Smrdan grad, Stone fortress in Slivno, Croatia
Smrdan grad is a stone fortress on a hilltop in Slivno that features two towers with different shapes, built from local material. The complex reveals different phases of construction and offers wide views across the surrounding terrain on clear days.
The fortress was built in the 17th century as a military installation to control the coastal area and trade routes below. At that time, the location held strategic value for monitoring these important passages.
The name Smrdan, meaning "stinking", comes from the 1691 defeat of the Ottomans by a Venetian army led by Vule Nonković; the unburied human and horse corpses left such a stench that locals renamed the fort. Inside the walls stands a single-nave church built in the 18th century, first dedicated to St Roch and later to the Assumption.
The path to the fortress is marked and requires sure footing on stone surfaces, especially after rain. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and bring water, as there is little shade on the exposed hilltop.
On the hill above Smrdan grad, three concentric dry-stone walls enclose the Gradina fort, which dates from before the Roman period. From there the view takes in Ston, Pelješac, the mouth of the Neretva and the site of ancient Narona. Several stećci tombstones were also found near Smrdan grad.
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