Best preserved medieval fortified city in Serbia
Built in the early 13th century
It is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of the Balkans where the Danube is the widest and nature is the greenest. It is believed to have been built in the early 13th century as a border stronghold of strategic importance. It consists of irregularly shaped narrow walls that connect nine massive towers. Octagonal Hat Tower, formerly used as a pier of the Fortress, nowadays is the symbol and trademark of Golubac.
Golubac fortress archaeological research revealed over a hundred ceramic artifacts, iron tools, axes, scraping irons, pickaxes, door latches, and spears, which are proof of the rich past of the Golubac fortress.
There are many interesting legends about the origin of the fortress name. According to one of them, once upon a time, a gorgeous princess Golubana lived in a palace. She had refused Turkish pasha’s love and thus was chained to Baba Kaj rock and left to die. After pasha’s screams: “Babo, pokaj se” (“Women, repent”), the rock was called “Baba Kaj” and town was named Golubac after Golubana. With the aid of strong chains, town was connected to Baba Kaj rock allowing total regulation of water and road traffic through Iron Gate.
Golubac fortress is under the protection of the National Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments since 1948 and in 1979, it has been categorized as the cultural heritage of exceptional importance.