The beauty of the past

The Smederevo Fortress, a bold fortification built in the 15th century by order of the despot Đurđ Branković, not only graces the pages of Serbian history - it still stands today as one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval monuments in Southeast Europe. Located at the place where the river Jezava meets the mighty Danube, this stone beauty dominates not only the space - but also the spirit of the times.

At the very sight of the tall and sturdy ramparts, which rise above the river as guardians of the past, the visitor is overcome with a sense of awe. The view is lost down the walls that wind in a triangular shape, surrounded by a water mirror that gives the fortress a mysterious and mystical beauty. In its silence, the winds of centuries can be heard, and every stone underfoot carries the weight of long-lived days.

In the Little Town, the former palace of the despot, the silence that knows about royal secrets, family dinners, war councils and prayers under the light of wax echoes even today. From the palace window there is a view of the Danube, the same one that Đurađ looked at, thoughtfully listening for the arrival of allies or enemies. The wind whipping against the towers and walls seems to carry the voices of the watchmen who kept vigil at night, protecting the city and the fate of the country.

Today, tourists, researchers and dreamers walk in the Great City, where the people once lived. The grass covering the ground hides the foundations of older houses, warehouses, workshops and perhaps as yet undiscovered secrets. The summer sun illuminates the stone walls that shimmer golden, while in autumn the fortress takes on shades of bronze silence. In winter, shrouded in fog, it looks like a ghost of past centuries floating over the rivers.

One of the special beauties of this fortress is the view from its towers. From them there is a panorama of today's Smederevo, but also of the old one - an imaginary, foggy town where horsemen gallop along stone paths, and church bells call to prayer. From the ramparts, you can clearly see the combination of nature and architecture, as well as the strength of the people who knew how to build something that has withstood time and invaders for centuries.

The sunset over the fortress, when the shadows of the tower extend across the river, turns this space into a stage of legend. In those moments, the fortress is not just a building - it is a song in stone, a lullaby for the ages and a prayer in silence.

The Smederevo fortress is not only a symbol of strength and history. She is a beauty from the past that still speaks today - quietly, steadily, and only to those who know how to listen to the wind through the towers and listen to the whisper of the stone.

In her beauty, every step is a step back - and at the same time, an encounter with oneself.