Pearl of the Adriatic
Dubrovnik Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is celebrated as one of the globe’s most impeccably preserved medieval cities. Once a formidable rival to Venice in trade, its grandeur is evident in its vast stone walls, constructed between the 11th and 17th centuries, which encircle the historic heart of the city.
The city was almost destroyed in the earthquake of 1667. Control of Dubrovnik shifted between the French and Italians. In the early 19th to early 20th century, Dubrovnik was part of the Kingdom of Dalmatia within the Austrian Empire. After WW I, Dubrovnik became part of Croatia—the Kingdom of Serb, Croats, and Slovenes.
In the1990-91 war, over two-thirds of the historic town’s buildings were hit by artillery. The town’s cobbled streets were struck by hundreds of direct hits. For the first time in history, the medieval city walls received over a hundred direct hits. Many historic palaces were badly damaged by the resulting fires. The city has been restored to its former beauty.
Entering the city from the Pile Gate, you first see the large Onofrio’s fountain which is a good meeting place.
The historic Pile Gate is the grand entrance to Dubrovnik’s Old Town. Constructed in the 15th century, this gate once boasted a wooden drawbridge, now replaced by a sturdy stone bridge. Situated on the town walls’ western part, it offers a direct path to the bustling Stradun, the town’s main promenade.
A statue of St. Blaise, the towns Patron Saint is above the arch.
To the right is Onofrio’s fountain. Constructed in 1438, this architectural marvel was an integral part of the city’s water-supply system, channeling water from a spring 12km away. You can drink the water coming out of the spigots. Many people fill their water bottles there.
Across the Stradun from the fountain is the small St. Savior Church. Legend says that the women of Dubrovnik, both plebeian and patrician, carried the stones for its erection and strengthened the mortar with milk and egg whites. The beautiful Renaissance church of the Holy Saviour is considered the first Renaissance building in Dubrovnik as others were built in the Gothic style.In 1667. when the great earthquake struck Dubrovnik, the church was among few buildings left intact.
Next to it is the Franciscan Monastery.Established about 1234, the present-day structure dates back to 1317. It houses the third oldest functioning pharmacy on the globe, initiated in 1317. This pharmacy wasn’t just a haven for the public but also served the monks’ medicinal needs.
While the monastery’s church met its unfortunate demise in the 1667 earthquake, the majestic Gothic portal endures. Crafted by the Petrović brothers in 1498, it’s a harmonious blend of Gothic and Renaissance artistry.
The monastery boasts a late Romanesque cloister from 1360, adorned with 120 distinct columns. Bibliophiles will be in awe of its vast library, home to over 70,000 books and ancient manuscripts.
As you near the end of the Prijeko Street, two blocks up from the main street,, there is the little Church of St. Nicholas. The original pre-Romanesque church was a single-nave longitudinal church with a cupola. In the course of subsequent centuries it underwent rebuilding, and its facade is now of the late Renaissance. In its interior there is a pre-Romanesque interlaced motif relief ornamentation, as well as 13th-14th century painting of the Madonna, and a 16th century painted wood relief of St. Andrew.
Returning down to the main street, you enter the main square of the Old City. Straight ahead is the statue of Roland encased in fencing until it is repaired. Put up in 1418, Orlandos Column, with the statue of this Medieval knight in armor, stands in the square formed by Sponza Palace, St. Blaises Church and the Bell-Tower. It presents Roland, the 8th century knight who became a legend owing to the Medieval epic Chanson de Roland.
Three significant places flank this plaza. St. Blaise’s Church, The Bell Tower, and the Rector’s Palace.
St. Blaise is a Baroque masterpiece constructed between 1706 and 1714. It stands on the very grounds of a 14th-century Romanesque church, which met its fate in the devastating 1667 earthquake.
Upon entering the church, your gaze will be captured by the 15th-century statue of Saint Blaise, the revered patron saint of Dubrovnik. Holding a miniature model of Dubrovnik, this statue is a testament to the city’s deep-rooted veneration for the saint, a tradition dating back to the 10th century.
Also bordering this square is the bell tower. Initially built in 1444, the Dubrovnik Bell Tower endured significant damage during the 1667 Dubrovnik earthquake.
By the early 19th century, the tower began to lean toward the Stradun, leading to its demolition in 1928. The following year, it was reconstructed according to its original design.
The 1979 Montenegro earthquake caused further damage to the tower, leading to its restoration between 1987 and 1988.
Hanging inside the slim, dome-capped tower is a bronze bell cast by Ivan Rabljanin, a Croatian bronze caster and bell maker. While the tower is not original, the bell is.
On the hour, two jacquemarts (mechanical figures with hammers) strike the bell. These figures, known locally as Maro and Baro or the “Zelenci” (Green Men). They are called the “Green Men” due to their green patina. Below is a picture of the tower.
The Rector’s Palace sits just past St. Blaise’s Church. Built in the late 15th century for the elected rector who governed Dubrovnik, this Gothic-Renaissance palace contains the rector’s office and private chambers, public halls, administrative offices and a dungeon. During his one-month term, the rector was unable to leave the building without the permission of the senate.
Today the palace has been turned into the Cultural History Museum, with artfully restored rooms, portraits, coats of arms and coins, evoking the glorious history of Ragusa.
Walking down farther, you come to the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Constructed between 1671 and 1713, this masterpiece replaced a Romanesque basilica that fell victim to the 1667 earthquake.
Today’s cathedral stands as a testament to Roman Baroque architecture in Croatia. It has a three-aisled vaulted basilica crowned with a striking dome. Inside, the cathedral reveals a blend of Corinthian and Tuscan pilasters. Its ceiling a a dome.
A few blocks down from the Cathedral is the Serbian Orthodox Church and Icon Museum.
Above: an example of the iconography in the church.
To the left: The Serbian Orthodox Church Nave and Iconostasis.
Walking back towards the eastern gate, we passed the Dominican Monastery and other buildings. As you exit the old city to the east there are wonderful views of it and the harbor.
We were lucky to have a day and a half to explore this historic and beautiful place. It would take several more to see all the museums, and try the many cafes and restaurants.
Croatia is a diverse and beautiful country. This was the end of our time here. From here, we went to Montenegro for two days.
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