Fortress Baba Vida
   Photo: Baba Vida Fortress

Baba Vida - castle-museum, which in ancient times served as a safe city fortifications. The fortress is considered a key landmark of Vidin.

Scientists agree that the construction of the fortress began in X century, however, no information about a specific date has not been found.

Today, two of the buildings were fortified walls and four towers. Historians suggest that the size of the strengthening were once much more than Baba Vida in modern guise. This is due primarily to the fact that the fortress could withstand a siege lasting eight months, when the Byzantine army of Basil II in 1003 attacked the Bulgarian town. The invaders eventually conquered and destroyed the fortress.

Fortress rebuilt when the power was transferred in Vidin Ivan Sratsimir, one of the king's sons. It allows the Turks to equip garrison right inside the fortress Baba Vida Vidin for the salvation of the principality.

In 1396, the Turks attacked them smash the enemy, and then the Ottoman Empire takes away Sratsimir all the powers and puts them out of the city. So Vidin switches to the power of the Turks. During this period, Baba Vida continues to occupy a central place in many strategic plans not only to the Ottoman Empire, but also in Austria. This leads to conflicts between the two countries, seeking to divide the Bulgarian fortress.

After the capture of Bulgaria by Austria in 1689, the fortress was updated in accordance with the requirements of the era. But by the end of the XVIII century, with the loss of the fortress defensive value, its premises were used as a prison and storage (for supplies and ammunition).

In 1794 Baba Vida again proved to be an impregnable fortress and reliable: the right Vidin Turkish mercenary Pazvantaglu Osman decided to take the one-man rule over the city and the region opposing the Ottoman Empire. The fortress several times precipitated Sultan Selim III, but remained impregnable to his troops.

In 1885, the fortress withstood the last in his life the siege by the Serbs. In 1964 Baba Vida received the status of cultural monument of Bulgaria.

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