The fortress of Sinj: fortification projects and border defence in Venetian Dalmatia until 1714

Strategically positioned along the route connecting the Dalmatian coastal city of Split with the Balkan hinterland, the fortress of Sinj (Signo) remained an inhabited stronghold from antiquity until the late 18th century. The medieval fortification, strengthened during Ottoman rule, was captured by the Venetians in 1686, after which efforts were made to repair and strengthen its defences. Owing to its key position on the Ottoman–Venetian frontier, and together with the fortresses of Knin and Imotski, Sinj played a crucial role in the Republic of Venice’s efforts to secure its Dalmatian possessions. This paper reconstructs the appearance of the Sinj fortress and traces the successive Venetian defence projects carried out between 1686 and 1714, based on the analysis of several drawings previously unpublished. Beyond the reconstruction of the fortress itself, these findings shed light on the broader Venetian military strategy for the consolidation and maintenance of the border fortification system in the Dalmatian hinterland.