Novigrad Castle

Novigrad Castle, locally known as Utvrda Novigrad or by the generic name Fortica, lies above the village of the same name, in the county of Zadar in Croatia.

There probably already was a fortification at this site since the time of the ancient Liburnians. The fortification was also used by the Romans. In 1220 the old Roman fort was rebuilt and named "Castrum Novum" or "Fortica". It was again rebuilt in 1282 and turned into a formidable stronghold by a local magnate to protect his interests in the area.

In 1386, during a rebellion, Mary, Queen of Hungary and Croatia, was imprisoned in Novigrad Castle, together with her mother Elizabeth of Bosnia. Mary was liberated after an Ivan of Krk, with the help of a Venetian fleet, had taken the castle after a siege. Her mother Elizabeth had already been strangled a couple of months before.

Novigrad was under Venetian control by 1409. During Venetian rule the castle was strengthened further.

In 1571 a large Ottoman force besieged Novigrad astle unsuccesfully. Later, in 1646, during the Cretan War, the Ottoman Empire shortly managed to capture the castle, only to lose it to the Venetians again already the next year. It remained a Venetian possession until 1797 when it was occupied by Austrian troops.

When the castle was abandoned and fell to ruin, I don't know.

Novigrad Castle is freely accessible. A nice castle ruin in a quaint village.

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