Spanish Fortress

Hvar, Croatia

The Spanish Fortress (Španjola) was built at the beginning of the 16th century (during the Venetian rule) and was reconstructed in 1579. Today the fort holds a collection of amphora and other exhibits from antiquity and the Middle Ages. Besides experiencing its exquisite architecture, you will experience an unforgettable panoramic view of the city of Hvar, its surroundings and the Pakleni islands.

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Address

Ulica Biskupa Jurja Dubokovica 80, Hvar, Croatia
See all sites in Hvar

Details

Founded: 16th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Croatia

More Information

www.visit-hvar.com

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Hvar Cathedral (0,3 km)
Franciscan monastery (0,7 km)


Cathedral of Saint Domnius (37,1 km)
Diocletian's Palace (37,1 km)
Venetian Castle (37,1 km)
St. Martin's Church (37,2 km)
Trogir Cathedral (41,1 km)
Historic City of Trogir (41,1 km)
Kamerlengo Castle (41 km)
Split Archaeological Museum (37,9 km)
Mirabella Fortress (36,3 km)

User Reviews

Rajko Keravica (4 months ago)
Would recommend. Its not big, but surely it is interesting. There is also underneath it a path that you can walk and see various species of plants. Although this road leads to the walls and the doors, these are locked, so be careful not to make a wrong turn, there are sings drawn on pavement. Up in the fortress there is a cafe and a small prison wich was really cool to see. Grab your self a combo ticket for a theatre wich is located in the city, which really pays off.
Tito Lins e Silva (4 months ago)
Small tour but totally worth it. Amazing view from the city and the pakleni islands and great story behind the fortress itself and the shipwrecks nearby.
Pedro Valle (4 months ago)
To be very honest, the fortress itself is lacking of luster, but the views are to die for.
Igor Filko (4 months ago)
Genuine fortress with high walls, lookouts, cannons and dungeon. Real old but taken care of and provides a great view of the city. Hot as hell since there is no shade except in the dungeons which are fairly cool in contrast. Remarkable how small the cells in dungeons are. You would want to avoid getting jailed in those times. Small museum on site. Displayed several items from the sea floor which went down with some galleons and merchant ships hundreds of years ago. Something to visit.
Elliot Wasow (5 months ago)
Cool fortress with nice views over Grad Hvar. The prison cells were really haunting.
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Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus, is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

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