The plaque is inscribed in Latin and refers to Trajan as 'Germanicus' and 'Pontifex Maximus'.
The original Roman road structure at the Iron Gates utilized a wooden cantilever system supported by holes cut into the rock face.
The monument was preserved during the 1960s dam construction through an international rescue operation, though many other Roman sites in the gorge were permanently flooded.
The text on the plaque explicitly mentions the construction of the road and the conquest of Dacia.
The plaque is sheltered by a modern protective roof, added after its relocation, to shield the ancient stone from weathering.
Trajan's Plaque (Tabula Traiana) is a Roman memorial tablet carved directly into the cliffside overlooking the Danube River near Tekija, Serbia. Originally commissioned by Emperor Trajan around 100 AD, it commemorates the completion of a military road carved through the Iron Gates gorge. The plaque serves as a permanent record of the engineering feats required for Roman legions to march toward the Dacian Wars. It remains accessible primarily from the water, as the original land-based road was submerged following the construction of the Iron Gates I Hydroelectric Power Station in the 1970s. The monument was physically relocated and elevated by approximately 50 meters in 1969 to prevent its destruction during the river's rising water levels. It is one of the most significant epigraphic relics of Roman presence in the Balkans.
From the deck of a boat positioned directly in front of the cliff face.
The site is best viewed via a boat excursion from Tekija or Kladovo.
Bring binoculars to read the Latin inscription clearly from the deck of a boat.
Visit during calm weather as the Danube can become choppy, potentially interrupting boat access.
Attempting to reach the site by hiking along the cliffside, as the terrain is unstable and there is no accessible trail to the plaque.
The site is effectively closed during winter months or periods of high water levels when boat tours are suspended.
