JERINA'S TOWN ON THE UVAC RIVER

Eagle’s Heights Defender

In the Uvac Special Nature Reserve, where the river has carved magnificent meanders through the gorge, there lie the remnants of a small mediaeval fortress known as Jerina’s Town or Nemanjić’s Town. Archaeological research has determined that the fort was constructed between the 14^th and 15^th centuries, though no historical records of its existence have been found. The fortress probably emerged as a station along the renowned caravan route connecting Dubrovnik with Constantinople, which traversed this region during the Middle Ages.

The walls of the fortress extend across a narrow, flat plateau atop a cape at an elevation of 1,042 meters. Closely following the unique contours of the terrain, the structure assumes the form of an eight-meter-wide elongated ellipse. The visible remains lie on the northern and southern sections, while the walls along the longitudinal sides have crumbled down the cliff faces. Limited archaeological excavations were conducted at the site in 2006, revealing that the walls were constructed using rough-hewn stones bound with lime mortar with an inner core of rubble fill. To the west of the site, on Lake Uvac’s left bank, lies the entrance to the Ice Cave, part of the Ušac cave system, which boasts the largest network of passages in the country. Intriguingly, Jerina’s Town is accessible only by water route, which adds to its charm as a unique tourist attraction.