Zakrjan Tower (Zakerjan Tower)

Zakrjan Tower is one of the towers in the medieval fortifications of Korčula's old town, and it stands on the northern side of the walls, facing the channel between the island and the Pelješac peninsula. Korčula Town occupies a small peninsula, and its walls and towers formed a continuous ring of defence in the fifteenth century, when Venice ruled the island and the threat of Ottoman expansion and sea raiders was real. Zakrjan is a semicircular, half-cylindrical tower with battlements, and it is also called Berim, since local towers were often called after families or individuals associated with them.

The tower was built in the early 1480s, in the period of the Venetian doge Giovanni Mocenigo, whose coat of arms is displayed on the walls. The master mason in charge of the work was Marko Andrijić, a member of the famous Korčula family of stonecutters and builders who worked on many fortifications and churches in the Adriatic and beyond, and whose skill with limestone is evident here. On the north face, you can see the Venetian coats of arms of the governor and the doge, and on the south face is another coat of arms, belonging to the Tiepolo family. These carved shields are reminders of how Venetian rule was expressed in architecture, and they invite you to read the tower as a document in stone.

Defensively, the tower was designed to defend the sea approach to the town, with a solid base and a crown of battlements from which defenders could fire. It formed part of a system that included the larger Revelin tower at the land gate and smaller towers along the walls. The stone is the pale local limestone, which turns golden in the evening light.

Today the tower has a more leisurely role. A bar occupies the building and a terrace on top, reached by a staircase, gives a view over the roofs of the old town and the water. Sitting there with a drink at sunset is one of the most popular things to do in Korčula, and the experience combines medieval architecture with a modern sense of leisure. The bar's hours depend on the season, and it can be crowded in summer, so arrive early to find a seat.

The tower sits on the circuit of the walls, and the nearby sights, including the Kanavelić Tower, the Land Gate and Revelin Tower, the West Gate and Marco Polo House, are listed in this guide. Allow half an hour for the tower and the terrace. It suits history lovers, photographers and anyone who enjoys a drink with a view.