Her Majesty – Klis Fortress

There are places in the world with a very intense history. Klis is one such place.
Uskoks, Turks, Romans, Venetians, the French, Illyrians, Mongols, dragons… The list is quite long.

Kliška tvrđava is one of the most significant fortresses in Croatia. Under the rule of the Trpimirović dynasty, Klis held the status of the centre of medieval Croatia. For centuries the fortress guarded the approaches to Split and Dalmatia. It sits in a strategic position, on a cliff in the middle of a pass that separates the mountains Kozjak and Mosor while connecting the Croatian interior with central Dalmatia. This is a place of indescribable heroism, where a handful of defenders were often exposed to attacks by great conquering armies.

This is the birthplace of the famous Uskoks and the wartime stage of many known and unknown great figures: Petar Kružić, Stjepan Sorić, Vuk Mandušić and many others. It is the place where even the invincible Mongol army was defeated when it tried to conquer the fortress during its pursuit of the defeated Hungarian king Béla IV.

Sieges sometimes lasted for decades, in a series of campaigns, so it is no wonder that some of them succeeded.

Exhausted by a siege lasting several decades, surrounded by a string of Turkish forts built for the purpose of the siege, and betrayed by the cowardice of the Habsburg army sent to its aid, the fortress finally fell in 1537. After that, control over it changed hands repeatedly — from Croatian, Turkish, Venetian, French and Austrian to Italian and German. The fortress was attacked and defended, demolished and rebuilt, which is still visible today in the different styles that intertwine within the three rings of its defensive walls. The last time it was used for military purposes was in World War II.

The fortress today

Today Kliška tvrđava is a monument to a glorious past, a viewpoint from which Split and its surroundings can be seen as if on the palm of your hand, a museum of Uskok heroism and a summer stage for cultural events.

Although it is impossible not to notice it from Split and its surroundings, many foreigners discovered it only through Game of Thrones, the popular series filmed at many locations in Dalmatia. In that series Kliška tvrđava briefly played the city of Meereen. The dragon scenes are among the most striking in that series.

To reach it, head from Solin along the “old road” towards Klis. Signposts are neatly placed along the road, so it is impossible to get lost. The approach to the fortress is from the north, and the main entrance is from the west. There is plenty of parking, spread across several locations.

As already mentioned, the fortress has three lines of defensive walls. Since they were built on a cliff, they did not need to be especially tall, so the fortress will not try to impress you in that respect — but that does not mean it lacks trump cards. The fortress has been nicely restored and has many hidden corners to explore. The aforementioned mixture of styles is a slight nuisance, but it is the result of centuries of intense use.

The museum exhibition is interesting, but relatively modest. The room dedicated to Game of Thrones is pitiful. It would be better if it did not exist at all. As a rule, we are not in favour of popularising our historical landmarks in this way, but if a decision is made to go for commercialisation of that kind, then it should be done properly.

Conclusion

The prominent position on which it was built and its exceptional historical significance make Kliška tvrđava an essential stop when visiting Split and this part of Dalmatia. Its brave garrisons earned the lasting gratitude of generations of people from this region and beyond.

On the other hand, the fortress itself, with its jumbled diversity of styles from countless restorations and additions, leaves a somewhat confusing aesthetic impression that will not fully “sit right” with many. The stands for cultural events certainly do not contribute to aesthetic harmony either. A positive example of repurposing a structure into a summer stage is undoubtedly St. Michael’s Fortress in Šibenik.

As for how well kept it is, Kliška tvrđava is one of the best maintained, but Sokol grad in Konavle has raised the bar so high that it is unrealistic to expect anyone to reach it.

In short, expect a fascinating introduction to the history of this place, fantastic views of Split and its surroundings — but leave your high aesthetic standards below the walls.