Komarna Off The Beaten Path

All over the area of the Neretva Valley there are remains of the many cultures and civilisations that have mixed in the area. Unfortunately very little has been done to excavate and document the remains and they can be difficult to find if you don’t have local knowledge. Croatian law gives little power to the archaeologists and their funds are very limited. This is a “left over” from the communist administration that hopefully will be changed soon. When it does it will be a formidable gold mine for the tourist industry. On the other hand, when you do find the interesting places you can be safe from souvenir salesmen and tourist busses.
Slivno.
Slivno Ravno with two churches and Smrdan-Grad with one church and the ruins of a city that was build by the Turks as a protection of the harbour in Klek. In 1689 the Venetians took it and later successfully and at great expense stood up against the Turkish army. There is also a rather unique Illyrian burial ground in the area. Slivno is one of the oldest settlements in the Neretva Delta with many historical and cultural monuments. When you drive there you see abandoned houses and ruins everywhere and many signs show that the area was cultivated. Now it has been left and people have moved to the delta or to the coast.
Smrdan Grad was a medieval fortification build by the Turks in the beginning of 1400’s. to protect the harbour of Klek. The Venetians stole the fortification from the Turks in 1699. When the Turks tried to take it back in 1699 they lost most of their army. After the fight there were so many dead bodies that the town got its name (stinking city). The Austrian army last used the fortress during its occupation of Hercegovina.