Description of the attraction
On the right bank of the Danube River, opposite the city of Novi Sad, at the end of the 17th century, the construction of the Petrovaradin Fortress began. However, archaeological research has shown that people have lived in this place since time immemorial, and the first defensive structures were erected long before our era. The Romans also built a well-fortified fortress on this site, which became part of the border structures along the Danube.
In the first half of the 13th century, a Cistercian monastery was built on the remains of a Roman fort, founded by monks who came from France. The fortress-monastery stood until the 15th century, then fell under the onslaught of the Turks, and then they were driven out by the Austrians. And so they built the structure that has survived to this day. True, the construction went on for almost a hundred years with interruptions, as the conflicts with the Turks continued.
The Petrovaradin Fortress is considered one of the best preserved fortresses in this region of Europe. According to legend, its project was developed by the master of fortification construction, the Marquis de Vauban.
The fortress was located on the slope of a mountain, numerous underground passages were laid under it, the length of the fortress walls exceeded five kilometers, and the area occupied by the fortress was more than one hundred hectares. The fortress was called "Gibraltar on the Danube", as it was never conquered. Members of the Habsburg dynasty chose it as a place to store their valuables.
In the middle of the last century, the fortress ceased to perform military functions, was taken under state protection, and towards the end of the century it received the status of a cultural heritage site. Today, within the walls of the fortress there are a museum and a city archive, a planetarium and an observatory, exhibition halls and workshops of artists, events dedicated to wine, music festivals are held. On the other side of the Danube, opposite the fortress, there is the Old Town of Novi Sad, which can be reached via a bridge.
