Mamula island history. What to see in Montenegro? Fortress island Mamula - a place that attracts photos and film cameras

There is a mass in Montenegro interesting places, and there are simply not many old fortresses! We went to the island-fortress Mamula on a rented boat from the pier in Herceg Novi. But the alluring fortress turned out to be almost impregnable, it was already very stormy, they did not come out on the beret. But in this report I will show her not only outside, but also inside, plus old pictures and excerpts from films that were filmed here.

Mamula is located between two peninsulas: from the side of Montenegro - Lustica, from the side of Croatia - Prevlaka. This is an uninhabited island in the Adriatic, the diameter of the fortress is 200 meters, its height is 16 m. The island is covered with low shrub vegetation and some kind of huge cacti. From the town of Herceg Novi it is 6.3 km away.

I will show you on Google Maps de it is exactly located. Above - Herceg Novi, on the right - Tivat, Kotor and other cities, and below the dot at the phrase "Boka Kotorska" - this is the island of Mamula. Note that on the left the spit is already Croatia, a visa country in "floating" availability.

Of course, we asked our skipper how the Croatian border guards were there, how much they were watching the borders, he assured that no - if you wish, you can safely go to visit without a visa. And opposite the island there is a wonderful Zanjice beach. This is an amazing place to relax with emerald water! It is from here that it is better to take a boat. The photo shows the Croatian peninsula of Prevlaka with fortifications.

The fort appeared in 1853, it occupied about 90% of the island's surface area, and it was ordered to build by the general of Austria-Hungary - Lazar Mamula, in honor of him the fortress acquired its name, and the island itself is called the Swallow. Together with the fortifications on Prevlaka and Lustitsa, both of which were erected at the same time by the Austro-Hungarian general, the Mamula fort was necessary as a barrier to the enemy's entry into the Bay of Kotor.

To the left of the boat is an impregnable coast and a sailboat

During the Second World War, from May 30, 1942, the fascists from Italy, on the orders of Mussolini, turned Mamula into a concentration camp. The fort became a place for brutal torture of prisoners. Now a memorial plate reminds tourists of the prison.

And now a small digression - I will show the places from which they sailed and through which they sailed. After all, the landscapes in Montenegro are breathtaking at every step! Approximately from this place in the photo we set off from Herceg Novi, we found the boatman trivial - they approached and asked, after all, in November they do not hunt for tourists, since there are almost none ...

We sail on the sea and see how Boca leaves in the direction of Djenovici, Zelenika, Biela, Kotor, Tivat ...

We are all moving away from Herceg Novi, watching how gray clouds want to swallow mountains.

Our goal is close! The sailboat there also suffers from the coast :)

The island after the collapse of Yugoslavia was the subject of a dispute between Montenegro and Croatia. Although culturally and historically it belongs to Croatia, and until 1947 it was in the Dubrovnik cadastre, but ... closer to Montenegro, so the island now belongs to Montenegro. Over the years, it began to collapse, although they talk about restoration, but no one invests money, spiral staircases, a bakery, a headquarters tower and loopholes have been preserved here.

And now I will show you old photographs. Several shots of Mamula, taken in March 1919.

And a top view. There was less vegetation then ...

There is a fortress similar to Mamula in the United States of Alcatraz, here too for a long time there was a prison, there was even Al Capone in it, and over time it became a museum. ... And the history was preserved by the Americans, and tourists, culturologists, the same historians are attracted in large numbers. And in Montenegro, the authorities do not think about preserving cultural and historical values - they want to lease the island for a hotel ...

And now about the movie! The first film "Campo Mamula" was filmed here in 1959 by Velimir Stoyanovich. He talks about the events on the island during World War II, about how the fort was converted into a concentration camp. Here's a short excerpt.

