Vrata od Gurdicа (Gurdic Gate or South Gate), Kotor

This 16th-century city gate, known as the Gurdić Gate, forms Kotor’s southern entrance and stands at a narrow point where the fortified town meets both the steep mountain slope and the waters of the bay. Historically, it controlled one of Kotor’s most important access routes, linking the walled city to the land approaches from the south. Today, it serves as a quieter entry point into the Old Town, away from the busier harbor-side gates.

The Gurdić Gate is distinguished by its complex defensive system, which included multiple successive gates and enclosed passages, designed to slow and trap attackers. A drawbridge once spanned the watercourse here, reinforcing the gate’s role as a key defensive threshold. The gate takes its name from the Gurdić River, which flows around the southern edge of the fortifications.

The river itself is unusual. It is fed by a karst spring that behaves intermittently: during periods of heavy rain, water surges out of the cave and flows strongly toward the bay, while in dry summer months the freshwater source weakens and seawater can flow back inland, reversing the direction of the stream. This natural feature added an extra layer of difficulty for anyone attempting to approach the city from this side.