Gates of Belgrade

The original passage was built for the first time in 1688, after the Austrians conquered Belgrade from the Ottomans. After the Ottomans retook the fortress in 1690, they reconstructed this section of the ramparts and walled the gate. After the Austrians again conquered Belgrade, from 1717 to 1739, a massive Baroque reconstruction of both the fortress and the city began. A new, Baroque Gate, was dug through, next to the older, walled gate. This new position was better suited for the Austrian new design of the bastions along the southeast front of the artillery fortification (symmetric bastions and main gate in the center). New gate was built from brick and had semi-circular ceiling. After another takeover by the Ottomans, this gate was walled after 1740 and the Clock Gate became operational again.[3][4]

This is also when the clock tower was built above the gate, on the outer section of the rampart, giving the gate its name. It was the first clock tower in Belgrade, built from 1740 to 1789. It was characteristic for baroque architecture, mimicking religious objects from the same period. It is a mechanical clock, and the original hands are kept in the Institute for the Cultural Monuments Protection in Belgrade. In the late 19th century and the 1900s, along the rampart three auxiliary guard houses were constructed by the Serbian army.[3][4]

The Baroque Gate was revitalized in 1987 and in 1989 the gallery of the Belgrade Fortress moved in, which included three rooms, central gate passage and two auxiliary, side rooms. Restoration works were held in 2003, when it became obvious that a much serious reconstruction is needed. 2003 works unearthed evidence that the area was inhabited by humans in prehistory. The foundations of the medieval rampart were also discovered. The earthen mound which covered the rampart and the gates was removed to reduce moisturizing of the inside rooms. It was also expected to reclaim two side rooms which were thought to be collapsed, but it turned out they were actually never finished, even though the openings for the doors and windows are made on the gate's inner walls. A temporary, protective wooden eave was built above the entrance of the Clock Gate.[3][4][5]

The Baroque Gate deteriorated a lot nevertheless, so it was closed for the visitors. The temporary eave was removed in 2019. A complete renovation of both gates began in 2020, and was finished by December. The roof of both gates is adapted into the plateau from which the visitors can access the Clock Tower. Plateau is ornamented with glass lanterns and one section is adapted into the green roof. Protective roof slab was placed between two gates to protect the space which connects them. Remains of all, various reconstructions and adaptations are clearly visible on the gates.[3][4][6]

Despite the lightning rod on the tower, a lightning struck in late May 2021 damaged the clock mechanism (a modern one, introduced in 2002), and destroyed all wirings in the tower itself. The hands stopped at 15:15. They are also modern, as the original ones were removed, and are kept at the Institute for the Culture Monuments Protection. Due to the lack of proper experts, the clock remained out of order,[7] until November 2021. The clock tower is 27.5 metres (90 ft) tall.[8]

As it was built in double ramparts, it had two parts, outer and inner ones. The inner gate had a defensive balcony, machicolation, with a niche below for the city defender saint's icon. The adjoining Dizdar's Tower is a massive, square based object. It was named after dizdars, the commanders of the fortress, who lived in it in the second half of the 18th century. The tower was damaged during the Austro-Hungarian bombing of Belgrade in 1915 during World War I. Partially reconstructed in 1938, today it hosts the observatory of the "Ruđer Bošković" astronomical society. The battlement of the tower, including the embrasures, was reconstructed in 1979.[9]

The gate itself was reconstructed in 2020, including works on outer facade, inner walls and stabilized statics of the object.[9]

The gate was fully reconstructed during the Austrian occupation in the first half of the 18th century. The towers were roofed with bricks, while the protective arched wall was enhanced with the earthen embankment. Masoned staircases were built, with access corridors, for both towers.[12] Since the 18th century, the Ottomans used towers' basement as dungeon, a zindan, hence the name of the gate.[13] It is connected with bridges to the Despot's Gate on the inside and Leopold's Gate on the outside.

The wooden bridge in front of the gate was reconstructed in 2005 and 2020.[14] Massive reconstruction began in April 2022. Works also include moisture problems solving, revitalization of the walls and their statics, and reconstruction of the side rooms which will become usable again. Due to its unusual name and unique appearance within the fort's complex, it is one of the most distinct gates. The gate is referred in the song Ruža vetrova by the Bajaga i Instruktori.[12]

The gate was located at the newly formed entry into the town, which was declared an imperial city, attested by the emperor's monogram above the entry. There was an inscription on the gate: "Charles VI, Roman emperor, august, apostle of the true faith against Christian enemies, built this gate, a magnificent structure, after conquering the famed city of Belgrade". Internal façade symbolized the entry portal into the Habsburg empire. Above the portal was a cartouche with the coat of arms of Serbia, as an Austrian crown land. Cartouche held an ornamental motive which represented boar's head pierced with an arrow.[18]

During the World War II occupation, the Nazi fringe organization Ahnenerbe conducted numerous surveys and diggings in the fortress, including specific search for the gate. By 1943, the Germans completely rebuilt the gate in greatest detail, but the gate was damaged already during the heavy Allied Easter bombing in April 1944.[16] After the war, the gate was left to the elements for a long time, with some works being done in 1964 and in the 1970s.[17] In May 2021 city administration announced its reconstruction,[19] which began in April 2022.[18]

It was built from Austrian-type bricks (30 cm × 15 cm × 7 cm (11.8 in × 5.9 in × 2.8 in)) and thought to have a baroque façade which survived only in fragments since it was destroyed during the construction of 4 metres (13 ft) tall earthen embankment and 500 metres (1,600 ft) of railway which enclosed the gate in the 1930s. The 2022 survey showed the gate actually had no baroque façade. The embankment also damaged the bank's ramparts (outer bank rampart and riverbank rampart). The gate itself was built between 1717 and 1736 as the entrance through the riverbank rampart.[22][21][23]

Above the gate, remains of the sentry box, dating from the period when the gate was built, was discovered. Remains of another structure, dated to the 19th century were also found. Both were made from the same materials as the gate itself. Entrance was paved with wood cobbles. Access ramp, from the 18th century, was also discovered, but the fortification below appears to be from the 15th century. Numerous artefacts were also discovered.[21]

It was connecting Savamala, the former village, and later the first Belgrade neighborhood outside of the fortress built from 1834, with the fortress. The gate was demolished in 1862.[25]

The gate was demolished in 1862.[25]