Кнежевина/Краљевина Србија и питање уређења Ђердапа
Principality/Kingdom of Serbia and the Question of Arrangement of Iron Gates

Summary/Abstract: The question of the Iron Gates was an important part of the overall foreign policy of the Principality/Kingdom of Serbia in the second half of the 19th century. After the Paris Congress of 1856 expanded the provisions regarding the freedom of navigation on the Danube, this river gained an increasing importance. The dominant position on the Danube was occupied by the Austro­-Hungarian Monarchy, which – in order to make better use of the Danube waterway, aimed to get a mandate to arrange the Iron Gates at the London Conference in 1871. The Iron Gates was the hardest part of the Danube for navigation. Since the Principality of Serbia had an entire Danube bank, its voice had to be heard in terms of its arrangements. Serbian diplomacy and support of the High Porte spoiled the Austro­-Hungarian plans. However, in the new circumstances at the Congress of Berlin, Austria­Hungary was given a mandate for the execution of works at the Iron Gates. Serbia had to agree with that even in the Andrassy­-Ristić text of the Convention. By the mandate given to it in 1878, Austria­-Hungary implemented the works from 1890 to 1895. It built several channels, implemented hydraulic engineering projects and set up signal stations, which were to ensure greater bandwidth and safer navigation through the Iron Gates. The most important object of the regulation works was the Sip channel. The opening ceremony was attended by the rulers of the three coastal states in the Iron Gates. The Iron Gates set up in the late 19th century lasted until the construction of the hydropower and navigation system Iron Gates in the second half of the 20th century.

• Details
• Contents