Ram Fortress is famous for being one of the rear preserved fortresses in Serbia completely made by Ottomans. This 15-century fort is located on the right bank of the Danube, in the village of Ram, eastern Serbia. On the west, there are marshy areas including Ostrvo and Čibukija. The area around the fortress called Ram-Golubac Sand is 30km long. You can enjoy a magnificent picturesque view from the fortress due to its elevated position on the rock above the major widening of the river. Moreover, it also allows the breathtaking view of the most beautiful Danubian dusk. So, if you are interested in exploring Serbia, you can’t miss this fort!
History
In some ancient maps, the fort is mentioned by the name Hram although, it is still a mystery when the original city was built. A legend says that it was built by two brothers, Romulus and Remus, the founder of the world-famous city of Rome. Fortress Ram was first mentioned in 1128 A.D during the Ottoman conquest when the Turks turned the conquest of Hungary and the Pannonian Plain. Instead of demolishing the Roman mausoleum, Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II built the fortress around it to secure the right bank of Danube. It is known as one of the oldest artillery forts in Serbia. In 1521, after Ottomans conquered Hungarian and expand their territory across the Danube, Fortress lost its strategic significance.
The archeological expeditions during 2015-2018 discovered the artifacts that confirm the Pre-Roman habitation of the Celts. The remnants of Celtic fortified settlement Opidum have also been found nearby modern fortresses. Based on this evidence some scholars even proposed that this could be the location where Alexander the Great encountered the Celtic delegation in the 4th century. The tower in the fortress was described as the “Mysterious Tower” for decades because its purpose is entirely unknown.
Architecture
Sultan Bayazid II built the current fortifications in the shape of an irregular pentagon with a length of 35 m and 25 m width to survive cannon warfare. It has five towers at four levels that are similar to each other in architecture. It was constructed from the crushed stone and limestone motar and to make arches and vaults, bricks were used. The wooden grill type construction was used that still holds the fortress together. There are canon embrasures on the first floor of each tower that confirms it was artillery fortress surrounded by walls and dry moat. The entrance of the city is on the southwest side of the fort. The pathway with towers and ramparts had protective walls with battlements on the outer side. The Masonry fireplaces and a special lavatory built for the commander of the fortress was also discovered. The fort still has the remains of different religious architecture from people who lived in the area.
Reconstruction
The restoration process began in 2017. The towers IV and V were renovated and tower II that was partially reconstructed because of its worst condition. It was rebuilt to the roof level together from scratch. For reconstruction same material was used from the nearby shale quarry from which the original fortress was built. The reconstruction was done without any concrete additives or cement and specially made bricks were used. The fortress was reopened for the public on 6th August 2019. If you are visiting Belgrade, this is a nice attraction to visit on a day trip from Belgrade.
Interested in a private tour to Ram Fortress?
Visit Ram and Golubac Fortress in a day-trip from Belgrade