The remains of Uzdah-kula can be seen today over a steep canyon, a fortress that inspired one of the most beautiful legends of the Krka River region.
The remains of the medieval fortress of Uzdah-kula are located on the northeastern side of the village of Dubravice. It was built by the Šubić family to oversee the road that connected Skradin with the hinterland. Like most of the fortresses on the Krka River, Uzdah-kula had a central circular tower and fortified plateau, where today only modest above-ground remains are visible. The fortress changed hands several times. In 1522, it was captured, together with the town of Skradin, by the Ottoman Turks. After their retreat from the Skradin area at the end of the 17th century, it lost its strategic importance, and its stone were used to build houses in Dubravice and Rupe.
Old fortresses have always tickled the imaginations of the inhabitants of nearby villages. The legend of Uzdah-kula (or Tower of Sighs) speaks of the beautiful Stana from Rupe, who had given her heart to Pavle Mandušić. But her beauty had also entranced Hussein, head soldier and favorite of the cruel Mehmed-Beg. When Hussein died from an injury he received when he fell from an almond tree while spying on Stana, Mehmed-Beg blamed the inhabitants of Rupe for his death and had them arrested and brought to Čučevo. Pavle was imprisoned in a tower, where for days he sighed over his beloved Stana. The travellers and herders who heard him called it the Tower of Sighs or Uzdah-kula. The version of the story with a happy ending tells that Mejrana, the converted wife of Mehmed-Beg, remembered the faith of her ancestors, and with her son Alija, freed the prisoners by night, who then returned to Rupe, gathered other villagers together, and with their help liberated Pavle. Pavle set the tower on fire so that no other unfortunate person would suffer his fate. When Mehmed-Beg found this out, his heart exploded from rage, and his son Alija then let the inhabitants of Rupe return in peace to their homes. Pavle and Stana were married at the shrine of Our Lady of Visovac on Visovac Lake.
