Kovin Fortress

Kovin Fortress sits on a steep rocky ridge at 698 meters elevation and overlooks a deep gorge carved by the Lim river. Stone staircases carved directly into the rock connect multiple terraces throughout the ruins, forming a vertical path down the slope.

The fortress first appears in written records in 1448 and 1454, when it served as a border post under the rule of Stjepan Vukčić Kosača. During this period it functioned as a strategic stronghold to protect the surrounding territory and control passage through the river valley.

The name may derive from Latin "caput" meaning head, referring to its prominent hilltop position in the landscape. People built multiple levels into the steep slopes, adapting the fortress to the natural rock formations they found here.

The best way to explore is to descend from the top using the carved stone stairs which provide a secure route through the ruins. Sturdy footwear is important since the ground is uneven in places and can be slippery, especially after rain.

Archaeological excavations near the fortress have uncovered remnants of the Vinča culture dating to the Neolithic period. This discovery reveals that people inhabited this location for thousands of years before the medieval structure was built.