Dubrovnik, the 'Pearl of the Adriatic'

Dubrovnik, the Jewel in Croatia’s Crown:

UNESCO’s listing describes the Old City of Dubrovnik as the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ situated on the Dalmatian coast.  It’s no wonder that this is an internationally popular tourist destination with independent travellers, coach tours as well as cruise ships.

When we grumbled to our tour guide that our hotel was a bit far from the Old City centre, he in turn complained that there were so many tourists in town that it’s difficult to get affordable accommodation close to the centre.

The city has two main gates, Pile and Ploce and entry to the old fortified city centre is via the Pile Gate on the western side.  To get to the Gate, you walk over a small stone bridge which used to cross what was once a moat.  Above the arch of the gate is a small statue of St. Blaise, the patron saint of Dubrovnik.  It’s easy to find your way around the Old City and its interesting exploring the side streets both at ground level as well as the streets on the upper levels.  There is a lot to see here, so if you’ve only got a couple of days in Dubrovnik, you may have to race around a little and not be distracted by the souvenir shops.

Some key monuments to see in the Old City

Great Onofrio Fountain
This interesting fountain is just next to the Pile Gate and is a good meeting point. It was built by Onofrio della Cava to commemorate the completion of the new waterworks in 1438.  The waterworks supplied the city with water from the Dubrovnik River, 12 kilometres away.

Franciscan Monastery
Just across from the Fountain is this 1317 monastery.  Within the monastery is a pharmacy which was founded at the same time as the monastery, making it one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe. The monastery library is also noted to be one of the most important old libraries in Croatia and in the world.

Stradun (officially called the Place)
This central stone street of the Old City was built in 1667 after the great earthquake destroyed the city.  As you walk down the Stradun, imagine what it was like before the earthquake – lined with lovely and luxurious palaces.

Orlando’s Column
Near the Clock Tower in the Square of the Loggia is a stone column with the figure of a medieval warrior bearing a sword and shield standing on a pedestal. Orlando’s statue is a symbol of the freedom of Dubrovnik and the flag of the Republic always flies on top of this column.

The Sponza Palace
This combination Gothic and Renaissance style palace was originally intended to be a custom’s house where traded goods from all over the world were brought here to be taxed. During its days, the palace courtyard and all the arcades were abuzz with traders and business people meeting here.

The Rector’s Palace
This is where the highest level of city government met.  The Dubrovnik Rector lived here, without his family, for the duration of his office which is limited to one month. Except for official business, he was not permitted to leave the palace. The rector was also responsible for the keys to the city.  Each evening a special ceremony was held in which he accepted the keys to the city gates and was responsible for ensuring that no one could enter into the town through the night.

Bokar Fortress
The purpose of this fortress was to defend the main entrance gates, drawbridge and moat at Pile.

Fort of St. John
The fort was the main defence for the city port and one of the most important defence fortresses of the city. This is a beautiful side of the city and definitely worth making your way to.  The Ploce Gate is also at this eastern end of the city.

Other sights and Monuments of Interest

Other significant places of interest and monuments include the Dominican Monastery, Church of St. Blaise, Clock Tower and the Square of the Loggia.

The Old City Wall will be covered in a separate post.  It takes time to walk from the entrance to the exit and during the peak tourist season it is very busy up there.

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