The Žirje fortress is the ruins of Byzantine fortifications, located on the island of the same name, on the bay of Velika Stupica. The ruins are located on a hill, from which there is a very good view of the entire island. The fortress can be reached on foot in a mildly undulating area with low vegetation.
The relatively small island of Žirje has been of great strategic importance since antiquity, which is why in the sixth century the Byzantine emperor Justinian I decided to build a fortress here. Originally it was 100 meters high and five towers. The fortress was surrounded by double walls, and there was a source of fresh water on its territory.
The strategic role of the island was also appreciated in later periods. In the 12th and 13th centuries, it was surrounded by a system of walls and fortresses in the Romanesque style, the remains of which have survived to this day. The island of Žirje was also of great defensive importance during the battles for the city of Sibernik in the 20th century.
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