Castles & ruins 22: Tvrđava Starigrad-Fortica Omiš / Fort Starigrad of Omis, HR
Omis town was known by its pirates since antique times when they attacked Greek ships, later Roman, Byzantium, Venetian etc - anyone really.
Many tries to agree with pirate town or to conquer it - failed.
The town is located at Cetina river mouth on Dalmatian coast of Adriatic sea. The pirates used lightweight boats (strijele = arrows) with which they first attacked big traders ships then pretend to fly away into the town bay.
The ships followed them only to run aground on underwater wall Omis pirates built - and here the ships were robbed blind.
The wall had hooks to prevent the ships to slip away.
From the fort Omis people could see far and wide over the whole region and prepared for attacks, as well when bigger army came (and there were lots of angry customers) they hide in the fortress and defended themselves from there.
The fort is overlooking both sides: the coast and the river and had supply from the river side where big ships or enemies' armies could not get easily.
It took about 60years for Venetians to overcome Omis pirate town but even then piracy wasn't entirely eliminated. The fort served Omis people later during Turkish attacks and other wars.
Today it is state museum and open for public
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