Kanli Kula is a fortress with an open-air

amphitheater An amphitheatre ( U.S. English: amphitheater) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ('), meaning "place for vie ...

Herceg Novi Herceg Novi (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Херцег Нови, ) is a town in Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro located at the Western entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the administrative center of ...

, Montenegro. The name is of

Turkish Turkish may refer to: * Something related to Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities in the former Ottoman Empire * The w ...

origin, and means "bloody tower".

History

Kanli Kula was built by the Turks in 1539. The Venetians made various repairs and additions in 1687, soon after conquering Herceg Novi. Kanli Kula prison drawings big ship

Inside the castle there was a well preserved water

cistern A cistern (; , ; ) is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. To prevent leakage, the interior of the cistern is often lined with hydraulic plaster. Cisterns are disti ...

. At some stage it lost its original purpose and became a prison, and was thereafter called “Bloody Tower“. The inmates left multiple drawings on the walls of the prison. The depicted ships were in service in 16th and 17th centuries, which allowed historians to date the founding of the prison.

Cultural events

The inside of the Kanli Tower was restored into an open-air amphitheater in 1966. It seats over 1000 spectators, and has hosted many cultural events and festivals. Events that are organised in Kanli Kula have included the Herceg Novi Film Festival, Guitar Art Summer Fest and the

Operosa Operosa is an annual classical music and opera festival. Devoted mainly to opera, it also includes concerts of orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo instrumental music. Operosa is active in the Balkan region with the main festival event in Herceg ...

Montenegro Opera Festival.

References

Forts in Montenegro Amphitheaters Performing arts venues in Montenegro Herceg Novi Buildings and structures completed in 1539 {{Montenegro-struct-stub