Smederevo Fortress (Smederevska Tvrdava)
Omladinska 1, Smederovo
With high outer walls and a preserved castle keep, Smederevo Fortress remains one of the most important medieval landmarks in Serbia. The nearby Danube River provides the fortress with a scenic backdrop, while its history as a former medieval capital and various interesting legends make this a popular attraction among history lovers.
Visitors will find that while they can walk along a small section of the fortress walls, the main focus of their visit will be the fortress’ castle, known as the Small Town. Exploring the fortress extensively, including seeing the castle remains and climbing to its terraces to enjoy the fortress’ views, should take less than an hour. Smederevo Fortress is often one of the stops on day tours from Belgrade that explore attractions along the Danube River alongside the Viminacium Archaeological Site and Golubac Fortress.
Tickets are only required to enter the Small Town, while entry to the large park in front of the castle is free.
Very little information on the history of the fortress is provided, so having an audio guide or tour guide is helpful to understand its importance.
Due to its historic nature and numerous stairways, the central part of the fortress is not wheelchair accessible.
Bring coins or small notes to pay for your ticket, as the ticket office may not be able to make change for large bills.
Smederevo Fortress is found in the city of Smederevo in central Serbia, downriver from Belgrade. Take one of the regular buses from Belgrade to the city of Smederevo, which is a 75-minute trip, and the fortress is a short walk from the station. If driving to Smederevo, the nearest parking lot is on the south side of the train station.
Entry to Smederevo Fortress is possible daily, with the ticketed Small Town open from morning until evening. Expect the fortress to be at its busiest during the height of summer, but generally speaking, it shouldn’t ever get too crowded. Since much of the attraction is outdoors or open-air, visiting in winter may be unpleasant, although the fortress park often hosts an ice-skating rink.
With multiple historic fortresses on the Danube River in Serbia, it could be easy to mistake the Smederevo Fortress for one of the others in the region. Both Belgrade and Novi Sad have their own fortresses overlooking the river that travelers can easily visit. However, the other main riverside fortress in Serbia is the impressive Golubac Fortress on the Romanian border which many say looks like it belongs in a fairytale.
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