Logo

Inner Stambol Gate

Blog

During the great reconstruction works on the fortress during the Austrian rule of Belgrade in 1717–1736, the fortifications of the southeast front were built on the basis of the design of the engineering colonel Nicolas Doxat de Demoret. During that time, the Stambol Gate — with its passages, side rooms, casemates and a facade bearing the stylistic features of the baroque — was built. According to the provisions of the Treaty of Belgrade, by June 1740 the gate of the Southeast Front was to be completely destroyed. From 1739 and the new Turkish rule in Belgrade, construction began on top of the destroyed Austrian fortifications, and so the Inner Stambol Gate was erected on the site of the Austrian Gate. The Inner Stambol Gate was the main gate in the direction of the Constantinople road in Turkish times. After handing over the keys to Prince Mihailo in 1867, the Serbian flag was flown alongside the Turkish flag at the Stambol Gate and the Turkish guard was replaced by a Serbian guard. After Serbia declared war on Turkey in 1876, the pillar with the Turkish flag was removed from the gate as the last symbol of Serbia’s vassal relationship with the Turkish Empire.