Many legends surround the Roman Well, one of Belgrade’s most mysterious attractions, built at the beginning of the 18th century, during the baroque reconstruction of the fortress. It is believed that it was constructed upon a much older one, two thousand year old Roman well, that served to provide water to the Roman castrum in case of siege.
Alfred Hitchcock visited the well in 1964 and said that an environment like that is always a treat for him.
The well is 51m deep (it’s bottom lies below the bottom of the nearby Sava river), with 3m in diameter and two spiral staircases that connect at the depth of about 35 meters forming a DNA-like shape.
The water in the well is incredibly clean, and is home to an endemic species of tiny crab that lives only there. The source of the water still hasn’t been clearly determined.
Due to high humidity levels, stalactites (cave decorations) have formed around the well.
Legends about the Roman Well
Legends tell of many curious stories, of traitors thrown and left to eat each other, rebels imprisoned by OZNA, Nazi treasure hunters whose bodies were never found, the communist secret service and a wife murdered by a jealous husband among many others.