# Ulcinj Castle > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ulcinj_Castle > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ulcinj_Castle.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulcinj_Castle > Source revision: 1350514196 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Castle in Ulcinj, Montenegro Ulcinj Castle Ulcinj, Montenegro Castle of Ulcinj Site information Type Castle Owner Ulcinj Municipality, Private owners Open to the public Yes Location Ulcinj Castle Coordinates 41°55′26″N 19°12′05″E / 41.923834°N 19.201355°E / 41.923834; 19.201355 Site history Built by Illyrians and Greeks In use Historical site, Private properties Materials Stone Events Skena verore, Panairi i Librit The **Ulcinj Castle** ([Montenegrin Cyrillic](/source/Montenegrin_Cyrillic_alphabet): Калjаја; [Albanian](/source/Albanian_language): *Kalaja e Ulqinit*) or **Ulcinj Old Town** ([Montenegrin Cyrillic](/source/Montenegrin_Cyrillic_alphabet): Стари град Улцињ / Stari grad Ulcinj; [Albanian](/source/Albanian_language): *Qyteti i vjetër i Ulqinit*) is an ancient [castle](/source/Castle) and neighborhood in [Ulcinj](/source/Ulcinj), [Montenegro](/source/Montenegro). Today it is mostly inhabited by [Albanians](/source/Albanians), it was built by the [Illyrians](/source/Illyrians) on a small [peninsula](/source/Peninsula) at the right side of the Pristan Gulf, which is part of the [Adriatic Sea](/source/Adriatic_Sea). Today, oldest remains are the [Cyclopean Wall](/source/Cyclopean_masonry). The castle has been restored many times since it was first built although major changes were made by the [Byzantines](/source/Byzantine_Empire), [Serbs](/source/Serbian_Empire), [Venetians](/source/Republic_of_Venice), and [Ottomans](/source/Ottoman_Empire). The modern city of [Ulcinj](/source/Ulcinj) was built outside of this castle. ## Characteristics Ulcinj Castle The Tower of Ballshaj/Balšić. [Church-Mosque](/source/Church-Mosque_of_Ulcinj) Weapon storage Castle walls Old Town as seen from south Ulcinj's Old Town' is one of the oldest urban architectural complexes on the [Adriatic Sea](/source/Adriatic_Sea). The castle, which some believe resembles a stranded ship, and the surrounding areas have flourished for about 25 centuries. Through the centuries, a variety of cultures and civilizations melded together. The Old Town represents a [cultural](/source/Cultural) and [historical](/source/Historical) monument of invaluable significance due to its [Illyrian walls](/source/Illyrian_civilisation), its citadel, the network of streets, the markets and town squares. It was built 2,500 years ago under economic, military, and cultural conditions quite different from those of today. The town's walls were often destroyed in wars, and just as quickly rebuilt by residents to keep their fortresses and residences safe. In doing so, they also preserved the beauty of this ancient town. Old town has picturesque narrow and curved streets typical of the Middle Ages, densely packed two- and three-story stone houses decorated with elements of the [Renaissance](/source/Renaissance_architecture) and [Baroque](/source/Baroque_architecture), and finally a series of valuable edifices from the [Ottoman](/source/Ottoman_Empire) time. The oldest remnants of the walls date back to the [Illyrian](/source/Illyrians) period. In the 6th century, the town had two gates: the lower (eastern), which can be reached from the sea-side and the upper (western), which can be reached from land.[1][2] ## The Tower of the Balšić The Tower of the Balšić, ([Serbian Cyrillic](/source/Serbian_Cyrillic_alphabet): Кула Балшића, [Albanian](/source/Albanian_language): Kulla e Ballshajve) located on the upper, highest level is a citadel-fortress with a tower that dominates the old town and the surrounding countryside. It is connected to the last representatives of the [Balšić dynasty](/source/Bal%C5%A1i%C4%87_noble_family), a wealthy family from the [Shkodër](/source/Shkod%C3%ABr) area (today Albania, in that time Zeta), who had made [Ulcinj](/source/Ulcinj) their residence by the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th centuries. Later the Ottomans built the third floor of the Balšić Tower as well as the spherical dome on the ground floor. This magnificent edifice has a view of the sea from three sides. It is considered to be one of the most representative edifices of medieval architecture in [Montenegro](/source/Montenegro). These days, it is used as a gallery or a location for organizing poets' nights. ## The Palace and the Court It is believed that the castle was the residence of the [Venetian administrator](/source/Republic_of_Venice) for Ulcinj in the Venice Palace. Because of its beauty and convenience, subsequent rulers also used this building as their court. During Ottoman occupation of the town, these edifices were used as residence of the local ruler. Not far away from the Palace of Venice, on the southern level of the Old Town, is a beautiful edifice called Kulla e Balshajve. Kulla e Balshajve has a square structure called *Fusha Qehajes*. Qehaja comes from the Turkish word "Çehaja" which is a military rank. Both of these edifices are used now as luxury accommodation for visitors to Ulcinj. ## The Town Market In front of the [Church-Mosque](/source/Church-Mosque_of_Ulcinj) in