May 26, 2026
Tvrđava Klis (The Fortress of Klis) has a history of more than 2.000 years, beginning with the Illyrian tribe called Dalmatae that used it as a stronghold before it was taken by the Romans. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the site became a seat for several Croatian kings.
Later, the Klis Fortress was pivotal in defending the Balkans against the Mongol siege and, later, the Ottomans in the 1500s.
Klis Fortress is one of the most valuable surviving examples of defensive architecture in Dalmatia. The fortress is a comprehensive structure with three long rectangular defensive lines, consisting of three defensive stone walls, which surround a central strongpoint. The structures of the fortress are mostly irregular, as they were constructed to suit the natural topography. Several small towers top the hills around Klis, built by the Turks to keep the fortress under surveillance.
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An oprah tower is a medieval tower considered the most important defensive stronghold of the western part of the fortress. From this position, it is possible to see all three parts of the fortress. Below the tower are the first defensive walls, and on the other side, the third entrance. If the attackers were able to win the first defensive fortifications, the defenders would retreat to the next. Each subsequent fortification wall is in a higher position, so the attackers were an easy target for the defending shooters. The fortress was never conquered.
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