Few Croatian castles are as dramatically situated as Klis, whose battlements crown a thrusting rock just 13km inland from Split. Many visitors will recognise the fortress as a key location in fantasy series Game of Thrones, when its CGI-enhanced silhouette served to represent the city of Meereen.

Klis’s largely intact ramparts offer a fascinating opportunity to ramble around an almost complete fortress, complete with barrack buildings, armouries and a surviving sixteenth-century mosque, subsequently converted into a Christian chapel. The views of Split and the surrounding coast are breathtaking.

History

Built to control trade routes between the Balkan interior and the Adriatic coast, it was a key strongpoint for Croatia’s medieval kings. It is believed to have served as the court of ninth-century king Trpimir, and remained a crucial point in the defence of the Dalmatian coast.

Following the fifteenth-century Ottoman conquest of Bosnia, Klis fell to Ottoman forces in 1537, despite heroic efforts by defenders led by Petar Kružić. Consistently fought over, Klis was recaptured by the Venetians in 1669.

Practical Info

Daily 09:00 - 17:00

Tickets: €8

By car: Klis is just off the main road from Split to Dugopolje and the Dugopolje exit of the A1 highway.

By Bus: Bus #34 from Split goes to Klis-Megdan right by the fortress. Some (but not all) Split-Sinj buses pass through Klis village, just below the fortress.

tvrdavaklis.com