the Old Town is a small square, that used to be town market ([Albanian](/source/Albanian_language): *Pazari Qytetit*, [Montenegrin](/source/Montenegrin_language): *Gradska pijaca* ), surrounded by arches. Ulcinj became a significant slave market from the middle of the 17th century. Most of the slaves in Ulcinj came from Italy and Dalmatia and were captured by Ulcinj pirates, who robbed people in the rich villas along the coast of [Apulia](/source/Apulia) and Sicily, captured them, and sold them as slaves. The Ulcinj pirates treated the slaves like convicts and did not use them for any kind of work. Instead they were kept as hostages while a ransom was demanded from their relatives, friends, or countrymen. They had to make it possible for the "slaves" to send messages to their homes or relatives so that they would come to offer the ransom. From the middle of the 18th century demand changed and the [courtiers](/source/Courtiers) began to look for slaves from Africa. They would later have been sold again or brought to Ulcinj, where they might soon become free citizens and work in agriculture or seafaring. A small community of their descendants still live in Ulcinj. ## The Water Cults There has always been a water cult in Ulcinj. It is believed that the image of [Bindus](/source/Bindus_(Illyrian_god)), the [Illyrian God](/source/Illyrian_Religion) of water and the sea, was carved into the walls of the Old Town. Many [fountains](/source/Fountain) were built not only for people's use, but also for the souls of the dead. Legend has it that it was better to build a fountain than a sacred building, thus, at one time, Ulcinj had more than thirty fountains, only half of which remain today. Fountains were built as endowments (*[vakf](/source/Vakf)*) by individuals. They were made of stone and decorated with an incised *tarih* ("date" in Turkish)[3] – the year of construction. The fountains in Ulcinj decorate the town with their beauty. They were harmoniously adapted to the environment where they were built. The inscription contains the name of the benefactor who built the fountain, usually with a wish and message that those who would get the *nafaka* ("compassionate allowance" in Turkish)[4] – a chance to take just a sip of water from it, say a prayer for him, and wish him a place in wonderful [Jannah](/source/Jannah). The fountain in the Old Town was built in 1749-50. Water was taken from 600 metres north-west of the fortress, near a place called *Javor*. At this place there were a number of reservoirs where rainwater was collected which would then be used by the citizens of the Old Town if there was a siege. *Kroni i zanave* – "fairy's water", located on the north-western side in the [Valdanos](/source/Valdanos) grove is the fountain most frequently sung about in Ulcinj. There are a lot of stories and legends about this beneficial and marvellous water. In the Ulcinj olive groves there are ten more nicely made water springs: Begov, Mustafës, Doçinës, Salkikinës, the Sailor's etc.. In the pine wood is the famous [Ladies Beach](/source/Ladies_Beach%2C_Ulcinj) with its [sulfur](/source/Sulfur) springs, which are supposedly an elixir for barren women. Physicians from the [former Yugoslavia](/source/SFR_Yugoslavia) used to recommend that children with asthma should walk in the Ulcinj Pine Wood in the morning and rinse their throats with sea water. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Stari grad Ulcinj](https://www.montenegro.travel/objekti/stari-grad,-ulcinj), montenegro.travel 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Tvrđava u Ulcinju](https://web.archive.org/web/20200216214912/https://waytomonte.com/rs/p-941-fortress-of-ulcinj), waytomonte.com] 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Google Translate"](https://translate.google.com/#tr/en/tarih). Retrieved 27 January 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Google Translate"](https://translate.google.com/#en/tr/compassionate%20allowance). Retrieved 27 January 2016. Ulcinj Municipality Town Ulcinj Kalaja (Old Town) Çarshia Villages Ambula (Amull) Bojke (Bojk) Brajše (Brajshë) Bratica (Braticë) Darza (Darzë) Fraskanjel (Freskanjel) Donja Klezna (Këlleznë e Poshtme) Donji Štoj (Shtoji i Poshtëm) Gornja Klezna (Këlleznë e Naltë) Gornji Štoj (Shtoji i Epërm) Kodre (Kodër) Kolonza (Kollomzë) Kosići (Kosiq) Kravari (Kravar) Kruče (Krruç) Krute (Krythë) Krute Ulcinjske (Krythë e Ulqinit) Lisna Bore (Lisna Borë) Mide (Millë) Pistula (Pistull) Rastiš (Rashtishë) Reč (Reç) Šas (Shas) Štodra (Shtodhër) Sukobin (Sukubinë) Vladimir (Katërkollë) Zoganj (Zogaj) Geography Lakes Lake Šas Rivers Bojana Islands Sveti Nikola Stari Ulcinj Ada Bojana Beaches City Beach Long Beach Ladies Beach Valdanos Landmarks Museum of Local History Clock Tower Mosques Sailor's Mosque Kalaja Mosque Pasha's Mosque Kryepazari Mosque Lami Mosque Bregu Mosque Namazgjahu Mosque Hotels Hotel Mediteran Sports clubs FK Otrant OFK Federal KK Ulcinj RK Ulcinj Sports grounds Stadion Olympic Stadion Safari Events Ulcinj Municipality Day --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ulcinj Castle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulcinj_Castle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulcinj_Castle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.