Island-fortification Mamula

The Mamula island fortress is located on water boundary of two countries, Croatia and Montenegro, between Prevlaka and Luštica peninsulas. The island has been formerly known as Lastavica till Austro-Hungarian general Lazar Mamula has built a defensive fortress in the middle of the 19th century. The fortress has been preventing the enemy entrance into Boka Kotorska bay. Since then island fortress has been called Mamula.

The diameter of the fortress is 200 meters and the height is 16 meters. During the World War I the Austrians have been using the fortress as a prison. And during the World War II, since May 30, 1942 Italian fascists have made a concentration camp out of prison.  There is information that Montenegrin patriots were cruelly tortured in this prison. There is just a memorial stone memorizing about this.

Today, the fortress is protected by the Government as a cultural monument. It is preserved in good condition and attracts the tourists. There is also a park with numerous tropical and subtropical plants and unique species of Mimosa. Besides, the buildings of bakery and control tower, old spiral stairs are preserved. Despite that the pier is damaged, tourists come to plunge into history for one-hour excursion.

Lifehack: There are excursion boats departing from Herceg Novi Riviera and from the nearest beaches Mirišta and Žanic of Lustica peninsular.

Lifehack: Velimir Stojanovic shot "Campo Mamula" film (1959) on the island. The film is about the World War II. In 2013, Serbian producer Milan Todorovic shot a horror-film of the same name «Mamula».