Bastion Citadella (also known as «Macel» or «Citadel»), the remains of the southern part of the city fortifications in Herceg Novi, is located at the foot of the fortress Forte Mare. At the time of its functioning, it towered 8 meters above sea level. But unfortunately, the Citadel was destroyed in 1979 by an earthquake.
Today there is a project to reconstruct the Citadel, but due to lack of funding, it has never been realised. In summer, the remains of the 18th century fortress are used by tourists as an original sunbathing spot.
History of Citadella in Herceg Novi
The exact date of the first fortification construction on the site is not known, but research carried out in 1985 revealed that the first versions of this southern fortification of Herceg Novi date back to Stefan Vukčić Kosać in the 15th century. The Turks conquered the town in 1482 and began to use it as a forward defence post with guard posts and artillery positions.
The Venetians, who replaced the Turks in 1687, decided to improve the fortification by combining it with Forte Mare into a single defensive system. The modernization was completed in 1702, and as a result, the fortification acquired the appearance that it retained until 1979. Because of its crescent shape, it is also called Mezzaluna (Greek «crescent»).
In the 19th century, the Austria-Hungarian Empire, which replaced the Venetians, saw no military prospects in Mezzaluna (according to some reports, the new destination was a slaughterhouse). Instead, it was decided that a railway line should be built along the coast. To build the railway tracks, part of the rock on which the Citadella was supported had to be destroyed, effectively cutting a path through the fort, and the remains were connected to Forte Mare by a bridge in the northern part, which is still intact today. These actions further weakened the fortification walls, which were already not very strong.
Due to a lack of funds, the Citadel was never rebuilt, and in 1979 it collapsed in a massive earthquake that rocked the entire Montenegrin coast.
Today, only archive photos remind us of it, as well as the remnants of the walls, which are lapped by the waves of the sea.
How to get to the Citadel in Herceg Novi
You can get to the Citadel by walking down to the promenade from the old town of Herceg Novi or from the bus station. The entire descent takes no more than 10 minutes.
The timetable for intercity buses can be found here.
If you come in your own car, the nearest car park (for a fee) is here.
