Sinj Castle

Sinj Castle, locally known as Utvrda or Tvrđava Sinj, and sometimes as Stari Grad Sinj, lies above the town of the same name, in the county of Split-Dalmatia in Croatia.

The first fortification on this hill was an ancient Illyrian hill fort, called Osinium. Later, during the 6th century, the Byzantines had a fort here, called Asinio. A castle here was first mentioned during the 14th century.

In 1345, the king of Hungary, Louis I, gave Sinj Castle to prince Ivan Nelipčić. The Nelipčić family then made it their permanent seat. In the mid 15th century the Ottomans started to appear in the area and vainly tried to take the castle multiple times. They finally succeeded in the 1510s. The Ottomans then adapted the medieval castle to their needs.

The castle stayed under Ottoman rule until 1686, when it was conquered by the Venetians. They then strengthened and modernized the defenses of the castle. In 1715 Ottoman troops tried to take back the castle but were utterly defeated. Later during the 18th century they tried again various times, but without success. All these attacks, together with several earthquakes that same century, caused the castle to fall into disrepair in the last quarter of the 18th century. As a result, its occupants slowly moved down the hill and erected the present town, using the castle as a quarry for building materials.

In 1808 Sinj Castle was finally abandoned after it had been mined by French troops in retaliation for a local rebellion. Its ruinous remains were finished by the 1898 Trilj Earthquake.

As a result of all the attacks, earthquakes and mining, not much is left of the castle.

Sinj Castle is freely accessible. The castle hill is now a public park.

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