Roman Well and Clock Tower

The Roman Well and the Clock Tower are two separate monuments in the Upper Town of Belgrade Fortress at Kalemegdan, in the Stari Grad area of Belgrade, Serbia. Despite its name, the Roman Well was built during the Austrian rule of Belgrade in the first half of the 18th century, when engineers deepened an older shaft to supply the fortress with water during sieges. The well is about 51 metres deep and is reached by a long stone staircase of spiral form that descends to the water level, where visitors see the cold interior, the masonry lining and a small display. The legend tying it to Roman times and to the Roman camp of Singidunum is popular but is not supported by the architecture. Visits must be announced at least 24 hours in advance with the fortress management. The Clock Tower, which rises about 27 metres, stands over the Zindan Gate and dates from the 18th century, with its present clock mechanism from the 19th century. It was part of the Ottoman additions to the Upper Town, and the Habsburg period reshaped the surrounding gates. Visitors can climb the internal stairs to a viewing gallery with a long view of the fortress, the park, the Sava and the New Belgrade bank. The tower and well stand a short walk from each other near the Zindan Gate and the Inner Stambol Gate, and both belong to the same ticketed visitor route as the other facilities of the fortress. Cannon, stone gates and fortress walls surround both monuments, and the area around them forms the oldest part of the Upper Town. The structures have been repaired and conserved several times in the 20th and 21st centuries, and both are protected as part of the Kalemegdan cultural monument.