Spanjola Fortress
Tvrđava Španjola
Upper fortress on the hill with bay panoramas.
Built in the 16th century by the Spanish and later remodelled. Surviving walls and gates provide views over the town and the bay.
How to Get There
On foot from Herceg Novi center ~2-3 min.
From TIV airport (Tivat) by taxi/transfer ~25 min.
From TGD airport (Podgorica) by taxi/transfer ~89 min.
Description
What is it
Tvrđava Španjola is the upper fortress of Herceg Novi on Bajer hill (~170 m a.s.l.), commanding the entrance to the Bay of Kotor. Built by the Spaniards in 1538, it soon became the town’s key landward stronghold.
Key features
- Spanish origin (1538) under Admiral Andrea Doria; originally named after Emperor Charles V.
- Ottoman rebuilding (1539–1548) after Hayreddin Barbarossa retook the town – today’s core walls and layout.
- Four circular corner bastions and a massive enceinte controlling the harbor approaches.
- East main gate; Venetian updates on the south front; Ottoman details with mosque remains on the west.
- Former underground links to Kanli Kula and Forte Mare (largely destroyed today).
What to see
- Outer ramparts with four bastions and a Venetian semicircular wall forming an inner court.
- Traces of Ottoman fabric and later Austro-Hungarian additions.
- Wide bay-and-town vistas from the upper platforms.
History
Laid out by the Spanish in 1538 and named for Charles V, the fort was lost in 1539 when Hayreddin Barbarossa seized the town. The Ottomans rebuilt it on the same site (1539–1548), commemorated by an inscription above the gate.
After Venice captured Herceg Novi in 1687, the fort was modernized (new semicircular court wall, shifted access, mosque turned barracks). Austro-Hungarian adjustments followed in the 19th century. In the 20th century it lost military value; in WWII it served as a prison.
Практическая информация
Location: NE edge of the Old Town, Bajer hill, ~170 m a.s.l.
Getting there: on foot via stairways from town/seafront; limited car access to upper streets then a short walk.
Access: partly ruinous; wall/inner access varies with on-site restrictions.
When to visit: daylight for views.
Visit duration: 30–60 minutes.
Best time: morning or golden hour for light and bay views.
Special notes: sturdy shoes; beware uneven masonry, open edges and scree; respect any closures.
