Despot Stefan Tower

The goal of the despot and the Castellan Tower - often called the East Gate of the Upper Town - was the main entrance of the Belgrade fortress during the Middle Ages. Together with the north -east wall, it is the best preserved segment of the medieval fortifications of the Upper Town from the first half of the 15th century during the renovation under the Serbian Despot Stefan Lazarevic. The only goal of the despot is still preserved in its original form. It consists of a double wall with two inputs. The inner door has a defense balcony - which, masikula '. Below is a niche for an icon of the Mother of God as the protector of the city. Next to the gate is the square Cstellan Tower. Its name comes from the fact that in the 18th century the fortress commander here had his seat.

The tower was heavily damaged in 1915 during the bombing of Belgrade. 1938 partially built comes the battlements defense of a renovation in the late seventies. The Castellan tower now houses the Astronomical Observatory " Rudjer Boskovic ".

History

The goal of the despot is built as the main gate of the upper town to the fortress of Belgrade on ancient locality. It is strongly fortified by a moat and a double wall and has a suspension bridge.

When the Turkish Sultan Mehmet II in 1456 besieged the city flares up at the gate of the despot the decisive battle. The Turks manage to penetrate through the gate to the upper town where a fierce battle ensues. The Hungarian defenders manage to repel the Turks.

Pictorial representations of the siege of 1456 and the battle at the gate of the despots

The battle at the gate of the despot is a Turkish miniature of Hünername, presented today in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul. The Church of Our Lady in Olmouc in the Czech Republic also shows the battle at the gate despots.

Weblink

• Goal of the despot on the official web presentation of the fortress of Belgrade (English )

• History of Belgrade
• Building in Belgrade