At the place where the Danube widens, at the very entrance to the Đerdap Gorge, lies the fortified medieval town of Golubac. The fortress in the east of Serbia is one of the best preserved in Europe and of great importance for the European medieval history.
It is a well-known fact that fortresses are built on strategically important positions, hence Golubac, because of its location, was on the attack map of many nations.
The fortified town is connected by a heavy chain to the Babakaj rock (which even today sticks out of the water in the middle of the Danube), so whoever controlled the fortress, also controlled both road and river traffic through the Đerdap Gorge.
The Golubac Fortress consists of three parts: the front, back and upper town (with the citadel). The fortress has a total of 10 (9+1) towers and two large carriage gates. In front of the town there is a wall that forms the outer wall of the moat, which was probably filled with water back in the day. The passage of time, but also other different circumstances, such as bad weather and wars, led to the fact that the fortress was damaged, and some of its parts collapsed.
Preservation of Europe's common cultural heritage, support and promotion of the arts and creative industries in Europe are among the goals of the European Union. Recognizing the importance of the Golubac fortress, the European Union invested funds in its reconstruction.
By restoring the Golubac Fortress, the European Union significantly contributed to the tourist offer of Eastern Serbia and its economic development. The reconstruction of this historic building, which is considered one of the most beautiful on the Danube, took five years, and the European Union invested over 8 million euros in the project.
What was done in the Golubac fortress complex: Towers, palaces, archaeological research...
During five years – which is how long the works lasted - 9 towers and nine accompanying ramparts were reconstructed. A palace with spanning an area of about 600 square metres was also built.
In order to further boost the knowledge and create a more complete picture of the time when Golubac was teeming with life, extensive archaeological research was carried out inside and in front of the fortress.
Thanks to renovated interior paths and stairs, visitors today have access to all parts of the fortress.
According to information received by EUpravo Zato, the value of the works on the reconstruction of the fortress itself was around 2.4 million euros.
Visitor Centre
The visitor centre, spanning over 960 square meters, which houses a permanent exhibition about the Golubac Fortress, as well as a cafeteria, a souvenir shop and the premises of the Tvrđava Golubac Grad Association, which manages the complex of the Golubac Fortress.
This facility was opened in July 2016, and the value of the works was about 950,000 euros.
Tunnel and bypass for the final traffic relocation
In order to, after 90 years, be able to move traffic out of the fortress, a 150-metre-long tunnel and a 760-metre-long road were built.
The width of the tunnel is 10.45m and the height is 6.26m. The value of the works on the construction of the tunnel and bypass amounted to about 2.3 million euros, and they were opened to traffic in July 2016.
Coastal fort and pier for large river cruise ships
Today, a cruise on the Danube is an attractive tourist trip that both domestic and foreign tourists are happy to embark on. An integral part of that tour is the Golubac Fortress complex, owing to the fact that a 400-metre-long coastal fort was built on the Danube bank, which made it possible to set up a pier for the reception of large river cruise ships and other vessels.
The value of the works completed in July 2016 was around 420,000 euros.
Technical infrastructure
As part of the renovation, all the necessary facilities of the accompanying infrastructure were completed, which enabled a stable supply of water and electricity to the complex. The park area of the plateau between the Visitor Centre and the fortress has been improved, and a visitor parking lot has also been built.
The value of the works was around 1.1 million euros.
Support for the Tvrđava Golubački Grad Association
Managing the Golubac fortress complex is a complex and responsible task. That is why, during the implementation of this project, Tvrđava Golubački Grad Association was provided with professional assistance in building capacity for efficient and sustainable management of the complex. Strategic planning documents were drafted and training sessions were held for the Association's management and employees.
The fortress is equipped with modern video equipment. A special modern multimedia presentation of the fortress was also created, which the visitors can view in the palace and towers. In the hinterland of the fortress there are marked hiking trails with viewpoints.
The value of these project activities was around 268,000 euros.