Original scientific paper
The fortifications of Solin (II) The Venetian fortress at the bridge
Ivan Alduk
Abstract
The paper deals with the history of the lost Venetian fortress (kaštel) near the bridge in Solin, at the left bank of the lower course of the Jadro river. By combining written sources and presentations made in the 16th and the 17th centuries, reconstructed are the fortress construction, development and appearance. The fortress was constructed as a tower, probably around 1510, and annexed in the following decades, to have received also a fortified courtyard next to the tower, with an accommodation building for soldiers and stratiots. In 1571 the fortress was taken from the Venetian mercenary garrison by the Ottoman Turks,
who placed their garrison in it. The fortification was entirely or at least mostly destroyed during the Leonardo Foscolo's operations in 1647 that preceded taking of Klis in 1648, after 111 years of Ottoman rule. The Solin fortress was a fortress typical for the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Several of these have been preserved in Dalmatia, the closest analogies being found in some of the fortified mansions of Kaštela (Kaštel Kambelovac, Kaštel Novi, Nehaj) and farther on in the territory of Trogir (Seget-Malo polje, Marina). Construction of the tower, and then of the entire fortress by the bridge in Solin is to be related to the »tier«
of fortifying Venetian possessions in Dalmatia, that may be dated to the last three decades of the 15th and the early 16th centuries. To the growing Ottoman threat, the Venetian administration responded by numerous measures, including introduction of new military
services of scouts and spies, organisation of light cavalry – the stratiots, additional fortification of towns, building numerous sentry and watching posts. Yet, one cannot help the impression that the central government, unlike individuals (nobility and Church), was quite inert about securing its Dalmatian possession (at least in the vicinities of Split and Trogir).
The Solin fortification is among the best examples of this inertia.
Thus, the fortification was demolished as early as in the 17th century. In its stead left was a sort of representation of the Venetian government in Solin, till the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1789 (soldiers quarter and customs house). To this story relates the inscription that used to stand at or near the mentioned buildings, and speaks about reconstruction
of the old road (over the bridge) in 1744, at the time of the executive magistrate of Split, Zuane Pasqualigo.
Keywords
Solin; Jadro; fortress; bridge; Venetian Republic; Ottoman Empire; Zuane Pasqualigo
Hrčak ID:
215876
URI
Publication date:
30.10.2018.
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