Fort Nutjak on its cliff above the canyon of the Cetina River near Trilj

Castle & fortressDalmatia

Fort Nutjak: the cliff fortress above the Cetina canyon

Fort Nutjak (Nutjak) is a late medieval fortress on a cliff above the right bank of the Cetina, about 3 km downstream from Trilj. A large round tower dominates the ruins, and the site marks the point where the river enters its canyon. It is a quiet off-the-path stop in the Dalmatian hinterland, linked to Poljica, the Ottomans and Venice.

Locals in Trilj and Gardun simply call it “Kuletina”, the big tower. Its builder offered it for sale to Venice three times, yet seems to have kept it until his death.

WhereOn a cliff above the Cetina, about 3 km downstream from Trilj, Dalmatia

TypeLate medieval fortress, now a ruin and a protected archaeological site

Best forOff-the-beaten-path history lovers, short walks, canyon views

Getting thereBy a path that branches off the Trilj–Bisko road at the fourth kilometre

The history of Fort Nutjak

Nutjak stands at the start of the Cetina gorge downstream of Trilj, on the historic boundary between the old Croatian county of Cetina and Poljica. According to archaeological research, the fortress appears to have been built on a prehistoric site.

It was built in the 15th century, most likely at the order of Žarko Dražojević, duke of the Poljica Republic. His aim was to protect the lands west of the Cetina from Ottoman incursions. The importance of the fortress is shown by the decision of Pope Innocent VIII to finance its maintenance in 1492, the year of his death.

Dražojević offered Nutjak for sale to Venice in 1499, 1502 and 1504, but apparently kept it until his death in 1508. Sometime before 1513 the Ottomans took it. Venetian sources mention a garrison of twenty to thirty lightly armed soldiers under a dizdar, part of the Sanjak of Klis and subordinate to the kadi of Imotski.

The people of Poljica regained the fortress in March 1685, at the start of the Morean War. By the Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699 Nutjak was assigned to Venice, while the opposite shore of the Cetina, with Fort Čačvina, stayed under Ottoman rule. The fort soon lost its strategic role, since the Venetians had built a small fort called Guardia at nearby Gardun, and its defensive importance faded further after the Ottomans were expelled from Imotski in 1717. By the early 20th century it lay in ruins.

The earliest known description and sketch of Nutjak were made in 1688 by the Venetian cartographer Vincenzo Maria Coronelli. Protective archaeological work has been carried out since 2006, and the remains have been conserved.

Curiosities about Fort Nutjak

Residents of Trilj and Gardun call the fort simply “Kuletina”. Its other recorded names include Nutiak, Nućak and Noćak.
Its builder, Žarko Dražojević, offered it for sale to Venice in 1499, 1502 and 1504, yet apparently still held it until 1508.
Pope Innocent VIII decided in 1492, the year of his death, to finance the fortress's upkeep.
The site seems to have been used long before the 15th century: archaeological research suggests a prehistoric settlement here.
The first known drawing of Nutjak was made in 1688 by the Venetian cartographer Coronelli.
Next to the fort today runs a bridge over the Cetina carrying the A1 motorway.

Tours near Nutjak Fort

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

GROUP/ PRIVATE Walking History Tour of SPLIT with Daniela

★ 5 (211 reviews) · 2 h

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Full-Day Private Boat Tour of Elafiti Island from Dubrovnik

★ 5 (209 reviews) · 8 h

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Private Walks & Storytelling - the best small group tour in Split

★ 5 (208 reviews) · 1 h

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Private Boat Tour to the Elafiti Islands with Atlantic Marine

★ 5 (200 reviews) · 4 h

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Visiting Fort Nutjak

The path to the fort leaves the Trilj–Bisko road at the fourth kilometre. Croatian Wikipedia gives the climb as about 15 minutes.
A large round tower of partly dressed stone blocks bound with plaster dominates the complex.
The main entrance in the west wall survives for about 7 m in length and 4 m in height. Inside is a small courtyard with several rooms of irregular plan, whose purpose is still unclear.
Foundations of other buildings can be seen on terraces south of the tower, and an approach road runs to the north-west.
No facilities are mentioned in the sources, so go prepared. Nutjak is close to Tilurium, about 2 km away, and Čačvina Castle, about 7 km away.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.