During the period of Austro-Hungarian rule

(1797-1806 and 1814-1918), the whole area

of Boka Kotorska was a unique fortress – the
for tress of Boka Koroska, composed of a
network of numerous and diverse fortifications,
military facilities and roads. The fortifying of
Boka Kotorska and the construction of modern Macadam road Vrmac Fortress-Sveti Ilija hilltop
fortifications entailed the building of roads,
as well. At the beginning, only minor roads A wall supporting serpentine road Muo-Vrmac
A macadam road leading from Vrmac Fortress
Vrmac Fortress
were built, intended for cargo transport by to Sveti Ilija hilltop was built after 1882, during
horses. The changing of warfare techniques done by horses and mules, the sloping should The armoured fortress of Vrmac is situated at the most intensive construction of military
and the beginning of construction of armoured not exceed 15 degrees. This maximal sloping of 485 m above sea level, at a strategically very roads. The road runs along the hill crest offering
fortresses initiated the construction of gravel the road determined the number of serpentine important point offering the view of the two the views both of Kotor and Tivat Bays. The
roads. The most intensive construction took curves (kanica) that we needed. The road was parts of Boka Kotorska Bay. It was built in 1894 road passes through a pine forest near the
place between 1882 and 1914. The majority of built on a very steep terrain requiring a large at the site of an earlier fortress from 1860. It Vrmac fortress, and had different batteries,
roads still existing in Boka Kotorska were built number of serpentines, and it represents an was constructed as a mountain fortress that magazines and minor defensive posts arranged
in that period for military purposes. exceptional technical solution, an architectural combines all the necessary spaces for troops, along it. The central part of the road offers a
and engineering achievement of outstanding operational part and defense in one object. It was view of Tivat Bay on one side and of Kotor Bay
value. The serpentines were carefully built in reconstructed between 1906 and 1907. Following on the other side, making, together with the
dry-stone technique using finely cut stone blocks the damage in the World War I, it was restored in ragged landscape and the smell of mugworts
with very narrow joints, while the retaining walls 1916. The armoured fortress of polygonal shape and winter savory this place quite exceptional.
are inclined for stability. The road is about 1.8 m is partly dug into the ground and surrounded a by
wide. The road is cobbled in some sections, and moat 7 m wide and 5 m deep. It has two floors
it has gutters for atmospheric water drainage. and an inner enclosed courtyard.
Today, the road is approached from Peluzica,
through a settlement and a private estate, or from
the curve on Kotor-Trojica road.
A section of the road Vrmac Fortress-Sveti Ilija / Gornja
Lastva ©Zoran Nikolić
A serpentine road Muo – Vrmac is one of A view from Sveti Ilija hilltop
the oldest Austro-Hungarian military roads in
Boka Kotorska. It was built in 1860 during the The road leads on to a crossroads, from
reign of Franz Joseph I, which is confirmed by where it branches towards Sveti Ilija hilltop
a plate built in one of the serpentines’ retaining on one side, and Gornja Lastva on the other.
wall, with the inscription: FJI 1860. The road At the beginning of branch leading to Sveti
Part of the serpentine road leading through pine forest Part of the complex by the macadam road
connected Vrmac Fortress situated at the top ©Zoran Nikolić Ilija hilltop, a large water cistern stands, and
of the hill with Kotor, i.e. with ammunition several serpentines lead to the top. Several
magazines situated in Muo. In the upper zone the road passes through a pine The fortress is a part of the complex that included minor defensive, cannon and lookout posts
forest. Near the top, a path branches off the road, officers’ barracks, warehouses, magazines and were arranged along the serpentines. Sveti Ilija
This road belongs to a group of minor roads leading to a viewpoint giving a stunning panorama lookout posts. There were two cisterns, a vaulted hilltop (766 m above sea level) offers a view
built for the purpose of constructing a fortress of Kotor with Lovćen Mountain and the whole Bay one within the fortress and one in the vicinity of of Kotor Bay, Lovćen Mountain, Herceg Novi,
of an older type. Given that the transport was of Kotor. officers’ barracks. Luštica Peninsula and the open sea.
Cover photograph: Duško Tasić of the Tourism organization of Kotor.
Author of the map: EXPEDITIO funded by the Municipality of Kotor, with the participation
Montenegro non-governmental organization EXPEDITIO. The project was
Topographic map: Real estate administration of project “Trails through World Heritage”, conducted by the
The map has been produced within the framework of
Historical Region of Kotor, 2011
SVETI ILIJA HILLTOP
• Management Plan of the Natural and Culturo-
• http://whc.unesco.org/
in the Municipality of Kotor, 2017
VRMAC FORTRESS
• The Study on the Protection of Cultural Properties
• Cultural Heritage of Vrmac, 2015
Main sources:

MUO [Peluzica]
Boka Kotorska Bay
Historical Region of Kotor
within the Natural and Culturo-
Walking and Hiking Trails
World Heritage different angles.
Adriatic Sea
Trails through of World Heritage cultural landscape from Buffer zone
possible to view and experience the values
World Heritage List
suitable for walking and hiking make it Property on the
Region. These roads and paths which are
segment of the cultural landscape of Kotor
of a defensive system, make an important
as well as a network of roads created as part Kotor
ones on the hillsides and with the hinterland, Tivat
connecting coastal settlements with the older Herceg Novi
A network of walking trails and roads
outstanding universal value.
the Region of Kotor a cultural landscape of
that has been created over centuries makes
wealth and diversity of its cultural heritage
impressive environment of the Bay and the
A harmonious relationship between the
outstanding value for the humankind.
World Heritage List because they posses
world that have been inscribed on UNESCO’s
is one of more than 1000 sites all over the Montenegro
Historical Region of Kotor
of Kotor, part of the Boka Kotorska Bay, the Natural and Culturo-
The Natural and Culturo-Historical Region The location and surface of
 Boka Kotorska

Herceg Novi

Tivat Kotor
MUO [Peluzica]
VRMAC FORTRESS
Adriatic Sea
SVETI ILIJA HILLTOP

01

01

07 02 02

05

07
03

06 06 03
04

CROSS-SECTION

Legend 765m.a.s.l.
05 04 800 07 685m.a.s.l.
01 Muo (Peluzica) 700
06
02 Serpentine road Muo-Vrmac 600 476m.a.s.l. 451m.a.s.l.
05
03 Viewpoint 04
500 03
04 Vrmac Fortress complex
400
05 Gravel road
Height (m)

300
06 Crossroads, water cistern ©Zoran Nikolić ©Prioryman
200
07 Sveti Ilija hilltop (765 m.a.s.l.) Trail Length Time Level of difficulty 02
0m.a.s.l.
100
Muo-Viewpoint-Muo 7.8 km 3h 30min Medium
01
Muo-Sveti Ilija hilltop-Muo 17 km 6h 30min Medium 0,00
0 500 1000
Hiking without a guide is on one’s own responsibility
European unique emergency number - 112 8,50 8,00 7,50 7,00 6,50 6,00 5,50 5,00 4,50 4,00 3,50 3,00 2,50 2,00 1,50 1,00 0,50 0,00
Distance (km)