Kaštelina Castle

Kaštelina Castle, locally known as Utvrda Kaštelina, lies near the village of Vir on the island of the same name, in the county of Zadar in Croatia.

Exactly when Kaštelina Castle was built is unknown. The island of Vir became property of the Republic of Venice in 1313. One theory suggests that the Venetians built the castle as early as 1347. Another, more widely accepted theory is that they constructed it in the 16th century to defend against Ottoman incursions. Yet another theory states it was built in the 1620s, based on the coats of arms of three Venetian general governors from that time displayed above the gate. Venetian rule lasted until 1797, but I suspect it had already been abandoned by then.

The castle consists of a single wall with two square towers and a gate, separating a small rocky promontory from the rest of the coast. There don't appear to have been any walls protecting the waterfront, so I wonder how safe it actually was.

Kaštelina Castle is freely accessible, a charming little castle in a beautiful seaside location. To reach it, you just need to walk about five minutes along a coastal path from Sapavac Beach.

Gallery