Palace of Golubac Fortress

Abstract

The Golubac Fortress was built at the very entrance of the Iron Gates gorge, at the point where the Danube is the widest in its course and transitions into the narrow passage of the Carpathian Mountains. The fortress represented an important medieval military border stronghold, strategically constructed due to the military significance of the location. Because of its position, during the 14th and 15th centuries, bordering countries, Hungary and Serbia, and later the Ottoman Empire, fought to conquer the Golubac Fortress in order to gain control and power over the state border. There are no exact records of who and when initially built the Golubac Fortress. The first mention in written sources is from the year 1335, in a Hungarian charter from 1337, which states that the nobleman Nikola Banfi resided in Golubac in 1335. Until the dissolution of the Dušan’s Empire, Golubac Fortress status remains unchanged according to historical sources, and it remains in Hungarian possession. At the beginning of the 21st century, the town of Golubac was in very poor condition, neglected and inaccessible. Reconstruction of the entire Golubac Fortress began in 2011. The reconstruction was officially completed in 2019. However, some minor reconstruction and revitalization work is still ongoing today. The foundation of the Golubac Fortress was adapted to the terrain's configuration and consists of 9 towers connected by the ramparts and the Palace. As part of the restoration efforts, all the towers, ramparts, and the Palace were reconstructed. The paper depicts the reconstruction of the entire Palace, including its foundations and a new roof structure made of glued laminated timber.