A Roman military settlement called Castra once stood on the site of today's Kastel. Archaeologists have found traces of life from long ago.
📍 Krajina
Kastel Fortress and the Vrbas
Banja Luka grew beside the Vrbas River in northwestern Bosnia. Kastel Fortress stands by the river in the city centre, on a site that once held a Roman military settlement called Castra. Follow the Vrbas toward the northwest of the map and find Kastel among the trees.
Find it on the map
✨ Little discoveries
Fun facts about Banja Luka
One explanation of Banja Luka's name is ‘the Ban's plain’. A ban was a local ruler, and the old word luka here means a plain.
Fast stretches of the Vrbas attract rafting fans, especially in spring and summer. How many paddles might one boat need?
Kastel stands on the Vrbas riverbank and is among the city's oldest historic monuments. Can you spot its towers and long walls in the drawing?
⛰️ Nature nearby
Rivers, mountains and hills near Banja Luka
Rivers
Vrbas River 
Vrbanja River Mountains and hills
Manjača Mountain Can you solve the map clue?
Which town on the Vrbas is home to Kastel Fortress?
Sources: City of Banja Luka - History of the City · Tourist Organization of Republika Srpska - Banja Luka
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📚 From the ABC Djeca blog