BAČ FORTRESS – Bač

BAČ FORTRESS – Bač

Bač, once a famous town, gave its name to the entire large, fertile plain between the Danube and the Tisa rivers, known as Bačka. The territory of the Bač municipality has, throughout various historical periods, been influenced by many peoples, cultures, and civilizations, traces of which can be seen everywhere. During the construction of Bač, remains of an ancient civilization dating back to the Neolithic period were discovered.

The first mentions of Bač and its surroundings in written sources date back to the time of Emperor Justinian, when the ruler of Constantinople and the Eastern Roman Empire referenced Bač in a letter from 535 AD. The Arab geographer and travel writer Idrisi completed his Geography in 1154, in which he describes Bač as an important and prosperous town, rich with merchants, artisans, and Greek scholars, hosting regular fairs. Ten years later, in 1164, during military operations between Byzantium and Hungary, Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos crossed the Danube at Bač.

In the 12th century, Bač experienced significant growth. During this period, a powerful fortress is first mentioned in written records, which underwent multiple destructions and reconstructions; its remains today remain a challenge for both historians and tourists. In the 14th century, frequent Turkish raids are recorded, and many campaigns against the Turks were launched from Bač. During the Battle of Mohács, Bač contributed cavalry. However, the Turkish advance could not be stopped, and in 1526, after the fall of Mohács and Belgrade, Bač was conquered. The fortress was then successfully defended for a long time by Despot Stefan Berisavljević.

According to some chronicles, on the site of today’s fortress, a wooden Avar fortification existed as early as 873. In 1241, the Mongols captured the fortress and built their own fortifications. The present fortress was constructed between 1338 and 1342, during the reign of Hungarian King Charles Robert of Anjou, when a rectangular tower significant for the town’s defense was built.

The fortress is situated on a small elevation relative to the town and was historically surrounded by water on all sides, specifically the Mostonga River, whose riverbed is still visible today. Access to the fortress was via a movable wooden bridge. After the Battle of Mohács in 1529, the town and fortress fell under Ottoman rule, becoming part of the Segedin Sanjak and the Buda Pashaluk. During the Rákóczi Uprising (1703–1711), the fortress was largely destroyed, damaged, burned, and permanently abandoned.

The fortress has an irregular pentagonal base. Its massive, damaged walls reveal four lateral towers and a central tower, the so-called donjon, which is 22 meters high and served as a key part of the defensive system and as a watchtower.

Bač Fortress stands as one of the most compelling witnesses to the rich historical past of the Bač municipality and is undoubtedly an exceptionally valuable monument of medieval culture.

 

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