Stari Grad — 2,500 Years of Pirate Walls and Ottoman Prayers
Ulcinj's Old Town sits on a rocky headland above the Adriatic, fortified by walls that have been built, destroyed, and rebuilt for two and a half millennia. Illyrians laid the first stones. Romans expanded them. Venetians reinforced them. Ottomans added minarets. Pirates used them as a base for raiding Adriatic shipping. The legend says Miguel de Cervantes was held captive in the Balsic Tower here, and that the character of Dulcinea in Don Quixote takes her name from Dulcigno — the old Italian name for Ulcinj.
Today the fortress is a layered archaeological sandwich. A mosque stands next to a church. Albanian is spoken more than Montenegrin. The muezzin call from the minaret mixes with church bells on Sunday morning. The old town market in the lanes below sells fresh figs, jars of local honey, and olive oil pressed from the ancient groves at Valdanos. Say mirëdita (hello) and you will get a smile. Say faleminderit (thank you) and you will get a conversation.
The Pirate Stronghold
Ulcinj was one of the Adriatic's most notorious pirate ports from the 16th to 18th centuries. The Balsic Tower — the tall structure dominating the fortress — reportedly held Cervantes prisoner for five years after he was captured at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. North African pirates, Barbary corsairs, and local raiders all used Ulcinj as a base. The slave market in the main square is now a peaceful piazza with cafe tables, but the iron rings in the walls are still visible.
Inside the Walls
- Ulcinj Museum in the fortress — Illyrian coins, Ottoman weaponry, and a scale model of the old pirate port
- The historic mosques and hammam ruins — Ottoman Ulcinj had 12 mosques and 4 hammams within the walls
- Walk the full circuit of the ramparts. On a clear day you can see across to Italy. The sunset from the western battlements is worth the climb alone.
Getting There
Stari Grad is in the centre of Ulcinj town. Park in the paid lots below the fortress walls — the streets are too narrow for cars inside. Walk up through the main gate. The climb is short, steep, and absolutely worth it.