Sinj Castle

Sinj Castle, locally known as Utvrda or Tvrđava Sinj, and sometimes as Stari Grad Sinj, lies above the town of the same name, in the county of Split-Dalmatia in Croatia.

The first fortification on this hill was an ancient Illyrian hill fort called Osinium. Later, during the 6th century, the Byzantines had a fort here, called Asinio. A castle here was first mentioned in the 14th century.

In 1345, King Louis I of Hungary granted Sinj Castle to Prince Ivan Nelipčić. The Nelipčić family then made it their permanent seat. In the mid-15th century, the Ottomans began appearing in the area and unsuccessfully attempted to seize the castle several times. They finally succeeded in the 1510s. The Ottomans then adapted the medieval castle to their needs.

The castle remained under Ottoman control until 1686, when it was conquered by the Venetians. They reinforced and modernized the castle's defenses. In 1715, Ottoman troops attempted to retake the castle but were decisively defeated. Throughout the 18th century, they made multiple attempts to regain control but were unsuccessful. These attacks, along with several earthquakes in the same century, led to the castle's disrepair in the last quarter of the 18th century. As a result, its occupants gradually moved down the hill and built the present town, using the castle as a quarry for building materials.

In 1808, Sinj Castle was finally abandoned after being mined by French troops in retaliation for a local rebellion. Its ruined remains were further damaged by the 1898 Trilj Earthquake.

Due to these attacks, earthquakes, and mining, little of the castle remains today. Sinj Castle is freely accessible, and the castle hill is now a public park.

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