The Fortifications of Kotor, Montenegro

© Slavica Stajić/500px

The Fortifications of Kotor, Montenegro

The many fortifications of the coastal city of Kotor start with a settlement built by ancient Greeks. In the 6th and 15th centuries, additions to the defences atop St. John mountain extended the ramparts, towers and turrets that are now a major part of Kotor’s identity as a city. Walk up the ramps and stairs that lead from the harbour to Kampana tower, seen here, and you’re walking through the city’s history. These centuries-old defences were so effective that the Axis forces were still using them to stave off an Allied invasion here during World War II.