Kladovo

Kladovo lies on the Danube near the Iron Gates, where the river passes through a narrow gorge before reaching broader lowlands. The Danube linked settlements along its banks, while currents and constricted channels made navigation demanding.

In 1524 the Ottoman commander Bali Bey built the smaller fortress of Fetislam on the river near Kladovo, providing a base for campaigns against Hungarian-held territory. A larger outer fortification was added during the Austro-Ottoman conflicts of 1717–1739.