Knin Fortress

Knin Fortress, Tvrđava Knin, is one of the largest defensive complexes in Europe, a sprawling set of walls, towers and gates that caps the hill of Spas above the town of Knin. Built up over centuries by the medieval Croatian kings, then held and extended by the Ottomans and the Venetians, it commands the whole of the surrounding valley and the rivers that meet below it.

The fortress was a key seat of the medieval Croatian kingdom, and in the 11th century King Dmitar Zvonimir held court near here. In more recent memory it was a Yugoslav army base and a focal point of the 1995 military operation that ended the war in the region. Today it is a visitor site, partly ruined and partly restored, with the walls, the main keep and the open parade ground inside.

It is less visited than the coastal fortresses, which is part of the point; the interior is vast and you can walk most of the circuit. The view from the top over the Krka headwaters and the mountains is the real reward.

For photographers, the walls against the wide valley are the shot. Bring water and shoes for the uneven stone, and combine it with the upper Krka waterfalls, which begin not far from the town.

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