian rebuilt it almost from the ground up. The fortified ramparts and its good, strategic position made it a place that the Turks conquered and used for warfare and new campaigns. Centuries later, their influence is still felt in Niš Fortress and its significant parts.

Niš fortress is truly a special and important place in the city of Niš. Many residents of Niš, as well as tourists throughout the year, gladly and regularly come to visit this magnificent building. In addition to enjoying jazz sounds, pay attention to:

• The gates of the Niš fortress: They are striking and represent an attraction in themselves. The fortress of Niš has 4 large gates: Stambol Gate, Vidin Gate, Great Gate and Belgrade Gate . All 4 gates are a symbol of centuries of existence and are very well preserved to this day. The Belgrade Gate got its name from the fact that it looks towards Belgrade, while Istanbul looks towards Istanbul.

• Monument to Milan Obrenović: One of the most famous monuments of the Niš fortress is the monument to the great Milan Obrenović and the liberators of Niš, which is located on the left side of the main entrance path for walkers. It has been standing in this place since 1902. 

• Ancient thermal baths and Hammam: The thermal baths trace their roots back to the 4th century, and remind of the existence of public baths, while the Turkish bath is the oldest preserved building from the time of the Ottoman Empire.  

• Octagon Palace : It is believed that this palace was actively used by Emperor Constantine, so its existence is extremely significant. 

→ KALE Fortress - Ancient fortress of Pirot

If you were to ask people what the town of Pirot is best known for, the vast majority of answers would include Kale Fortress. The town of Pirot, better known as Momčil's town, is an ancient fortress with towers and walls, which consists of three main parts. It bears witness to all the wars and turmoil that the people of this era went through for centuries. The periods of Antiquity, Byzantium and the Middle Ages left their significant and impressive traces on this fortress. According to tradition, it is connected to the great and famous duke Momčilo, who was especially celebrated in Serbian folk literature. This fort was also a picturesque location where a part of the movie Battle in Kosovo was shot. 

It is not yet known for sure how old this fortress is, but archaeologists have found significant discoveries that date back to the Middle Ages. It is believed that it was built during the Roman Empire and that it was an important center then. The importance of this fortification in Pirot was also seen by the Turks, who failed to conquer it until the 15th century. Duke Dimitrije managed to recover it in 1836. Folklore links this fortress and its construction to Momčilo, who is depicted in our epic poems as a fearless hero, who constantly fought against the Turkish siege. Over time, this place became an attraction in itself, precisely because of movie scenes, impressive beauty and ancient legends that are still talked about today.

Link to the previous part → https://read.cash/@Bebana/old-fortress-cities-in-todays-serbia-part-1-0e56e666

Cheers until the next one!