Dubrovnik is a port located in Dalmatia, southeastern Croatia. It is considered to be the most beautiful city on the Dalmatian coast and is often referred to as the “Pearl of the Adriatic”. The name Dubrovnik comes from the Croatian word “dubrava” which means “grove”. The city is situated on a promontory that extends into the Adriatic Sea, under Mount Srdj’s limestone mass. The port’s sea fortifications rise directly from the water’s edge, and the Minc̆eta Fortress’s massive round tower (completed in 1464) dominates the city on the landward side. The old city of Dubrovnik was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.
History
The city of Dubrovnik, originally known as Ragusa or Ragusium, was founded in 614 AD by Roman refugees who were fleeing the Slav and Avar attack on Epidaurus. The city became a melting pot of different cultures, as a colony of Slavs joined the Romans there.
Dubrovnik remained a free city in all but name, even after Dalmatia was sold to Venice in 1420. The city’s strategic treaty with Turkey allowed it to maintain its independence and become a major trading power between the Ottoman Empire and Europe.
Dubrovnik enjoyed a great flourishing of art and literature in the 15th-17th centuries, earning it the title of “the South Slav Athens.” The city also contributed ships to Spain in 1588 for the Armada’s abortive invasion of England.
However, in 1667 an earthquake destroyed parts of the city, including the cathedral and many monasteries and palaces, and killed as many as 5,000 residents. Dubrovnik did not regain its prosperity until the Napoleonic Wars, wherein it secured a large share of the carrying trade as the only neutral Mediterranean state.
Napoleon I subjugated Dubrovnik in 1808, and the Congress of Vienna (1815) gave Dubrovnik to Austria. In 1918, it was incorporated into Yugoslavia. Sadly, many of Dubrovnik’s historic buildings suffered damage in 1991-92 during Croatia’s struggle for independence, but much of the old city has since been restored.
The contemporary city
The city of Dubrovnik takes pride in its double-line walls, which were built in the 16th century and encircle most of the old city. The walls stretch for about 6,365 feet (1,940 meters) and reach a maximum height of around 80 feet (25 meters). There are several towers and fortresses along the walls, as well as many historic monuments. Beyond the walls, there are numerous villas surrounded by gardens. The basic city plan goes back to 1292 when the port was rebuilt after a fire. The main street, called the Stradun, runs along a valley that was once a marshy channel dividing the Latin island of Ragusa from the forest settlement of Dubrovnik until 1272. The old city is a maze of picturesque narrow streets, many of them steep and twisting and no motor vehicles are allowed inside the walls except for the Stradun.
Two 14th-century convents stand at either end of the city; the Franciscans guarded the western gate while the Dominicans kept the eastern gate. The Rector’s Palace, which was built in the late Gothic style in the 15th century, was the seat of the government of the Dubrovnik Republic and is a masterpiece of Dalmatian architecture. Other notable structures include Lovrijenac, a fortress sitting atop a cliff; a 16-sided fountain and bell tower, both of which were built in the 15th century; and a 15th-century Jewish synagogue, which is one of the oldest in Europe. The island of Lokrum is famous for its gardens and orange groves and features a fortress and monastery.
Dubrovnik has many fine museums. The Museum of Dubrovnik, located in the Rector’s Palace, has extensive collections of furniture and uniforms. The Franciscan monastery displays the inventory of Dubrovnik’s old pharmacy, which was founded in the 14th century, as well as jewelry, embroideries, and paintings. The Maritime Museum, established in 1941 and located in a former fortress, chronicles the city’s seafaring past. The Dubrovnik State Archives, which have manuscripts in numerous languages, some of which date back to 800 years ago, are located in the Sponza Palace (formerly a mint). There are also archaeological, ethnographic, and theatrical museums. The city hosts a summer arts festival featuring theatre and music, as well as other annual festivals, which attract many tourists to this scenic city.
Historical Facts You Didn’t Know
Dubrovnik is known for its rich history and awe-inspiring architecture. Invaders, travelers, emperors, and writers have all marveled at the beauty of this marbled city hidden behind medieval stone walls. Lord Byron referred to Dubrovnik as the “Jewel of the Adriatic,” while George Bernard Shaw described it as a “Heaven on Earth.” The city’s Baroque architecture reflects its past influenced by Roman, Byzantium, and Venetian cultures.
As you wander through the broad marble streets or along the main street, the Stradun, you will eventually come across one of the Old City’s many squares. The Old City was planned to be a typical medieval city with large open spaces for public and private business. Its harmonic urban planning makes it a living proof of the past.
Here are some historical facts about Dubrovnik that you might not know:
– Ragusa was the official name of Dubrovnik until 1808.
– The Republic of Dubrovnik was the first state to recognize the United States od America (in 1776).
– The city walls of Dubrovnik have never been breached.
– The world’s first commercial pharmacy opened in Dubrovnik in 1317, and it is still in existence today.
– Dubrovnik had various colonies, one of which was in a town named Gandaulim in Old Goa, India, where the Church of St. Blaise remains today.
– Dubrovnik was the first republic to banish slavery in 1416.
– Dubrovnik had the first orphanage in the world, which opened its doors to take in children in 1432.
– Dubrovnik has a medieval sewer system dating from 1296, which is still in use today.
– Dubrovnik’s Insurance Law is the oldest in Europe and was validated in 1395, some 300 years before Lloyds of London.
– During the Dubrovnik Republic, when the wind jugo blew, no major political decisions could be taken.
– Agatha Christie spent her second honeymoon in Dubrovnik.
– Dubrovnik is quite the Grande Dame of the film world having featured in Game of Thrones, Star Wars, and in 2017, Robin Hood.
Don’t miss the chance to experience the unique atmosphere that exists behind the thick city walls of Dubrovnik Old Town. Sit for a bit, take in the scenery, buy a memento, and become immersed in the city’s centuries-old history.