Mamula Fortress

The Mamula Fortress and its sinister past would fascinate anyone with a fascination for deserted buildings. The stronghold was built by the Austrian Admiral Lazar Mamula in 1853 to defend against invading ships and is situated on the small, uninhabited island of Lastavica, just off the coast of Marista. The castle served as a jail and detention camp for Benito Mussolini's fascist forces during World War II because of its remote location and proximity to the sea.

The camp was jam-packed with more than 2000 captives, men, women, and kids from places like Dalmatia and Boka that were allegedly adversaries of the Italian occupiers. The island, which can be reached by swimming, kayaking, or a rowing boat, is a fascinating piece of recent history in Montenegro and makes for a gloomy day of exploration. Numerous guided tours to the island depart from Prevlaka in Croatia or from the adjacent town of Lutica throughout the summer.

The stronghold is now under government protection as a historical structure. Because of its excellent preservation, it draws tourists. In addition, there is a park with a variety of exotic tropical and subtropical flora. Old spiral steps are still standing in addition to the bakery and control tower structures. Tourists still flock to take an hour-long adventure into history despite the pier's destruction.

Location: boundary of two countries, Croatia and Montenegro, between Prevlaka and Luštica peninsulas