In the fall of 2013, a horror movie was filmed on the island-fortress !!! Filming lasted only 15 days :) Director from Serbia - Milan Todorovic. Here is a thriller ad poster

The plot is banal, but the ending is striking: Two American tourists come to rest in Montenegro at the invitation of a friend. After resting for several days, they decide on a trip to the Mamula fortress, which is notorious. In the fortress, they find a mysterious fisherman who is holding a beautiful girl in captivity. The tourists set her free, but soon they see that this is by no means a beautiful girl, but a siren who is not averse to tasting the blood of her liberators.
The premiere of "Mamula" is very soon - on March 8 in Belgrade. The best gift for a girl on an international day is to take her to a Serbian thriller :)

Balkan ethnostop, conducted under the leadership of A. Lebedev, also did not bypass Mamula. Its members went there inside. Watch from 1:15. But do not pay attention to the subjective opinion of Artemy about Montenegro (in which there is nothing to do)

And this is my video, taken from a boat that November day.

With a fascinating history. Once upon a time the Austrians were the owners here, and the island bears the name in honor of General Lazar Mamula.

Lastavitsaor Mamula?

The island is a relatively small piece of land with a diameter of no more than 200 m, located southeast of the city of Igalo (it is possible to bypass it all in no more than 20-25 minutes). It blocks the entrance to the bay, therefore it was of extremely strategic importance from the outset.

At a time when there was no fortress on the island, it was called Lastavitsa - "the island of swallows", later Lazar Mamula - one of the Austro-Hungarian generals gave the order to build a fort here in order to be able to protect the entrance to the bay from the sea.

From that moment on, the island was named similarly to the fortress - Mamula (at the present time, sea maps call this land area the same Swallow).

The garrisons hiding behind the walls of the fort could perfectly repel all attempts to attack by any enemy from the sea (the fortress occupied 90% of the entire area of the island).

However, according to the words of local residents, not a single shot was fired from the side of the fort. Perhaps this explains the fact that the fortress reached our times in almost the same state as it was (with the exception of the impact on it of time).

It was an ideal fort post: from it, both land and sea were extremely visible. Due to the favorable location between the two states, the fort almost completely blocks the entrance to the bay, which is why it was simply impossible to get there, bypassing the island with the fortress. And very few people even tried to do it.

In addition to the strategic defensive function, during the I and II world wars, the fortress was an excellent fortification. And during and after the Second World War, a concentration camp was set up here.

Alas, the walls of the fort did not always protect their people. There is an opinion that freedom fighters were once imprisoned and tortured here.

Mamula island in the cinema

In 2014, Serbia filmed a thriller about the island under the same name "Mamula" (the title was "Rusalka"). The plot of the "horror story" consisted in the hunt for the guests of the island by the guardian, who guarded the peace of the mermaid (according to the film, her habitat was underground fortress caves).

An excellent film for those who want to tickle their nerves. At first, tourists eager to visit these places, before visiting the island, were directly asked to watch a film for some mystification of this amazing place.

Since it came to horror stories, it is impossible not to note the legend of the dead tourists on this island, who allegedly fell into the wells located between the thickets, and from which there is no way out.

There is no direct evidence of this, but this story is always told to tourists and travelers to warm up the excitement and delight of visiting these places. Well, and awaken vigilance and attentiveness when moving around the territory!

An uninhabited island in the modern era

Now the island of Mamula - no one lives there (except for animals and abundant vegetation). The spirit of the Middle Ages still reigns here. There is also a headquarters tower, loopholes, you can look at the bakery, walk along the spiral staircases.

The pier, alas, is destroyed, but curious tourists and travelers are still happy to come here on excursions one day, because the fortress is not closed to the public. Also, artists come here for creative inspiration.

The area is densely covered with ivy and agave. Passing cruise liners are sure to moor to the island. Anyone who has ever been here will forever be fascinated by rocky shores, stunning beauty pebble and clear water of incredible blue color.

It is also worth a visit because of the annual and world famous mimosa festival, which takes place throughout the entire winter month. This is truly an unforgettable sight!

The very same Mamula fortress is now considered one of the largest fortifications of Austrian origin in the Adriatic. It is remembered for its monumentality, precisely thought out forms, functionality and well-calculated buildings.

The state protects it as a cultural monument. There are plans to increase the tourist inflow here by creating a historical museum, a tourist complex or a mini-hotel, but so far all this remains in theoretical plans.

November 2013

There are many interesting places in Montenegro, and there are simply not many old fortresses! We went to the island-fortress Mamula on a rented boat from the pier in Herceg Novi. But the alluring fortress turned out to be almost impregnable, it was very stormy, they did not go to the beret :)

// sasha0404.livejournal.com

We sail on the sea and see how Boca leaves in the direction of Djenovici, Zelenika, Biela, Kotor, Tivat ...

