Smederevo, a fortress on the Danube downstream from Belgrade, was built between 1428 and 1430 during the reign of Despot Djuradj Brankovic, the last of medieval Serbia’s rulers. The fortress encircled by crenelated walls and towers, was for a long time the last bastion against the Turkish assault. Smederevo Fortress is a monumental complex built in the Byzantine tradition and modeled after Constantinople fortress.
The fortress is encircled by 1.5 kilometers of crenelated walls over 2 meters thick, and 25 towers which are each approximately 25 meters tall. Two sides were bordered by the Danube and Jezava rivers, though the Jezava has now been redirected away from the wall. The third side had two moats added to the defensive system, one for the small town and one for the suburb.
The main tower is well preserved and an inscription on it mentions Despot Djuradj and the date of its construction. Smederevo fortress suffered severe damage to its towers and walls during World War II, when a big ammunition depot exploded within its walls in 1941, and from bombing in 1944.
The fortress has been the focus of restoration and conservation efforts, followed by archaeological and architectural research, since at least 1970. The majority of work so far was done between 1970–1995.
The fortress is currently used as a city park, and occasionally hosts festivals, concerts, fairs, and other cultural events.