For centuries, the basis of the defensive line of the town of Hvar and its harbour was the Fortica fortress (also known as the Španjola or Spanish Fort) and the city walls. The Fortica was erected above the northern part of the town on the site of a former Illyrian fort and a Late Antiquity fortification complex. The construction of the fortress began around 1282 and ended in approximately 1551. Despite later extensions and repairs, the present appearance of the Fortica mostly dates back to the 16^th century. During French rule in Dalmatia (1806-1813), the town of Hvar was additionally fortified. A remarkable building from this period is the Napoljun (Napoleon) fortification, which was erected in 1811 on the hill of Sveti Nikola (on the site of the medieval Church of St. Nicholas) to the north-east of Hvar.