Vis Island, in Croatia, and its secret military installations from the former Yugoslavia

In the middle of the Adriatic Sea, 44 km from the Croatian mainland coast, lies what was once one of the most militarized islands in the world.

A bunker beneath a cemetery and a monument featuring a Serbian T-55 tank in Zadar, Croatia
The armored train of Split, a relic of Croatia's war of independence

The island of Vis has a very long history, dating back to its time as a Greek colony and later Roman and Byzantine. In the Middle Ages, it was under the rule of the Republic of Venice and was attacked by the Aragonese in the 15th century. In the Modern Age, the island was contested by the French and English due to its strategic importance, eventually coming under the control of the Austrian Empire. After its defeat in the First World War, it passed into Italian hands between 1918 and 1921, before finally becoming part of the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia, which controlled it until 1941.

During World War II, it was the only Croatian territory not occupied by the Germans, although it was occupied by the Italians, who conquered it in 1941. Its turbulent history changed again in 1943, when Tito's communist partisans seized Vis, making it their main base. In May 1943, the Allies built an airfield on the island, specifically at Plisko Polje, which served as a runway for fighters and bombers of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and the US Army Air Forces (USAAF).

After World War II, the Yugoslav communist dictatorship militarized the island and turned it into a major secret base, prohibiting access to any foreigner. This caused great hardship for the local population, who were shut out of the country. Tito's dictatorship built 30 military installations on Vis, including a secret submarine base —an enormous number for a territory of only 90 square kilometers. The Yugoslav Armed Forces left the island on May 30, 1992, and it was ceded to Croatia. Today, the local population relies primarily on fishing and tourism.

The always interesting YouTube channel Aventuras Entresierras (which I recommend you subscribe to) has published an interesting video touring this island, visiting its submarine base and an abandoned coastal artillery battery (the video is in Spanish but has an English audio track, you can activate it in the player):

Here are some screenshots from this unforgettable video, in which we have the opportunity to witness the historic moment of my friend Scarface getting into a Land Rover, a trip he'll surely never forget, hehe. 🙂 The first image in this series shows the submarine base on Vis Island, also known as the Jastog Tunnel (Lobster, in Serbo-Croatian). It was built in 1982 in Parja Bay, in the northeastern part of the island, with a tunnel 127 meters long, 10 meters wide, and 18 meters high, as a shelter for submarines and surface vessels of the Yugoslav Navy.

The entrance to an artillery battery near the base close to the Jastog Tunnel. This battery consisted of Italian Ansaldo 90/53 anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns. The island was very well defended and had a total of seven coastal artillery batteries, including a missile base at Stupišće.

The entrance to Fort George III, a very well-preserved remnant of the British occupation of the island during the Napoleonic Wars. This fortification was built in 1812 under the command of Commander Duncan Robertson. It is located on the northern part of the island and today houses a restaurant and other tourist services.

The small Crkvica Svetog Duha or Chapel of the Holy Spirit, located atop Mount Hum, the island's highest peak (587 meters), in the western part of Vis. It was built in the 15th century. You can see the interior of the chapel in the video.

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Images: Aventuras Entresierras.