Minceta Tower

The Minceta Tower, a massive round fort commanding the north-western area of Dubrovnik, was built in the early 1460s at the height of the Turkish menace. The Minceta Tower, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, is a well-known symbol of Dubrovnik. It was originally built in 1319 as a four-sided fort. It gets its name from the Meneti family.

Minceta Tower was completed in 1464, and even though the 750 steep, winding steps to the top are a challenge for even the fittest cultural tourist, once you reach the top and see the spectacular views of Dubrovnik's old town on one side and the Adriatic Sea on the other, you'll know the climb was well worth it. The museum in the excavated basement is also open to the public.

During the summer, a new flag is flown next to it, the Libertas flag, which has the slogan and symbol of the previous Dubrovnik Republic, with the Latin word "Libertas" meaning "freedom."

The best choice for starting the walking tour with fort Mineta as the first sight on a 2-kilometer trek around Dubrovnik's fortification system is to start at the Pile Gate entrance and head right. The tower is located on the outside of Dubrovnik's pedestrianized Old Town and is inaccessible by car. Outside the Old Town walls, however, there is street parking.

Location: Dubrovnik, Croatia