Kosmač Fortress

Central Montenegro


High up in the hills midway between Budva and Cetinje, this artfully abandoned 19th century fortress looms over some spectacular high-altitude scenery. Once the southernmost fortress in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the large, formerly three-storey limestone complex was the scene of two bloody rebellions in the late-1800s, and was garrisoned by Italian troops in WWII. Now roofless and ruined, Kosmač is nevertheless a fascinating and haunting place to explore, though curious adventurers do so at their own risk; the fortress in unmanned and unmaintained, and large chunks of stone have a habit of toppling without notice.

Kosmač is near the village of Brajići on the Budva-Cetinje road. Park near the signpost, then walk just over a kilometre through the village to get to the fortress itself. It's also reachable via a three-hour hike from Kamenovo, near Pržno on the coast.