page_title: Fortress of Doboj
section_title: Construction
hierarchical_section_title: Fortress of Doboj / History / Construction
caption_attribution_description: English: The watchtower and lower fort
context_page_description: Doboj Fortress or "Gradina" is located in the city of Doboj, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Throughout its turbulent history, this magnificent object has been burned and ransacked at least 18 times as per official records. Of note is that Doboj fortress was considered to be a royal Kotromanic property, unlike Great Bosnian Duke Hrvoje's Zvecaj fortress or Sandalj Hranic's Blagaj fortress, which were centers of their respective dukedoms.
context_section_description: One of the most important defenses in the medieval banate/duchy of Usora, this large stone structure was built in the early 13th century on the site of an earlier, clay and wood-based structure from the 10th or 11th century. In the first period of its existence, from early 13th to about early 15th century (1415), the fortress was built in the Romanesque architecture style.
  Doboj fortress underwent a major reconstruction in the spring of 1415. While still retaining some of its original Romanesque elements, the fortress now displayed Gothic structure and had its large keep reinforced with thick walls - up to 3 feet or about 1 meter thick at the Eastern wall. Northern tower received an addition of a bastion/plateau with six cannon. The captain's tower was turned into even more dominating feature, a 5-stories tall donjon. Its perfectly square base and considerable height were not typical for Usora castles of the time. Moreover, additional outer walls were built around the original triangular core and three big towers (Northern, Eastern, and Southern Gate) have been strengthened as well. These towers strategically protected flanks of the fortress, hence rendering any idea of an attack a suicidal attempt. The Southern tower's walls, in particular, were changed into round shape in order to deflect cannonballs (circa 1370-1380s) and local captains at the time used Dubrovnik-made cannons, bombards, and balistas as the fortress' main defense weaponry. Since early 14th century, there was a small contingent permanently stationed at the fortress and it was armed with swords, lances, halberds, bows, crossbows, and later on, handguns. Much of the weaponry was locally made but finer equipment was imported from Germany, Venice, and Dubrovnik. The latter was known as Republic of Ragusa at the time and its merchants travelled and traded regularly throughout medieval Usora and Bosnia. Ragusan engineers also built the water cistern in the upper fort of Doboj.
  The fortress served as the focal point guarding the entry into Bosnia proper as it overlooks Doboj valley where Posavina flatlands gradually turn into hills and mountains of central Bosnia. Its strategic position controlled the roads leading north towards Croatia, east along Spreca river towards Region Soli and Drina valley towards Serbia, and south along Usora river and towards Bosnian mainland. The fortress frequently changed hands in the wars between Bosnia and Hungary from 13th through early 15th century. The town population lived in houses along several main streets huddled around the central paved square built in Mediterranean fashion and the size of this old settlement has not grown significantly between early 13th to mid 19th century. At the first signal of impending attack, the town population would leave Doboj settlement and seek safety in the fortress. The entire Usora region was rich in natural resources and due to its accessible location, constantly under the threat from northern Hungarian neighbor. Particularly notable battles in Usora, including Doboj, occurred in 1363, 1394, 1398, 1405, 1406, 1407, 1408, 1412, and 1415.
caption: The watchtower and lower fort
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