The Fortress of Zvečan, located in the north-west of the city of Kosovska Mitrovica, in North Kosovo, is an enormous castle and one of the oldest fortresses in South Eastern Europe. It was built on the top of the extinct volcano vent, overlooking the Ibar river. Zvečan Fortress was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990, and it is protected by the Republic of Serbia.