Janković Tower

The Janković (also spelled as Jankovich) Tower, locally known as Kula (Stojana) Jankovića, stands in the hamlet of Islam Grčki, in the county of Zadar in Croatia.

In the mid-17th century, this area served as the border between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice. After the Turks were finally expelled, this tower, which had belonged to a Turkish landlord named Yusuf Aga Tunić, was granted to Stojan Janković by the Venetians in recognition of his services. Stojan was the commander of Morlach troops who had fought with distinction in Venetian service against the Ottomans. He then made it his family home and, in 1675, built the nearby village church. His descendants still own the entire complex.

The tower, sometimes called a castle because it is part of a larger complex with outbuildings, is a combination of a fortification and a residence. It obviously existed when it was awarded to Stojan in the mid-17th century, but I couldn't find out when it was originally built.

The Janković Tower remains partly a private residence today but is also used as a small hotel, so it is not freely accessible. A curious little tower.

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