Fortress of the Holy Cross (Tvrdava sv. Kriza) description and photos - Montenegro: Perast (Topic)

Fortress of the Holy Cross (Tvrdava sv. Kriza) description and photos - Montenegro: Perast. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Tvrdava sv. Kriza.

Photo and description

Since Perast is located in a strategically important place - directly opposite the Verige Strait, which unites the bays of Tivat and Risan, its owners, and they were Venetians in the 16th century, had the idea to use this town for the protection of the Bay of Kotor. The strait at that time was blocked by a rope so that no ship could pass into the Venetian waters. But these precautions were not enough, so a powerful fortress was laid on the Kashun hill above Perast, named after the Holy Cross.

The place for the fortress was not chosen by chance: in the 9th century there was already a church with the same name. The advantages of this site were obvious: it guaranteed an excellent view, which allowed controlling the bay and guarding the city under the hill. Some historians suggest that the new fort was named very symbolically - and it had nothing to do with the old church. As you know, on the flag of the Venetian Republic, in addition to a lion, a cross was depicted. Therefore, in this way the owners of Perast emphasized their dominance in the local area.

According to archival data, the fortress was erected in 1570. At the beginning of the next century, they decided to rebuild the fort, strengthening its fortifications. Venice did not want to spend money on modifying the fortress, so all the care of the repair fell on the shoulders of local residents. To collect the amount necessary for rebuilding the fortress, a new tax was announced, which, of course, caused unnecessary gossip in Perast. The fortress of the Holy Cross was ruled by a castellan who had a small detachment of soldiers at his disposal.

The fortress was abandoned in 1911. The fort is now in ruins. On its territory you can find the oldest four-storey building of the 16th century and part of the protective walls on the western side, which were added later.

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Topic: Fortress of the Holy Cross (Tvrdava sv. Kriza) description and photos - Montenegro: Perast.