Smederevo
Smederevo stands on the right bank of the Danube. Its 15th-century fortress was built for Despot Đurađ Branković. The Small Town housed the ruler’s court, while the larger enclosure held the settlement and garrison.
The last medieval capital
In the fifteenth century Despot Đurađ Branković established his seat on the Danube, at the mouth of the Jezava. The fortress combined the ruler’s residence, defenses and an enclosed settlement. Its triangular plan follows the ground between the rivers.
The fortress passed to Ottoman rule in 1459. The new authorities strengthened its defenses with polygonal towers. The surviving masonry lets visitors compare the original court enclosure with later additions.
Fortress and museum
Start with the Small Town, where the ruler’s court was located. The Large Town gives a sense of the scale of the fortified settlement. In the city museum, collections from prehistory to the twentieth century put the medieval period in a wider context.
Places of memory
The memorial complex brings together the medieval Church of the Dormition, a chapel associated with benefactor Dina Mančić and the ossuary of victims of the explosion of 5 June 1941. These sites belong to different periods of city history.
People of Smederevo
Đurađ Branković commissioned the fortress and established his court there. In a later period, Dina Mančić left property for education and support for young people. His chapel is part of the memorial complex.
A walk from the Danube
Begin with the fortress and its riverside setting, then continue to the museum. Make time for a separate visit to the memorial complex, where the church, chapel and ossuary can be read together.