Besac Fortress
Tvrđava Besac
A small Ottoman hilltop stronghold above Virpazar with lake panoramas.
Built after the Ottoman conquest of Zeta in the late 15th century and later restored. The platform overlooks the village, channels and the lake.
How to Get There
On foot from Virpazar center ~8-12 min.
From TGD airport (Podgorica) by taxi/transfer ~27 min.
From TIV airport (Tivat) by taxi/transfer ~52 min.
Description
What is it
Besac Fortress crowns a hill above Virpazar, overlooking the Crmnica plain and the northern reaches of Lake Skadar. It has been a protected monument since 1957 (category III) and is easily reached from the Virpazar–Bar road via Sutorman.
Key features
- Irregular triangular enceinte with a rectangular core and two round towers – a typical lakeside redoubt.
- Dating is debated: most sources attribute it to the Ottomans shortly after 1478; another view points to a major 1847 rebuild under Petar II Petrović-Njegoš in response to works at Grmožur.
- Seized by Montenegrins in late 17th–early 18th c. fighting; later a guard post, a gendarmerie station between the wars, and a WWII prison.
- Restored in 2013 (EU-funded): walls, barracks and paths cleared; today it functions as a viewpoint with small display/visitor facilities.
- The toponym “Besac” is linked to Albanian besa – “pledge, trust”.
What to see
- Masonry walls and towers with multi-level walkways, and the barracks by the gate.
- Wide views over Lake Skadar, Virpazar and Crmnica from the upper platforms.
- On-site info panels on the restoration and historic fabric, old paving and paths.
History
Most researchers date Besac to the Ottoman period immediately after the fall of Donja Zeta in 1478; it changed hands in hard fighting at the turn of the 17th–18th c., suffering damage (episodes echoed in The Mountain Wreath).
Another strand holds that in 1847 Petar II Petrović-Njegoš substantially fortified or rebuilt the redoubt to counter the Ottoman fort at Grmožur, tightening control of lake routes. In the interwar years it housed a gendarmerie post; in WWII it served as a prison. A first restoration phase finished in 2013, reopening walls and viewpoints.
Practical information
Location: above Virpazar, spur off the Virpazar–Bar road (via Sutorman).
Getting there: drive to Virpazar and follow the sign to the fortress; on foot it’s a 15–20 min uphill walk from town.
Access: entry to the grounds per local schedule/management; parts of the ramparts are open as viewpoints.
When to visit: year-round in dry weather; summer can be hot.
Visit duration: 30–60 min for the climb and tour.
Best time: morning or golden hour for light and vistas.
Special notes: uneven stone steps and slopes; grippy footwear; limited railings.
