Looming above Split, perched impossibly high on a rocky massif, Klis Fortress symbolizes so much of the heart and soul of Dalmatia.  During the Ottoman wars, it was the dividing line between Turkish controlled land and the land controlled by the Venetian Empire. Because of its singular location, it was always considered a major military prize.  Although excavations have traced the fortress back almost 2,000 years, the fortress is best known to Croatians for the role it played against the Ottoman invasion of Europe in the 16hC.  The famed Croatian captain Petar Kruzic led the defense in a  siege that lasted for more than two and a half decades.  Fighting without allies against the fearsome Turks, the defenders evolved into an elite unit called the Uskoks.  Ultimately betrayed, the defenders were defeated and the fortress became controlled by the Ottomans in 1537. It wasn’t until 1669 that the Venetians finally liberated the fort.  This event was seismic and actually had the effect of moving the border between Christian and Muslim Europe to the east and marked the beginning of the decline further east and marked the decline of the Ottoman Empire. Well worth a visit, the best time to come is at sunset to enjoy the spectacular view back to the city and the sea.  The actual town of Klis wraps around the base of the fort and is quite quaint with cafes and markets.  The parking lot for the fort is in the center of town.