// sasha0404.livejournal.com

We are all moving away from Herceg Novi, watching how gray clouds want to swallow mountains.

// sasha0404.livejournal.com

Our goal is close! The sailboat there also suffers from the coast :)

// sasha0404.livejournal.com

If you move from Adriatic sea towards the Bay of Kotor, then on the way you will meet a small town called Mamula. Administratively, it is part of Montenegro, and territorially it is located on the border of Montenegro and Croatia. For many years, the two states have not been able to divide this small island.

Mamul Island is uninhabited, which makes it especially attractive for tourists.

Mamul Island

Scenic views from the island. On the one hand, you can see the Croatian horizons, on the other - the Adriatic Sea and the Bay of Kotor. On the island there is ancient fortress built for defensive purposes. General Lazar Mamul was the initiator of its creation. Local residents report that not a single shot was ever fired from it, which is probably why it has survived to this day in its original state. During the world wars, in the Mamula fortress there was a camp for prisoners of soldiers.

Mamul Island is round, its diameter is about 200 meters. Despite the fact that excursion trips to the island are not organized, there are always a lot of curious tourists on it. Getting there is very difficult if you don't have your own boat. Many tourists were able to visit this wonderful island by agreeing to rent a boat from private individuals.

The island is really very small, you can get around it completely in twenty minutes. The island is uninhabited, not many animals live on it, but it is rich in vegetation. The most common plant on the island is ivy, which has infested all other trees on the island. Among the animals of the inhabitants of the island of Mamul, lizards and seagulls are distinguished.

Despite its small size, the island has several beaches. One attracts with pebbles, the other - with rocky mountains. Each of them is good in its own way: on a pebble beach you can sunbathe in the sun and swim in the sea, on a rocky beach you can admire the beauty of mountain landscapes.

Having visited the uninhabited island of Mamul, you can feel like a real traveler, explorer or even Robinson Crusoe. It is often visited by couples in love who want to arrange a romantic getaway.

On one of the beautiful sunny days of rest in Montenegro, in Herceg Novi, I decided to go on a boat trip to the Zanice beach. The excursion program, in addition to contemplating the wonderful Montenegrin landscapes, included a visit to the famous blue cave and the Mamula fort.

I went on a boat trip quite spontaneously. I saw a boat on the pier, which went to the Zhanitsa beach (the round trip cost 5 euros), I thought, why don't I go there, it's all entertainment!

If you are planning to go, it is better to come a little early before departure, around 9-45. Small boats were packed with about 40-50 people, and if you come early there is a chance to take good seats.

How to find the pier from where boats leave for the Zanitsa beach (with a visit to the Blue Cave, Fort Mamula): in Igalo there are 2 berths: near the Obala restaurant, and near the La Bamba beach. From Herzig Novi, boats leave from the pier near the Skver beach and from the central pier. There are quite a lot of boats, they leave as they fill up. The excursion starts at 10 (and some even from 9-30), return at 16. The time for departure is different for everyone (from 16 to 18). That is, you will return on the same boat that you will sail there.

By the way, you can visit the blue cave and the Mamula fort as a separate boat trip from Herceg Novi. But the price will be higher than when sending from Zanitsa beach.

Having paid the coveted 5 euros, I settled down comfortably in the boat, observing the seascapes. Sailed by beautiful mountains Boka Kotorska Bay, coastal towns, Croatia could be seen in the distance. Having skirted the Lustica peninsula, we sailed past beautiful rocks and small islands, on which formidable fortresses and monasteries are located. From Herceg Novi to Zanitsa beach, sail for about 20 minutes.

During the trip, the captain immediately tries to sell a trip to the blue cave and Mamula fort (for an additional 5 euros). Usually it happens like this: the captain will drop off all passengers on the Zhanitsa beach, and those who paid extra will be transported further. Imagine: you have been sailing on a boat for 20-30 minutes, you are hot, you want to swim (by the way, it can get a little seasick), and then for about an hour you will be taken to other attractions. Therefore, you should not rush: right after a sea trip, it is better to relax on the beach. And after a couple of hours go for additional impressions.

