Despot Stefan Tower

Despot Stefan Tower
Despot Stefan Tower
Kalemegdan, Belgrade
Serbia Serbia
Despotova kula6.jpg
Despot Stefan Tower in Upper City of Kalemegdan Fortress
Coordinates 44°49'31"N, 20°27'4"E
Built 1405
Built by Stefan Lazarević
Construction
materials
Stone
In use Serbian Despotate
Open to
the public
Yes

The Despot Stefan Tower is a structure in Belgrade, Serbia, built ca.1405, a couple of years after the city became the capital of Serbian Despotate under Despot Stefan. Despot Stefan Lazarević was a son of Lazar of Serbia, last Serbian ruler, who died in the Battle of Kosovo on June 28, 1389 in the crucial battle that brought the Serbian Empire to collapse and enabled the Ottoman Turks to penetrate further into the Balkans.

However, most of present-day Central Serbia remained independent under his son Stefan for another fifty years, which allowed the northern Serbian cities, such as Smederevo, Belgrade or Kragujevac to further develop. Belgrade was proclaimed the capital of the Serbian Despotate in 1404 and it remained the capital city ever since. While most of the Balkans was conquered and suffered terribly under the Turkish yoke, Despot Stefan's Belgrade and Serbia became one of the most prominent city-states in medieval Europe. The population reached 50,000 as public buildings, royal courts, churches and fortifying walls were built. The city became a mecca for Balkan Christians and was the cultural and spiritual capital of this part of Europe. Belgrade was fortified with two great walls (surrounding Upper and Lower City), which contained most of its population as well as the magnificent palace of Despot, which was later destroyed. After the Despot's death, the Serbian Despotate was destroyed by the Turks and its last city, Smederevo, succumbed. Belgrade was taken by Royal Hungary after the Siege of Belgrade and served as its southern capital until 1521, when a month-long siege ended in capitulation and surrender to Turkey, which meant a decline in the city's importance for the next three centuries.

See also



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Stefan Lazarević — Despot of Serbia Fresco of Stefan Lazarević from Manasija monastery Reign Knez (1389–1402) Despot (1402–1427) …   Wikipedia

  • Belgrade — For other uses, see Belgrade (disambiguation). Belgrade Београд Beograd   City   …   Wikipedia

  • Zemun — Земун   Municipality   Panoramic view of Zemun …   Wikipedia

  • Dragiša Brašovan — Born May 25, 1887(1887 05 25) Vršac, Serbia Died October 6, 1965(1965 10 06) (aged 78) Belgrade, Serbia Nationality Serbia …   Wikipedia

  • National Museum of Serbia — Established May 10, 1844 Location Belgrade, Serbia Director Tatjana Cvjetićanin …   Wikipedia

  • Novi Beograd — Нови Београд   Municipality   …   Wikipedia

  • National Theatre in Belgrade — logo Address Francuska 3 City Belgrade Country …   Wikipedia

  • List of buildings in Belgrade — This is a list of notable buildings in Belgrade, Serbia.* Aleksandar Palas Hotel * Avala TV Tower once the highest of its kind in the world; currently undergoing reconstruction following its destruction in the NATO bombing of 1999 * Bajrakli… …   Wikipedia

  • Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport — Аеродром Београд Никола Тесла Aerodrom Beograd Nikola Tesla …   Wikipedia

  • Nikola Tesla Museum — Nik Museum Музеј Николе Тесле Muzej Nikole Tesle Established December 5, 1952 Location Krunska 51, Belgrade Type scienc …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”