- Address: Kotor, Montenegro
- Year of foundation: 1886
One of the most interesting fortresses in the Boka Kotor Bay in Montenegro is Gorazhda (Fort Gorazda or Tvrđava Goražda). It is beautifully disguised, so it is perfectly preserved to our days and amazes tourists with its perfect forms.
Historical facts
The Citadel was built on the orders of the Austro-Hungarian government at the end of the XIX century. It was a powerful and perfect strengthening of that era. In its construction, the latest achievements in engineering and military architecture were applied. Fort Horazhda in Montenegro was one of the supporting structures on the coast of Boki.
The main objectives of the fortress were:
- Observation of the coast and waters in the Tivat part of the bay;
- the conduct of military-defensive operations at great distances.
The name of Fort Gorazhda went on behalf of the hill, located at an altitude of 453 m, on which it was built. The Citadel has an unusual architecture, because it was remade in the XX century by the Montenegrins themselves.
Military power of the fortress Gorazhda
Inside the facility, guns were installed, having a caliber of 120 mm and covered with an armored dome. They were directed towards Budva and Kotor . They were moved along special rails in the horizontal direction, and in the vertical direction - using cables fixed in the ceiling.
It also housed the Gunsson gun (slightly similar to the UFO), which is a 3-meter cylinder with a rotating roof of a spherical shape. Armed with a construction of 2 barrels of 120 mm. Inside was a man who manages the construction, and brought her into motion 2 more soldiers. The range of the device exceeded 10 km. This is the only weapon of its kind that has survived to this day.
The outer part of the fortress
The fortress of Gorazhd in Montenegro has 3 floors and is almost completely hidden in the mountain. Its upper part merges with the local landscape. You can get to the fortification through a bridge, thrown over an anti-personnel ditch. Today it is a concrete slab, and in its original form it was a flip-top structure. Until now, only hinges designed for fastening cables have reached. In the ravine you will see 4 caponiers (loopholes) serving for defense.
In the courtyard, visitors can see the corridor. From its walls look pruned rods used for the gate. The passage itself has a curved shape, thanks to this it is impossible to see the entrance to the fortress of Gorazh from outside, and, therefore, it is not being shot.
The corridor ends with a bridge over the bridge, and the gate itself is located on an island that is also surrounded by a moat. On the doors there are lines dedicated to the people's leader Joseph Broz Tito, and the flag of Yugoslavia.
Description of the interior
Near the entrance to the fort of Gorazhda there is a stone spiral staircase leading to the inner rooms. The garrison of the citadel could hold simultaneously about 200 soldiers. At the top of the structure are 2 bunkers with different dates of the First World War. They were adjoined by small rooms, from which fighting was conducted.
On the lower floors of Fort Horaza in Montenegro is quite dark and damp. For this reason, you need to take a flashlight and waterproof shoes with you.
How to get there?
From Budva to the fortress you can reach by car along the Donjogrbaljski Put and No. 2 roads. The distance is about 25 km. The path goes up the serpentine, part of it passes along a very narrow ancient track. 5 km from the town of Kotor, there will be a sharp turn to the right, where there is a signpost for the village of Mirac. This road leads you directly to the fort.
The entrance to the citadel is free.