Roman Well, Belgrade

The Roman Well was created to provide water for the city in 1717. Because Belgrade was often under siege, the Austrians, who occupied the fortress at that time, sought a way to reach water without going outside of the walls to the Danube river or the Sava river.

The creation of the Roman Well began with a wooden mechanism designed by Balthasar Neumann. A hole some 177-feet deep was dug with the belief that water from the Sava river would be found. When it was not, the well was transformed into a manually operated cistern.

It was originally called the Great Well but was renamed to Roman Well in the early 19th century when the city was under Serbian rule. This was because it was widely believed that all old structures in the area were Roman.

The well was made of wood, which caused it to rot and eventually deteriorate. The spiral staircase built into the well is still in place but due to safety concerns no one may use the steps or enter the well.

The Roman Well is located near the Pobednik and King's Gate.