Forte Mare Fortress
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A seaside fortress on the water’s edge with sweeping views of Boka Bay.
Forte Mare stands on the seafront, built on the site of medieval walls. From its terraces there are views over the bay and the harbour. It remains one of Herceg Novi’s main landmarks.
How to Get There
On foot from Herceg Novi center ~10-15 min.
From TIV airport (Tivat) by taxi/transfer ~24 min.
From TGD airport (Podgorica) by taxi/transfer ~88 min.
Description
What is it
Forte Mare (“Sea Fortress”) sits right on the waterfront of Herceg Novi’s Old Town. It was the key seaside strongpoint controlling the maritime gate since the 14th century.
Key features
- Built in the 14th–17th c. – part of early Novi founded by Tvrtko I in 1382.
- Venetian refit in the 17th c. – current name; main defensive role shifts to Španjola.
- Ottoman enlargements – biggest expansion, earning the nickname “Strong Fortress”.
- Austro-Hungarian phase – present silhouette and upgrades; in 1833 cement was first used here (later on Old Town façades).
- Adapted in 1952 as a summer stage – among the Adriatic’s oldest open-air cinemas.
What to see
- Sea Gate with early (“Bosnian”) fabric and an internal passage from the shore to the top.
- The spring at the base (drained by the Holy League in 1687) and a marble plaque with verses by Aleksa Šantić.
- Terraces and viewpoints above the promenade toward the bay entrance, Igalo and the Old Town.
History
The seaside nucleus rose in 14th–17th c.; the Ottomans greatly expanded it. During the Venetian conquest of 1687, Holy League troops drained the waterfront spring, hastening the city’s fall.
Under Venice the site took the name Forte Mare while core defence moved uphill to Španjola. The Austro-Hungarians gave it its present outline and used it as a communications hub; in 1833 cement was introduced here and then adopted on town façades.
In 1952 the fortress became a summer venue; for over six decades it has hosted open-air screenings and events, with seasonal public access to the terraces.