Boats from Zanitsa beach leave on this route every half hour.

I have visited Zanice beach on the Lustica peninsula twice. Once it was not very successful (as there was a storm and had to quickly return to Herceg novi), but the second trip was a success. You can read more about Zanitsa beach here.

It is easy to spend a whole day on Zhanitsa. There are numerous cafes on the beach, an olive grove, an old church. If you go up the path from the pier, you will have gorgeous views of the bay. But in my opinion, the best time to send back - 16-00. Since after 16 the temperature drops and swimming is no longer very comfortable.

Arriving by boat to Zhanitsa, I had a good rest, had a swim. And then, when I got bored, I went on a boat trip to see the sights.

Several notable islands are located right next to the Zanitsa beach. At the nearest one there is an old monastery Holy Mother of God... A little further off there are two Forts, one of which is Mamula.

But first, our captain took us to the blue cave.

Blue Cave (Plava? Pilja, Blue Grotto) in Montenegro

The Blue Cave (Plava Shpila in Montenegrin style) is a natural landmark of Montenegro. It is a large grotto with an area of approximately 300 square meters. The height of the vaults is 25 meters. The Blue Cave has 2 entrances through which boats are constantly arriving.

The Blue Cave is called because on clear sunny days the rays of the sun are refracted, and the water appears blue. The water, reflecting on the walls of the cave, also paints them in unusual shades. The attraction of visiting the grotto includes swimming.

My opinion is that the cave is certainly beautiful, but it is definitely not worth going specifically for the sake of the grotto. Swimming in blue waters, exotic. But the sea here is absolutely the same as on the entire Montenegrin coast. In addition, when 5 boats swim into the grotto at the same time, there is nothing to breathe there.

How to get to the blue cave. The Blue Cave is located on the Lustica peninsula between the Golden Harbor and Mala Gora Bay, 6 nautical miles from Herceg Novi. You cannot get to the Blue Cave except by boat or yacht. Boats and boats leave from Zanitsa or Mirista beach, sail for about 10 minutes.

Fort Mamula on the island (FortMamula)

Fort Mamula does not make a great impression from the sea. “What kind of concrete box?” I thought as we floated past. However, having landed on the shore, the fortress made a great impression on me, thanks to the scale and stunning views that open from the very top of the fortress. The captain dropped us off on the island, and gave us almost 40 minutes of time for inspection. The entrance to the fortress is free, there is no security. But despite this, Fort Mamula is kept in good condition. It's pretty clean and beautiful there.

The fortress known as Mamula was built in 1853 by the Austro-Hungarian general Lazar Mamula. The fort is located on the rocky island of Lastavitsa, with a diameter of only 200 meters. By the way, the fortress occupies almost 90% of the island's surface. Mamula is located right at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor, 3.5 miles from the town of Herceg Novi.

At the time of the Venetians, the island was called Rondina.

Today, Fort Mamula is the best-preserved fort founded by the Austrians on the Adriatic. Mamula is a truly monumental structure, due to its location it was used as a defensive fortification. And during the First and Second World Wars, there was a prison and a concentration camp here. The prisoners left numerous inscriptions on the walls, many of which have survived to this day. Our compatriots, as always, distinguished themselves. Especially "Olesya, who didn't go."

The fortress is very large, you can bypass it in 10 minutes. I really liked that there are many rooms, stairs and tiers.

From the top floor of Mamula, a stunning view opens up.

Slowly, I went down from the fortress and wandered to the pier. Walking along the ancient walls, I did not notice how time flew by, and I was left completely alone. More precisely, the captain named the time in Serbian, it sounded like "two-fifteen". It turned out that it meant 15 minutes to two. I, like a real blonde, thought it was two to fifteen.

There were many people on the shore. My boat, however, managed to sail about 20 meters already. I had to jump very high and swing my hat. The captain saw me, the boat again docked. My salvation has come true !!! Although in my heart, I was even glad that I would still stay there for another couple of hours.

After such a wonderful boat trip, we again returned to the Zhanitsa beach, where the hospitable Adriatic sea awaited me, as well as a delicious lunch in a restaurant on the embankment.
To be continued...

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