From prehistory to Ottoman empire

A different world or civilization, nearly 10,000 years old, developed in the Djerdap area, marking the beginning of a new era in European culture right in our region. The inhabitants of Lepenski Vir, skilled hunters and connoisseurs of their environment, decided to settle down. Today, this decision might not seem so monumental, but considering that for hundreds of thousands of years, humans were nomadic hunter-gatherers who moved with the seasons and herds, their decision to establish a permanent settlement was truly visionary.

Near the site where their settlement once stood, today lies the Lepenski Vir Museum, which is among the most visited in Serbia. On the fertile plains along the Danube, Roman legions arrived at the beginning of the new millennium and built their city. Viminacium grew and expanded, changing its status and influence as the capital city of the Roman province of Moesia. The Roman baths, necropolis, and amphitheater are just some of the sites we will visit to learn about life in this ancient Roman city.

After exploring Viminacium, our journey continues to the most picturesque fortress on the Danube, which, according to legend, was constructed at the spot where Turkish Sultan Bayezid II prayed while observing the opposite Hungarian side of the shore with the ambition to conquer all of Western Europe. It was there he ordered the construction of an edifice named after the Islamic prayer mat.

Our one-day excursion departs from the parking area at the Museum of Yugoslavia-House of Flowers. We travel by highway to the turnoff for Požarevac and then by local roads to enter the Djerdap Gorge. A short drive with stunning views of the mighty Danube and the forested areas it flows through brings us to the Lepenski Vir Museum. Research conducted half a century ago at a slightly lower site uncovered a strange and previously unknown culture in our region.

This nomadic group of hunter-gatherers built their first permanent settlement, domesticated the dog, and created their own world with their gods immortalized in stone. A large number of river boulders carved with human and animal features represent the first monolithic European sculpture. Ancestor or god figures had a special place next to the hearth in each house at Lepenski Vir. The sanctuaries and residential buildings, as well as their layout, indicate the beginnings of organized permanent settlements in Europe. After visiting the museum, we continue upstream to Kapetan Mišin Breg, which offers a breathtaking view of the surroundings.

Our next location is the capital of the Roman province of Moesia. The Viminacium military camp was built by the first legions that arrived in our region. Soon, a civilian settlement began to develop alongside the camp. The city existed for nearly 400 years, during which time it was visited by numerous officials and Roman emperors. After the Hun invasions, the city was rebuilt but never regained the splendor and power it had in the fourth century. Viminacium is one of the few Roman sites where, with the help of reconstructions and original remains of Roman buildings, one can experience a Roman city. The stories of a powerful empire that conquered almost the entire known world have a unique allure here at its frontier.

After exploring Viminacium, we continue to Ram Fortress. The Ottoman Empire was at its zenith during the 15th and 16th centuries when many cities and fortresses were constructed as the Turkish force moved rapidly towards Western Europe, building numerous strongholds at key locations.

Controlling the passage across the Danube was one of the purposes of building Ram Fortress. The fortress has suffered multiple damages and undergone several renovations. After a comprehensive reconstruction, the fortress now proudly welcomes tourists who come both to conquer it and to enjoy the magnificent views from its ramparts. After visiting Ram Fortress, we head back to Belgrade.