RITAM GRADA / RHYTHM OF THE CITY
to lose its defensive function and leading to its basements serving as a dungeon. This is also the source of the gate’s name, because ‘zindan’ means ‘dungeon’ in Turkish. Leo- pold’s Gate was built into the de- fensive wall erected in front of the gate, after which a gunpowder mag- azine was also constructed in front of the ramparts. Zindan Gate dif- fered from Belgrade Fortress’s old- er medieval gates, both in terms of its dimensions and the build- ing techniques applied, although today’s complex comprises various additions and alterations that have changed the original appearance to a great extent. The 1938 restoration works led to new changes in the appearance of the complex, and reconstruction works continue to this day, ensur- ing that the Belgrade Fortress will stand proudly over Belgrade for many generations to come. najvažniji prilaz Gornjem gradu Beogradske tvrđave The position of Zindan Gate today represents the second most important approach to Belgrade Fortress’s Upper Town Današnja pozicija kapije predstavlja drugi
tress’s Upper Town. Located to one side are religious buildings, Ružica Church and the Chapel of St. Pet- ka, the parish residence and baptis- mal font, while on the other side, in the stretch from Leopold’s Gate to Jakšić Tower, are cafés and a res- taurant, while Dizdar tower hous- es an observatory. Zindan Gate was erected in the middle of the 15 th century, during a period when the Ottoman Empire was constantly attacking the then Hungarian Belgrade. It was then the main ground entrance to the Upper Town. It represents a type of fortification that emerged during the transition from cold weapons to artillery. It has undergone nu- merous changes over the centuries, with the biggest reconstruction tak- ing place during the 18 th century’s Austrian restoration of the fortress. It was then that fortified walls were built in front of the gate, causing it
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