so a legend claiming that Maglič was built by Irene Kantakouzene, the wife of despot Đurađ Brank- ović, who was so hated by the peo- ple that they dubbed her Jerina the Cursed. However, experts reject this suggestion because it would mean that the fortress was built in the ear- ly 15 th century, while the first reli- able information on Maglič dates back to 1335. Before the castle emerged, the site was home to a fortification dat- ing back to the Byzantine era, most probably the 12 th century, the only discovered traces of which are two walls and part of one tower. Arch- bishop Danilo II restored the site by hiding the traces of Byzantine con- struction. Everything we see there today originated in the first half of the 14 th century. There is no infor- mation on how Maglič fell into Turk- ish hands, but it was annexed to the Ottoman Empire in 1459, immedi- ately after Turkish forces entered Smederevo and the entire Serbian despotate. Traverse the Valley of the Ages, clamber up to the proud Maglič, feel the harsh history under your feet and allow the scent of blooming li- lacs to enchant you forever.
Beograd
(magla) that ensure it sometimes seems like a citadel that‘s nei- ther in the heavens nor on earth, and which proudly re-
often descends on the entire area. The fortification itself consists of seven towers and is surrounded by thick walls, while it has an irregu- lar shape due to the uneven terrain. The citadel interior consists of two courtyards, a smaller and a larger one, which contains the remains of the church of St. George. The origins of Maglič itself are mysterious, because there are no his- torical records confirming when it was actually built. It is assumed to have been in the second half of the 13 th century, during the reign of King Uroš I, the son of Stefan the First-Crowned. After Mongol raid- ers burned down Žiča Monastery in 1241, the king ordered the con- struction of a fortress that would bring a halt to the enemy‘s advance towards Studenica and endowments in Sopoćani and Grac. There is al-
Maglič
counts the story of the heroism and magnifi- cence of Serbian knights. On a foothill of Stolovi moun- tain, just above the Ibar and twen- ty kilometres to the south of Kral- jevo, it stands monumentally as a fortress of historical and strategic importance. Maglič is reminiscent of a fairy tale castle, because it stands atop a hall, at an elevation of around 150 metres, while the Ibar forms a meander around it and encircles it on three sides. On the fourth side, a deep moat separates it from Stolo- vi. According to legend, the fortress was named after the thick mist that
Dolina vekova je mesto gde istorijski događaji često izgledaju kao bajka, a mitovi i legende liče na realna zbivanja actual historical events often look like something from a fairy tale, while myths and legends resemble actual events The Valley of the Ages is a place where
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