The old town of Drijevo is located in the navigable part of the lower Neretva, along an important road that connects the coast with the hilly continental hinterland. The area of today's Gabela in the late Middle Ages, due to its position, has significant trade capacities. In historical sources it appears under the name Drijeva, portus Narenti, and after the arrival of the Ottomans in 1465, it changed its name to Gabela. Throughout history, different nationalities and authorities, such as the Republic of Dubrovnik, Serbian rulers, Venetians or Ottomans, have clashed over the administration of this position.
The space of the city within the ramparts and towers occupies an area of 28,042 m2. Basically, the city is surrounded by walls of a polygonal irregular shape, adapted to the configuration of the terrain on which it is located. Within the city are two rectangular units, called the Great and Small Fortress with loopholes and water cisterns. In addition, the Fatih Mosque was built inside the small fortress, on the foundations of which the Venetians built the churches of Sts. Catherine in 1649, and finally the Ottomans rebuilt the mosque on its ruins.