Tabula Traiana Archaeological Site

Address: Tabula Traiana site, Đerdap National Park vicinity, near Kladovo, Serbia

Admission: Free

The Tabula Traiana is a Roman commemorative inscription carved on a rock face in the Iron Gates section of the Danube in present-day Serbia. It dates to the early 2nd century AD and marks imperial engineering works associated with Emperor Trajan.

The tablet is a single carved relief on the river cliff and is most easily seen from the river; boat excursions in the Đerdap/Danube Gorge provide close views. The feature is not a building but an archaeological monument tied to Roman infrastructure in the region.

Commissioned during the reign of Emperor Trajan, the inscription commemorates construction of a military road and river works associated with the Dacian Wars. It has been documented since antiquity and remains one of the region’s notable Roman-era artifacts.

Carved into the rock above the Danube in the Đerdap (Iron Gates) area of central Serbia, the tablet sits on the river’s edge within a steep gorge on the Serbian side of the border with Romania.

• River-side inscription: The inscription commemorates a Roman-era construction project and is carved into the rock face above the Danube gorge, visible from boats on the river.

The site is near the town of Kladovo. From Kladovo, drive or take a local taxi east along the Danube road toward the Đerdap gorge; parking near the viewpoint gives access to the cliffside. Several viewpoints along the national park road provide vantage points for the inscription.

• Stand on the Serbian bank near Kladovo for the clearest view and best photos of the inscribed plaque.
• Visit in late afternoon for oblique light that brings out the carved letters.
• Combine the visit with the nearby Đerdap National Park viewpoints along the Danube.