Glavaš Castle

Glavaš Castle, locally known as Utvrda Glavaš, lies near the village of Validžići, in the county of Šibenik-Knin in Croatia.

Not much is known about the castle. It was probably built in the first part of the 15th century, by the Nelipić family, when it became increasingly likely that the Ottoman Empire would attack the Croatian Kingdom. Glavaš Castle formed a small defensive chain of castles in the south of the Kingdom of Croatia, together with Prozor Castle and Potravnik Castle.

In 1434 the Nelipić family died out. Then the castle was handed over by Sigismund of Luxembourg, King of Hungary and Croatia, to the Croatian noble family Talovac. Several other Croatian nobles followed as owners, until 1522, when it was taken over by the Ottomans. They held it for almost 200 years, for in 1718 they were defeated and left. Since then, it had lost its strategic importance and was abandoned, after which it fell to ruin.

Historically, the castle was known as the fortress of Dinarić, as it is situated on a slope of the Dinara Mountain. Only in the 17th century was it named after the nearby hamlet and spring.

Glavaš Castle is freely accessible. A nice castle ruin. To get there, you will have to make a short hike uphill from the nearest road.

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