Kampana Tower
Kampana
The north-west bastion by the Škurda river.
The tower and adjoining walls control the harbor approach and a key bend in the ramparts. Rooftops of the Old Town are clearly visible from here.
How to Get There
On foot from Kotor center ~1-2 min.
From TIV airport (Tivat) by taxi/transfer ~13 min.
From TGD airport (Podgorica) by taxi/transfer ~60 min.
Description
What this place is
The Kampana Tower is the most prominent bastion of Kotor’s fortifications at the mouth of the Škurda River, tying the river-facing north wall to the western line towards the Sea Gate. It’s among the first landmarks visitors see when approaching the Old Town from the sea.
Key features
- Part of a ~4.5 km ring of walls – from the Sea Gate via Kampana and the North (Škurda) Gate up to the hilltop fortress (~280 m a.s.l.).
- Bell-shaped profile – a silhouette designed to deflect cannon shots.
- First built in the 13th–14th centuries, thoroughly rebuilt in the mid-16th century under Venice.
- Strategic node at the Škurda River – the moat at the base is fed by the river.
- Fortification scale: walls up to ~20 m high and ~16 m thick on the seaward side.
What to see
- The bridge by the North Gate – classic viewpoint of the bastion, the bay and the Square of Arms.
- The water-filled moat and the emerald Škurda beneath the walls.
- The link between Kampana and Bembo bastions and the wall line towards the Sea Gate.
History
The medieval circuit developed from early Middle Ages; Kampana took shape in the 13th–14th centuries shielding the vulnerable northern approach and the harbor. From the bastion, the walls climb to St John’s (San Giovanni) Fortress above the Old Town.
After rising Ottoman pressure in the early 16th century (notably the 1539 Siege of Castelnuovo), the Venetians reinforced Kotor: the Bembo Bastion and North Gate were finished in 1540, the Sea Gate in 1555, and Kampana was upgraded. The Ottomans never took Kotor.
In modern times the defenses became part of UNESCO listings: since 1979 within the “Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor,” and since 2017 within the serial “Venetian Works of Defence.” Today the bastion is beautifully lit at night and remains a signature Kotor view.
Practical information
Location: north-west corner of Kotor Old Town, by the bridge over the Škurda River, next to the North Gate.
How to get there: 5–7 minutes on foot from the Sea Gate along the waterfront and wall; 2–3 minutes from the cruise quay to the bridge by the tower.
Access: free exterior access; upper levels via interior stairs may be closed at times.
Visiting hours: exterior viewing 24/7.
Visit duration: 10–20 minutes.
Best time: early morning or late evening; night floodlighting after sunset.
Special conditions: surfaces can be slippery after rain; best photo spot is the bridge by the Škurda (North) Gate.
