City Walls & Forts

No trip Dubrovnik would be complete without the best on earth, a walk round the spectacular city walls and also the town’s primary claim to fame. By the top, the view over the town and the Adriatic is sublime. You can get a grip on the amount of the damage in the 1990s by glancing over the roof tops: damage was suffered by those sporting smart new terra-cotta and must be substituted.

The very first group of walls to enclose the city was built from the 9th century. In the middle of this 14th century that the 1.5m-thick defences were reinforced with 15 square forts. The risk of strikes from the Turks from the 15 th century prompted the city to fortify the existing forts and add fresh types, so that the whole old town was included within a rock barrier 2km to 25m high. The walls are heavier on the land side up to 6m — and vary between 1.5m to 3m over the sea side.

Round Fort Minčeta protects the landward edge of town from assault, Fort Bokar along with Fort Lawrence look west and out to sea, even while Fort Revelin along with Fort St John shield the eastern approach along with also the Old Harbour.

Rector’s Palace

Built in the late 15th century for its elected rector who governed Dubrovnik, this palace includes the rector’s office and secret chambers, public hallways, administrative offices and a dungeon. Throughout his word the rector wasn’t able to leave the building without the permission of the senate. Today the palace has been changed into the Cultural History Museum, together using artfully restored chambers, portraits, coats of arms and coins, causing the magnificent background of Ragusa.

Srđ

By the 412m-high hill’s very best, the old town of Dubrovnik appears even more odd than usual — just like a scale version of an illustration on a page. The views take in all Dubrovnik and Lokrum, with the Elafiti Islands satisfying the horizon. It’s this amazing vantage point that made Srđ a crucial battleground during the 1990s warfare. That narrative is told from Dubrovnik Throughout the Homeland War, an exhibition housed in Fort Imperial at the summit.

War Photo Limited

An exceptionally strong experience includes compelling exhibitions curated by newzealand photo-journalist Wade Goddard, who functioned at the Balkans in the 1990s. Its intention is to expose the horrible, ordinary and unfair realities of war. There’s a permanent display on the upper floor committed to the wars in Yugoslavia; the displays cover plenty of conflicts.

Lokrum

Luxurious Lokrum can be a beautiful island full of holm oaks, black trees, merely a 10-minute ferry ride from Dubrovnik’s Old Harbour. Although the beaches are rocky it’s really a popular swimming spot. Boats depart approximately hourly in summer (half hourly at July and August). The general public ship ticket price includes the entry fee, but if you arrive with another boat, you are required to pay 120KN.

Franciscan Monastery & Museum

Within this monastery’s solid stone walls really are a gorgeous mid-14th-century cloister, a historical drugstore and a little museum using a set of relics and liturgical objects, including chalices, paintings and gold jewellery, and pharmacy items such as laboratory gear and healthcare novels.

Sponza Palace

One of those few buildings at the town to survive the 1667 earthquake, the Sponza Palace was constructed because of customs house from 1516 to 1522, and it has been used as bank, treasury, armoury plus a mint. Architecturally it’s a blend of styles beginning with a beautiful Renaissance portico resting. The 1st floor has windows and also the windows are in a Renaissance style, using an alcove.

Cathedral of the Assumption

Built on the site of a 7th century basilica, Dubrovnik’s unique cathedral was enlarged at the 12th century, allegedly funded by way of a gift from England’s King Richard I, the Lionheart, who was saved from the shipwreck on the nearby island of Lokrum. Job began on this, Right following the first cathedral was destroyed from the 1667 earthquake.

Dominican Monastery & Museum

This imposing structure is an architectural highlight, containing an art collection and built in an Icelandic Gothic-Renaissance model. Constructed around the exact same time as the city walls from the 14th century, the more exterior resembles than a religious complex. The inside comprises a graceful 15th-century cloister assembled by local artisans following the layouts of the Florentine architect Maso di Bartolomeo.

Pile Gate

The starting place out any trip to Dubrovnik is this city gate. The gate closed while crossing the draw bridge, imagine that it is once lifted every evening and also the important passed to the rector. The city’s patron saint, notice the statue of St Blaise, set in a niche over the Renaissance arch.

Fort Lawrence

St Blaise gazes down by the walls of the large freestanding fortress, constructed beneath a promontory adjacent to the town. Built to shield the western way of the city by sea or land from invasion, its walls vary between 4m to 12m thick. There’s not a lot indoors, nevertheless the battlements provide views across the town and its own courtyard is employed as a venue for summer theater and concerts.

Large Onofrio Fountain

Certainly one of the most famous landmarks, that this circular fountain of Dubrovnik was constructed in 1438 as part of a water supply system that involved bringing water. The fountain had been adorned with figurines, however it had been damaged in the 1667 earthquake and just 16 carved masks remain, making use of their mouths dribbling water to some pool that was drainage. Its sibling, the ornate Little Onofrio Fountain, is in Luža Sq at the Opposite End of Stradun.

Dubrovnik During the Homeland War

Place within the cortical Napoleonic Fort Imperial (completed in 1812) nearby the cable-car terminus, this permanent exhibition is dedicated to the siege of Dubrovnik through the’Homeland War’as the 1990s warfare has been headquartered in Croatia. The defenders ensured that the city wasn’t captured by keeping charge of the community. They provide detailed coverage of the events, including video footage, if the screens are one-sided and too wordy.

