Original scientific paper
THE FORT KAMEN NEAR SPLIT
Duško Kečkemet
Abstract
The high and almost inaccessible rocky mass Kamen, lying to the east of the city of Split, offered refuge and shelter from looters to villagers living in its vicinity during the Middle Ages.
That outstanding strategical position played an important part in the course of wars being carried on between Venice and Turkey in the 16th and 17th centuries. The inhabitants from the vicinity had kept watch in the fort in the beginning, while later on its defence was entrusted to mercenaries from Italy, who surrendered to the Turkish forces during a Turkish siege in 1571. The Turks founded a settlement with a mosüue, erecting new forts, on the rock. The Venetian general Leonardo Foscolo recaptured the fort during the Candian war in 1647, causing the settlement and the fort to be levelled. A smaller unfortified settlement, built on the rock at a later date, was eventually abandoned.
There are a number of drawings and engravings showing the appearance of the settlement and forts on the rock of Kamen, e. g. the 1571 engraving by Camoti, the 1688 ones by Coronelli, the 1651 one shoving the Foscolo conquest, and the 1668 draawing by Santini.
The rock is now deserted and nothing has remained on it but the last traces of dwelling houses and fortifications, as well as numerous cuttings in the live rock, in places where buildings, walls, door sills, stairs, narrow streets, etc., once stood.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
161575
URI
Publication date:
24.12.1980.
Visits: 3.257 *