Second entrance
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You are standing in front of the second entrance to the Klis fortress, which, although today is called the "second entrance", was the main and first access to the fortress in the Middle Ages. This entrance, located on the western side of the fortress, led to the heart of the then Croatian state - the political and military center of the Trpimirović dynasty. For centuries, princes, kings, soldiers, diplomats and pilgrims entered through it, and the area in front of the gate witnessed many key moments in Croatian history. The first historical record in which Klis is directly mentioned is in the Donation of Prince Trpimir from 852, where the fortress is referred to as "curte nostra que Clissa dicitur" - "our court called Klis". This confirms that this was the place where Prince Trpimir, after whom his dynasty - the Trpimirovićs - was named, lived. This historical document not only marks the importance of Klis in the early medieval Croatian state, but also confirms its role as a central place of royal power and political stability in the early Middle Ages. The entrance itself, as we know it today, changed its appearance over time. During the Ottoman siege of 1648, when Venetian and Ottoman forces fought for supremacy over Dalmatia, this entrance was severely damaged. Due to the powerful artillery attack of the battles of that time, a significant part of the walls and defensive structures was destroyed. However, after the Venetians took control of the fortress the same year, they quickly began to restore the medieval parts, aware of its key strategic and symbolic value. The second entrance, in addition to the restoration of the walls, also received a new terrace at the top – a kind of observation post and defensive plateau from which it was possible to monitor the arrival from the interior to the coast. This space allowed the guard to notice the danger in time, but also served for the daily management of traffic towards the fortress. The terrace above the entrance dominates the surrounding landscape, and offers a wide view of the mountains, Klis and Split, making this a key point for defense. The second entrance is reached by a steep, paved path that was built in the 1930s. Although the current configuration of the access is not identical to that of the medieval period, its steepness and position faithfully reflect the logic of defensive architecture. The difficult and controlled approach slowed down the movement of enemy forces, while allowing the defenders a superior position.