Soko Grad, Medieval fortress in Sokobanja, Serbia

Soko Grad, also called Sokolac, is a medieval fortress 2 km east of Sokobanja. Its citadel stood on the highest part of the rock, with the lower town built on more accessible ground below. Only the first entrance tower of the upper town survives intact; the other towers and walls are ruined.

Emperor Justinian I established this fortification in the 6th century to protect the Balkan peninsula from invasions by Pannonian Avars and Slavs. The site served as a critical defensive point during the early medieval period in the region.

The name means Falcon City, stemming from medieval falconers who paid taxes using trained birds. This connection to falconry remains part of how locals understand the fortress's identity.

Access is via a marked path from the eastern part of Sokobanja that leads through forest terrain to the fortress. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear as the trail is uneven and includes steep sections.

The fortress was declared a Monument of Culture of Great Importance in 1982 and is protected by the Republic of Serbia. Its Serbian name, Soko Grad, means "falcon city", because the town's falconers paid their taxes with trained falcons.