City Walls of Kotor
City Walls of Kotor features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Kotor. Give it roughly ~45 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type landmark
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Kotor Kotor guide
About City Walls of Kotor
A stone circuit of roughly 4.5 kilometres wrapping the Old Town and climbing the mountain behind it, layered by Illyrians, Byzantines and Venetians, and twice inscribed by UNESCO.
Kotor's fortifications form a defensive circuit roughly 4.5 kilometres long, enclosing the Old Town and climbing the steep slope of St John's hill above it. The walls reach up to about 16 metres thick and 20 metres high, and are pierced by three main gates: the Sea Gate (1555), the River Gate (1540) and the Gurdic Gate, with a bastion from 1470. The hill was fortified in Illyrian times and rebuilt by Emperor Justinian I in the sixth century, but the defences took their present form under Venetian rule (1420-1797), and were later adapted by the Austrians until 1918.
The walls carry Venetian symbols, including reliefs of the Lion of St Mark. Together with the Old Town they were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979, and stood on the List of World Heritage in Danger from 1979 to 2003 after an earthquake. In 2017 the Venetian-built defences were also inscribed within the transnational 'Venetian Works of Defence between the 15th and 17th Centuries'.
Did you know? These are not just Venetian walls. The site was fortified by the Illyrians, rebuilt by Emperor Justinian in the sixth century, shaped by Venice between 1420 and 1797, and adapted by Austria until 1918.
How long is a visit to City Walls of Kotor?
Set aside roughly ~45 min for City Walls of Kotor. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is City Walls of Kotor worth your time?
City Walls of Kotor is among the 12 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Kotor, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Kotor
Day 1 of the Kotor in 2 days itinerary →
Updated:
Hear the story of City Walls of Kotor
Preview the Kotor tour free in the Gingerguide app.