Fortress of Baba Vida
Baba Vida is a structure on the banks of the Danube River, almost the only model of European fort construction in Bulgaria. Most of the fortress has survived from the 14th century until our times.
History of the fortress
The place for the construction of the Baba Vida fortress was not chosen by chance, before the construction of the walls, a military camp of the ancient Romans was based here. Most of the historical information suggests that the fortress was laid in the early 10th century.
One of the very first buildings on the territory of the fort was the Bologna tower, made in the ancient Roman style, at present it is not in the best condition. A little in the best possible way came to us another tower dedicated to King John Scamir. The tower bears the name of the ruler, reaches a height of 16 meters and has an original architecture, thanks to which it enjoys the attention of tourists.
By the 13-14th centuries, the Baba Vida fortress was a reliable shelter, stone walls were built in 2 rows. There were 4 towers in the inner circle, and 9 in the outer. In the courtyard there was a fortified residence of the ruler and the church, and in the space between the walls there were various economic buildings. In the Middle Ages, the fortress was used, including for storing arsenal and ammunition. And during the Russian-Turkish wars, she performed a number of defensive functions. For some time they kept prisoners here, using the premises of the fortress as prison cells.
The Fortresses of Baba Vida, relatively lucky, due to her distant position, she was not destroyed during the Ottoman conquest. The fortress took its last battle in 1885, in defense against the Serbian troops. Military operations were led by commandant Uzunov. The forces were not on the side of the besieged, but courage and courage helped to prevail. Uzunov has since been declared an honorary resident of the city of Vidina.
Fortress today
Since 1964, the Baba Vida Fortress has been a monument of national importance. After global repairs, it was opened to the general public as a museum. Here you can see a large number of amazing exhibits from different times. And for the convenience of visitors, a stone bridge over the moat was specially erected. In the summer theater at the fortress museum, performances from the rich history of these places are played. From the walls of the fortress offers a beautiful view of the surrounding area.
The fortress of Baba Vida is protected by UNESCO as a monument of medieval culture and is very popular among residents of the city of Vidina and tourists who come to touch ancient history.