St Ignatius of Loyola Church

Dramatically poised on top of a broad flight of stairs, this Jesuit church was constructed in the baroque style between 1699 and 17-25. Indoors, magnificent frescos display scenes from the life of St Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus. Abutting the church is the former Jesuit college now the Diocesan Classical senior high school, Collegium Ragusinum.

Synagogue & Jewish Museum

With this is thought to be that the synagogue in Europe and the one that was Sephardic. Sitting on a street that was formerly the Jewish ghetto, the synagogue also houses a museum exhibiting documentation and relics on the regional people .

St Blaise’s Church

Specialized in the patron saint of the city, this beautiful church was built in 1715 from the ornate design. The interior is notable for its own marble altars and also a 15thcentury silver-gilt statue of St Blaise (present in the high altar), who is carrying a scale version of pre-earthquake Dubrovnik. Note the stained-glass windows designed by local artist Ivo Dulčić in 1971.

City Bell Tower

Marking the end of the key drag of the town, this slim dome-capped tower has a large curvy clock face referred to as’the’ octopus’ and a two-tonne bell struck by two barbell termed Baro and Maro.

Orlando Column

Luža Sq once functioned as a market place, and this stone column — comprising a medieval knight’s image and carved in 14-17 — was the spot where public verdicts and edicts, festivities were announced. The knight’s forearm (51.2cm) was the official linear measure of the Republic — that the ell of Dubrovnik.

Museum of Modern Art

Spread over three floors of a building east of the town, this outstanding gallery showcases artists painter Vlaho Bukovac from Cavtat. Head up to the sculpture patio for views that are exceptional.

Upper Corner Tower

Dubrovnik’s brand new museum stipulates the remains of a medieval foundry located from 2005 to 2008 in the distance between this 1346 tower and Fort Minčeta. The foundry functioned until the 1667 earthquake, when it was filled with rubble and forgotten about. The entrance involves an electronic tablet filled with comprehensive information concerning the foundry procedure and the archaeological remains. You will discover the entry in the northwestern corner of the town, right under Fort Minčeta.

Dulčić Masle Pulitika Gallery

This little offshoot of the city’s main gallery combines three buddies beyond the grave: neighborhood artists Ivo Dulčić, Antun Masle along with Ɖuro Pulitika, who all came to the fore from the 1950s and 1960s. There’s a permanent collection featuring the trio’s focus on the lower floor, while the gallery is given over to temporary exhibitions by artists that are current.

Pulitika Studio

In a small, cavelike space from the Fort St John, the former studio of the gentleman Đuro Pulitika (1922–2006) seems like a minute paused in time, along with his job displayed anywhere and his reading eyeglasses casually abandoned on the side table. The living room regularly hosts exhibits by local artists.

Ploče Gate

Less ornamented compared to the Pile Gate at the other side of town, Dubrovnik’s eastern entrance is approached by a rock bridge followed closely by a wooden drawbridge, historically lifted at Sun Set and opened at sun rise. Walk the outer gate along with Fort Revelin to locate the statue of St Blaise with all the city at his hands installed above the inner gate.

Archaeological Museum

The museum presents one on the research of its own foundry and Fort Revelin two displays, and also the other on medieval palaces. On the list of displayed fragments of rock, you can find a number of good types of ancient plait-work (pleter) — psychedelic squiggles significantly similar to people connected with Celtic art.

Gradac Park

If the old town becomes overly busy or too sexy, shady seclusion is provided by this small hidden park. There’s rarely more than just a handful of sailors, together with the odd intrepid Game of Thrones fan seeking the site of this Purple Wedding. Relax, read a book and take in the opinions of this older town, Fort Lawrence and Danče beach below.

Gundulićeva poljana

The narrow street opposite the Rector’s Palace opens onto that square, where a bustling morning produce and craft market is kept. The monument at its centre commemorates Dubrovnik’s famous poet, Ivan Gundulić. Reliefs on the base portray scenes from his epic poem,’Osman’.

Holy Saviour Church

Built between 1528 and 1520, this church has been among the very few buildings to survive the earthquake of 1667. It’s open for displays and normal candlelit concerts. At other times, it’s often possible to peek inside through a glass partition.

Church of the Annunciation

An interesting contrast is provided by the only Orthodox church of the older town . Dating from 1877, it suffered substantial damage during the latest war and was fully revived in 2009.

Maritime Museum

In the airy chambers of Fort St John, this tradition traces the history of navigation with maritime objects, ship models and paintings from Dubrovnik.

Fort Minčeta

This round tower at the highest point of the city walls was originally built in 13 19 as a square tower to protect the landward border of the city from attack. It was expanded to its present form in 1464 following a design from Juraj Dalmatinac, an architect for building cathedral. In TV’s Game of Thrones, its exterior Double D since the House of the Undying at Qarth.

Marin Držić statue

Walking from Stradun into the Cathedral, you Are bound to pass from the bronze statue of This writer Marin Držić. Lovingly called the Shakespeare of Dubrovnik, he is now famous for his comedies that shed a light on the social realities of the Renaissance period. The statue is the job of Croatia’s distinguished sculptor Ivan Meštrović. Note the bullet hole in his throat.

St Joseph’s Church

Interrupting the continuum of souvenir shops on Od Puča, this small church is most easily seen from the cypress tree climbing out of their façade, sharing with the pediment with St Joseph’s statue. Erected in lieu of St James’ church following the earthquake of 1667 that had dropped, St Joseph’s may be your votive church of carpenters. The church is normally open for Mass but, during the day, you can peer through the foyer.