Five Wells Square, Zadar

The Five Wells Square is situated between the medieval City Walls and the Renaissance Bastion Grimani, and it is also home to the oldest park in Croatia. As the name suggests, the square has five wells arranged in a straight line.

In 1574 the Ottomans paid one of their famous visits to Zadar. The Ottomans were never tourists and a siege was their favorite way to call. To outlast the besiegers, the Venetians constructed an enormous freshwater cistern with five wells. The cistern held water that was brought by an aqueduct from nearby Lake Vrana.

The pentagonal Captain's Tower and defense bastions were added to the area after the siege had ended. The octagonal stone well caps are identical, lined up in a row on the square. The wells provided water until the mid-19th century. Nearby is Queen Jelena Madjie Park, sandwiched between the medieval walls and the Grimani Bastion.

There are terraces big enough for concerts and events throughout the year. The square is located at the south end of Siroka, the main street of Zadar. Siroka is about 2,620 feet long, end to end. The Captain's Tower today is used for exhibitions. It has a belvedere with a fine view of the city.