The Old Tower – Kula Motrilja

Did You Know That Kula Motrilja is the Part of the Open Museum?

Sign of the times trapped in the very center of the town. The fortress of Novi Pazar dating back to the 15th century is a medieval Ottoman fortress that was established by one of the greatest Ottoman generals- Isa-beg Ishakovich, who, at the same time, was the establisher of Novi Pazar. The Fortress was built after the town’s establishment. The Fortress of Novi Pazar, unfortunately, is partially preserved including one out of the original two towers that were located inside the Fortress. The Old Scout or Kula Motrilja is well-preserved on the south of the Fortress walls and it is the symbol of the time that witnessed some of the greatest wars which took place in the Balkans. Kula Motrilja, nowadays, is part of the open museum as well as part of the Old Fortress. 

Immovable Monuments of Cultural Heritage

Kula Motrilja, together with Fortress, was built during the 15th century, and during their existence, they underwent reconstruction which was ordered by Sultan Abdul Asis in the 17th century. Back at the time, inside the Fortress, there were numerous objects, and today, solely Kula Motrilja is preserved in its original form. This 15m high Fortress with its outlets, muxarabijas, and three rows of beams is an imponsant building that withstood Balkan and World Wars. On the other hand, the remains of porches, mosques, basements, barracks, and other objects that enabled the unbothered life of the military, today, are under the ground. 

Archeological Research Indicates the Existence of One More Tower

On the north side of the walls, the remains of the Dzephana Tower were found. Thai Tower served the Ottoman military, as the object for keeping ammunition and gunpowder. It is interesting that during this research the remains of the wall guarding this Tower were founded, and these remains are older than the Fortress itself. Due to the fact that the very Dzephana Tower was built during the 17th century, not the 18th century as it was written in the documents from the time. However, these are not the only findings from this period. Namely, the coin dating back to the 17th century was founded.