The Bač Fortress is definitely the best-preserved medieval building in the area of Vojvodina. It is fascinating! The site, the location of the fortress, testifies to a long series of centuries of use of this naturally defensive terrain. It was built in 1342 when Charles I of Hungary strengthened the borders of the kingdom. Located on the outskirts of a small town in northern Serbia, this fortress is the most important medieval monument in the province of Vojvodina. Visiting it will take you back in time.
The history of the Bač Fortress
The Bač Fortress is located near the town of Bač. The entire fertile plain between the Danube and the Tisa river got the name after it– Bačka. It was on a former island between the Mostonga river and one of its backwaters. Today some call the fortress Water town because water surrounds it and it can be accessed only by draw-bridges. It is like in the Middle Age.
The fortress changed hands several times and has been possessed at various points in time. First by the Kingdom of Hungary, then by the Ottoman Empire. The Habsburg Monarchy and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia followed. In 1704, the fortress was badly damaged and largely abandoned. It received the status of a cultural monument in 1948.
And today…
Today the Bač Fortress is one of the main tourist attractions in Serbia. That is all because of its reconstruction and conservation that is under UNESCO protection. It also got the EU award for cultural heritage Europa Nostra 2018. During the restoration process, the focus was on preserving archaeological remains. On the other hand, there is helping visitors appreciate the wider cultural landscape of Bač. Instead of armies, experts who want to learn as much as possible about this locality are currently in this area.
The remains of the fortress look very interesting. The foundation of the fortress is in the shape of a trapezoid. On the corners there stood five protruding defense towers. The shapes and dimensions of the towers vary. From the central tower, you have a fantastic view, especially impressive during sunset. Then you will have the impression that the sun is sinking into the sea due to the huge plain in front of you. Just imagine how beautiful photos you can take there.
You can also visit
Bač itself is a unique mosaic of European cultures. It contains buildings from the 12th to the 19th centuries with influences ranging from Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Byzantine. Even the Islamic art.
Apart from the Bač Fortress, Bač municipality is famous for several more attractions. It can also boast of the hunting grounds of Plavno and Ristovača. You should visit Lake Provala as well. This lake is the deepest in Vojvodina. It was a result of the flood of the Danube in 1926. In its shallowest part, Provala is 5m deep, and in its deepest 19m.
The Serbian Orthodox monastery Bođani from 1478 certainly attracts a lot of attention. This monastery was destroyed three times in the wars and flooded twice. The big residential building and the church in Bođani are in a Baroque manner. Today’s monastery church is from 1722. You can see numerous objects transferred from the Manasija monastery there. Its beauty also lays in the front yard which is full of flowers and trees.
Take the adventurous path and visit the oldest, largest, and best-preserved medieval fortress. This is the place for the best trip, a trip to remember. With its beauty and uniqueness, it will leave you breathless. Follow the News section for more places like this.
If you are planning to travel, have in mind that the Covid-19 pandemic is still ongoing. You will find important information about the situation in Serbia here.