Fortress of Klis
The Klis Fortress (Croatian: Tvrđava Klis) is a medieval fortress situated above a village bearing the same name, near Split, Croatia. From its origin as a small stronghold built by the ancient Illyrian tribe Dalmatae, becoming a royal castle that was the seat of many Croatian kings, to its final development as a large fortress during the Ottoman wars in Europe, Klis Fortress has guarded the frontier, being lost and re-conquered several times throughout its more-than-two-thousand-year-long history. Due to its location on a pass that separates the mountains Mosor and Kozjak, the fortress served as a major source of defense in Dalmatia, especially against the Ottoman advance, and has been a key crossroad between the Mediterranean belt and the Balkan rear.
| Klis Fortress Tvrđava Klis | |
|---|---|
| Klis, near Split Croatia | |
Klis Fortress and the city of Split in the background. | |
Klis Fortress Tvrđava Klis | |
| Coordinates | 43.56°N 16.5235°E |
| Type | Fortification, mixed |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | List of rulers
1.) Small stronghold (Gradina)
2.) Royal Castle
3.) Fortress
Lands ruled by Louis in the 1370s.
4.) Major strategic value Klis Fortress in the 16th century.
5.) Lost its main strategic weight
6.) Abandoned as a permanent military outpost
|
| Open to the public | Yes
|
| Condition | Preserved, slightly renovated |
| Site history | |
| Built | Unknown, probably in the 3rd century BC |
| Built by | Small stronghold by Illyrian tribe of Dalmatae, later expanded mostly by:
|
| Materials | Limestone |
| Type | Protected cultural good |
| Reference no. | Z-4206 |