Тврђава Авала (Гјузелџе) 15-18. век
Avala (Güzelce) Fortress, 15–18th centuries

Summary/Abstract: At the time of the first fall of the Despotate (1439–1444), beylerbey of Rumelia Hadım Şehabeddin Pasha built a fortress on top of the Žrnov mountain, near Hungarian Belgrade. The works began in May 1442 and ended by the end of summer, without obstructions by the Hungarians, whose army was engaged in struggles in Erdély. There had been no medieval fortress on Žrnov, as it was believed, but a new fortification was built on the remains of late antique or Byzantine structures. The fortification was of irregular, rhomboid shape. The north-western corner contained the main defence tower and other corners three semi-circular towers. Along the one on the south-east, there was a square tower – the gate. The Ottomans did not use the name Žrnov as it was difficult for them to pronounce the word that was incompatible with their highly vocal language. Instead, they named the mountain as Havâla and the fortress on top of it – Güzelce Hisâr or Güzelce. In time, the name Avala became commonplace for the fortress as well, fully replacing the original name by the late 16th century.

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