The old town of Novigrad used to be completely surrounded by defensive walls, but today only parts of the once solid walls have been preserved.

Novigrad was fortified in the thirteenth century with the coming of Venetian rule to power. In these turbulent times of conflict between the mighty Italian ports of Venice and Genoa for supremacy on the Adriatic, Novigrad was finally forced to recognize Venetian rule in 1270, and its fortification began shortly after.

The walls of Novigrad were the result of the hard work of Istrian craftsmen who built and maintained high walls of crushed stone using archaic methods. The walls were covered with crevices - a typical feature of medieval defensive architecture.

After construction, the walls were renovated several times and strengthened with round Renaissance towers. Next to the city gate, which was once the main entrance to Novigrad, a square tower dating from a somewhat earlier period has been preserved.

Interestingly, it is assumed that these medieval walls were built on much older foundations from antiquity.

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№5 of 18 places in Novigrad (Istria)
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