In the heart of the Djerdap Gorge, where the Danube flows mightily through rocky canyons, stands one of the impressive monuments of the ancient world.
The road through Djerdap was completed in 103 AD, and this great endeavor was immortalized by an inscription on a plaque known as Trajan's Plaque (Tabula Traiana).
The "Tabula Traiana" is an inscription carved into the rock beside the Danube, in the Djerdap Gorge, 2.5 km upstream from Tekija. It is dedicated to the Roman Emperor Trajan and represents a part of the ancient monuments on the Roman road, including the remains of the bridge that Trajan built over the Danube.
Translated from Latin, the Trajan's Plaque reads: "Imperator Caesar, son of the divine Nerva, Nerva Trajan Augustus, conqueror of the Germans, the great pontiff, elected for the fourth time as a tribune, father of the fatherland, consul for the third time, carved the mountains and laid the beams from which this road was made."
In 1891, the inscription "TABULA TRAIANA" was added to Trajan's Plaque. Decorative rosettes, an eagle with spread wings in the middle, and two dolphins on the sides are preserved on the plaque to this day. Although it is impossible to approach it from the land, it can be observed up close during boat tourist tours that are regularly organized.
The construction of the Roman road and a large number of fortifications show the importance of Djerdap for the Roman Empire, up to the final conquest of Dacia at the beginning of the 2nd century. The construction of the road, which stretched along the Danube itself, was conditioned by the need for faster and safer navigation.
While the Djerdap Gorge bears witness to the power of nature, Trajan's Plaque also reveals the exceptional achievements of the Roman Empire that have left an indelible mark in history. These stones have become witnesses of time, conveying to us the story of magnificent roads that once connected empires and today remind us of ancient legacies.
Where is it located?
It is located within the Djerdap National Park, on a rock on the bank of the Danube in the Djerdap Gorge, 2.5 km upstream from Tekija.
How to get there?
Via Belgrade - Požarevac - Tekija (via Golubac, Donji Milanovac): road 34. Travel via the Djerdap highway M-25.
Via Belgrade - Paraćin - Kladovo - Tekija (via Zaječar): roads A-1, 36, 35
Via Niš (via Zaječar): road 35.
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