TOWERS AND FORTRESSES - KOSTAJNICA

The postage stamps have been issued in the 20-stamp sheets. The Croatian Post issued First Day Cover (FDC) too. HRVATSKA KOSTAJNICA Hrvatska Kostajnica is situated along the bank of the river Una, beneath the hill Djed. The name of Kostajnica was first mentioned in 1240 in the chart issued in Dubica. In the 15th century its fortresses were mentioned for the first time (1440), when the citadel on the islet of the river Una was mentioned. In the course of its rich history the fortress was owned by the noble families of Frankopan (1442), and in the 16th century by the Zrinski family who turned Kostajnica into “the gate” of Croatia. The settlement fell under Turkish rule in 1556 when the citadel of Kostajnica was conquered. Since then it served as defence of the border running along the Una river. Like most settlements in the Banovina, Kostajnica came under the Imperial rule starting in the year 1699, and from the early 18th century it was included in the Croatian Military Border. On account of its importance as a border town, trading centre and traffic junction, the fortress of Kostajnica was constantly being fortified. As early as the year 1702, the constructor engineer Tiell suggested various construction works, and also demanded that the old fortification on the islet on the Una river should be restored, but also that houses and buildings made of timber should be built for the army, and that everything should be enclosed by palisades. The citadel is relatively small in relation to other fortifications, but is well protected by water on all sides, and there rises a high hill above it to which a bridge is leading. On the Bosnian side there is a strongly built tower. The fortification itself is in polygonal shape and was built on strong stone foundations. On the walls there is a big semicircular tower with loop-holes, and two strong square-shaped towers. Owing to the fact that the defence against the Turks could by no means be efficient only with the citadel on the islet, it was then that additional extension of the fortification on the hill Djed was planned that would be raised above the town on the Croatian side. Above the town, on the hill Djed, as early as the 18th century there was a square fort with a log watch-tower in the middle. Very soon additional construction began, with two spiked bastions on the corners and rectangular fortresses as annexes. Like in other places in the area of the Croatian Military Border, in 1735 F. du Portal de Monteau began the construction of two new fortresses, with the older parts integrated. However, the fortress was not completed according to the project, which can be seen from the present-day remains. It is asymmetric in shape because the northeast semibastion was not built, and it seems that it had already fallen into ruin by the end of the 18th century. Nowadays it is a popular weekend resort with a park where remains of the fortress can be seen.