Medieval Fortification Walls

Novigrad is a small town on the west coast of Istria, built on a rocky promontory that was once an island, and the remains of its medieval walls are still the clearest sign of how it was defended. The sea surrounds the old town on three sides, and the walls follow the shoreline and cut across the neck of land on the fourth, so that a walk along them gives views over the water and the roofs at the same time. For the visitor, they provide one of the most pleasant short walks in the town.

The earliest defences date from the Middle Ages, before the arrival of Venice. A square tower of older date is thought to belong to an earlier period, and it remains among the surviving fragments. After the town came under the rule of the Venetian Republic in the later thirteenth century, the walls were rebuilt and strengthened, using local stone laid in rough courses and topped with crenellations, the notched battlements typical of medieval fortifications. Over the following centuries, the town was exposed to the conflicts between Venice and its rival Genoa, and in the fourteenth century, wars between the two maritime powers brought raids and sieges to the coast of Istria. As a result, round towers in the Renaissance style were added to give better protection against artillery, and the walls were adapted to new methods of warfare.

Only parts of the circuit remain today, but enough survives to give a sense of the scale of the defences. Sections of wall run along the waterfront, with stone ramparts, a few towers and gateways, and a castle-like complex at one corner, with high stone ramparts and a restored inner keep, recalls the military and administrative role of the town. From the higher sections, you look out over the bay, the harbour and the sea, with the line of the coast and the mountains of the Učka range in the distance. Some stretches have been turned into a promenade, which is listed in this guide, so you can follow the walls on foot, and in the evening, the sunset over the water is especially fine.

The walls are an open-air monument, free to visit at any time, though there are no staffed facilities and the paving can be uneven. Wear comfortable shoes and watch your step near edges. The walls are close to other sights in the old town, including the parish church of St. Pelagius and Maximus, the Venetian loggia and the Church of Our Lady, and the town has a small marina and waterfront restaurants where you can have lunch.

Allow about thirty minutes to an hour for a walk along the walls. They suit history lovers, photographers and anyone who likes sea views. Novigrad is also known for its fresh seafood and its calm, uncrowded atmosphere.