Ribnica (fortress)

Ribnica Рибница
Podgorica, Montenegro
Ribnica Fortress rarely seen covered with snow
Ribnica Рибница
Coordinates	42°26′20″N 19°15′33″E / 42.438999°N 19.259127°E / 42.438999; 19.259127
Type	Fortress
Site information
Open to the public	Yes
Site history
Built	15th century
Materials	Limestone

The Ribnica Fortress (Serbian: тврђава Рибница, romanized: tvrđava Ribnica) is an historic Ottoman fortress located in the Stara Varoš neighborhood of Podgorica, the capital city of Montenegro.

The fortress was built in the late 15th century (around 1477), during the period of Ottoman reign. It was built above the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers, and was one of two fortresses surrounding Stara Varoš.^[1]

For a long time, Depedöğen (Turkish; Serbian: Депедоген, romanized: Depedogen) was used as an ammunition warehouse. It was severely damaged in 1878, when a lightning strike triggered an explosion which destroyed a large part of the fortress's interior and exterior.^[2]

It is believed that the fortress stems from the 12th century and that it is the birthplace of Stefan Nemanja, the founding father of the Nemanjić dynasty. Therefore, many call the fortress Nemanjin Grad or Nemanjića Grad ("Nemanja's Town" in Serbian), and Orthodox ceremonies are often held at the location.^[3] The name Nemanjin Grad for this site is believed to have originated with King Nikola of Montenegro, who popularized this name upon freeing Podgorica from the Ottoman Empire in 1879.^[4]