The Danube through Serbia

The Danube, Europe’s second largest river, has always fascinated men. It is not surprising that many of the first European cultures such as those at Vinča or Starčevo, were formed on its banks. The Danube’s course presses on from the Black Sea directly into the heart of the Old Continent and has therefore been the communication line between civilizations for centuries. Describing the known world in the 5th century B.C., the Greek historian Herodotus concluded that Istros (i.e. the Danube) is the largest river of all and that it is evenly abundant in water both in summer and in winter. At the beginning of the 1st c. AD the Romans conquered its right shore and saw it as a protective border between the civilized and the barbaric world. One century later Emperor Trajan led his army to the conquest of Dacia (present day Romania) along the first road built through the Iron Gates Gorge and then across the bridge, a magnificent structure designed by the ingenious Apollodorus of Damascus. This bridge has been highly praised and noted as one of the world’s wonders. Pliny the Younger made the most impressive quote when he praised this powerful river by saying: “Magnum est stare in Danubii ripa” (“It is magnificent to stand on the banks of the Danube”), an experience shared by many to this day.

Today we know that the Danube is not the largest river in the world, but it certainly is the most important river in Europe as it connects the southeast with the centre and, after the opening of Rhine-Main Canal, it is now also connected with the North Sea. For any lover of river cruising, especially for the owners of boats and yachts, the Danube represents the ultimate pleasure as it runs through different states and landscapes with dazzling contrasts.

The part of the Danube which runs through Serbia is 588 km long and it is exactly in this part that the river becomes wildly potent. The calm passage of the flow through the Pannonian Plain rapidly turns into the rough wilderness of the Iron Gates Gorge.

Through the Plain of Vojvodina

The Danube River enters Serbia at its 1488 kilometer, at the point where the state borders of Hungary, Croatia and Serbia meet. In this part, the Danube has all the features of a lowland river. In many places it still floods when the water level is high and meanders making numerous sandbars, armlets and oxbows. These places present unique natural oases with various plant and animal species. Along the course of the Danube through Vojvodina there are several large hunting and fishing grounds offering an insight into a world different from the tamed and bountiful countryside that surrounds it. Most people come here to observe rare bird species or to hunt prime specimens of red deer and wild boar. The most significant natural resources are: the National Park “Fruška Gora”, Apatin Fenland, Karadjordjevo, Petrovaradin–Kovilj Fenland and the Deliblato Sands. Most of them can also be reached by boat by winding through a maze of armlets. Vojvodinian towns are a mixture of cultures and religions that can be best observed by noting all the churches of various religious denominations. Novi Sad is the charming capital of Serbia’s northern province with an immense Petrovaradin fortress, the largest on the Danube.

From Belgrade to the Iron Gates

Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, is situated at 1170 km of the Danube’s trajectory. It is one of the oldest European cities and certainly one with a most tempestuous past. A striking feature is its extraordinary geographic location at the mouth of the Sava River into the Danube, on the main roads connecting Central Europe with the Middle East. On the shores of Belgrade there are numerous natural, and several man-made beaches, pleasant picnic areas and an uncountable number of private barges and boat-restaurants. Above the confluence of the two rivers rises the Belgrade fortress around which many nations and armies fought bloody battles. It dates back to the days when the Celts lived here and its history reflects the whole history of this part of Europe. Past the hilly countryside around Grocka one reaches Smederevo with its impressive 15th c. fortress, the last stronghold of medieval Serbia. Not far from it are the grounds of the Roman town Viminacium, the seat of one of the legions guarding the Empire’s border.

Through the Iron Gates Gorge

The Iron Gates Gorge (in Serbian Djerdap) is the largest river gorge in Europe. By definition, it stretches from the village of Vinci in front of Golubac (1048 km) to the village of Kostol, across the river from Turnu-Severin (931 km). In front of Golubac and its captivating fortress, the Danube reaches its maximum width of an incredible seven kilometres. The Gorge is composed of several spectacular ravines, the first being the Golubac Ravine followed by Gospodjin Vir, Kazan (at the river’s narrowest point of just 150 m) and, in the end, the Sip Ravine. Due to its specific geological, hydrological and archeological features, as well as the rich flora and fauna to be found here, the Iron Gates Gorge has been proclaimed a national park. The once wild waters roaring across the dangerous crags sticking out of the water that filled all but the most experienced captains with fear are today quite calm. This was achieved through the construction of the “Djerdap I” dam 35 years ago. The dam created a considerable rise in the level of the river especially at the narrowest and once most dangerous points. On the other hand this led to the submerging of many coastal villages as well as several towns. The most famous archeological sites thankfully escaped this destiny as they were raised on higher positions inland. In this way the traveller can still admire the Trajan’s Tablet commemorating the termination of the construction of the road through the Gorge and the Lepenski Vir settlement where Europeans created their first sculptures some 6000 years ago.