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THE STORY OF DUBROVNIK AND HIS MONUMENTS Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro

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Guide through Dubrovnik monuments

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  • THE STORY OF DUBROVNIK AND HIS MONUMENTS

    Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro

  • STRADUN

    The story of Dubrovnik and his monuments cannot start in no other way but

    with Stradun or Placa - the Old Town's main street. It is favourite promenade

    walk of Dubrovnik citizens as well as tourists from all over the world,

    aproximately 300 meter long. Stradun runs from Pile gate on the west to Ploe

    gate on the east. As a pedestrian zone it follows the line of the channel that once

    divided town into two parts. The street came into being in the 12th century, was

    paved in 1468. and reconstructed after the earthquake of 1667. Last damages

    Stradun endured during war in 1991. when according to the Meyer of Dubrovnik

    at that time, Petar Poljani, 1056. grenades were dropped on the Old town, of

    which 56 fell on Stradun.

  • PILE GATE

    Pile gate is considered to be the main entrance to the Old Town. A stone bridge

    supported by two gothic arches ends at another bridge, wooden drawbridge

    connecting the Old Town with rest of the city. Above the bridges, over the arch,

    the statue of city patron St. Blaise (Sv. Vlaho) is set. Once you have crossed the

    bridge and walked down the stairs to get to Stradun, next great work of art that

    will probably catch your eye is Big Onofrio's Fountain.

  • BIG ONOFRIOS FOUNTAIN

    The Big Onofrios Fountain is a 16-sided drinking fountain built by Onofrio de

    la Cava. Fountain is a part of the town's water supply system which Onofrio

    managed to create by bringing the water from the well in Rijeka Dubrovaka,

    located 20 km from actual fountain making this construction a masterpiece of

    that time. Once a traveler has refreshened himself from a fountain which is in

    use even today, after 570 years, it is time to venture to Franciscan Monastery

    which is to the right side of Stradun, across the fountain.

  • FRANCISCAN MONASTERY

    Address: Placa 2, phone: +385 20 321 410 Open: 9 am -6 pm, entrance fee: 30 kn, children 15 kn

    The monastery is most famous for its pharmacy, third oldest in Europe, but the

    only one still working. The inventories, ceramics, bowls, laboratory equipment

    and old medical books of the old Pharmacy are kept in the Franciscan

    Monastery Museum, among other highly valued and priceless objects of

    Dubrovnik's historic and cultural past. Cluster of the Franciscan Monastery is

    considered to be a masterpiece of architecture in Dubrovnik. The construction

    started in 1337. It is built in transitional Romanesque-Gothic style. In 1667 it

    was completely destroyed in the Great Earthquake. The door with Pieta at

    Stradun is the only thing left from the original church after it has been rebuilt in

    17th century. Underneath pieta, there is a gargoyle below knee height. The trick

    is to stand on it facing the wall-it's the test of a real man!

  • CHURCH OF ST. SAVIOUR

    Near Franciscan monastery and Big Onofrios Fountain its place holds the

    Church of St. Saviour, as first church on the main street Stradun. It is built

    around 1520. as a votive church. After a big earthquake in 1520. had hit

    Dubrovnik, around 20 people were killed, and damage on the buildings was big.

    The citizens of Dubrovnik thought how hill Sr would fall on the city. As a sign

    of gratitude for that not happening, Dubrovnik Senat decided to build this

    church. The church has typically Dalmatian Renaissance wheel-window front

    and Gothic interiors.

  • ORLANDOS COLUMN

    On the other, east end of Stradun, knight Orlando, one who helped defend

    Dubrovnik against Saracens, awaits and greets. The state decrees were

    proclaimed from the statue. Punishments were also executed there. The forearm

    of Orlando was the standard measure of the Ragusan cubit, lakat, shown more

    accurately by a line in the base. Flag raised above the statue symbolizes the wish

    for freedom of the Dubrovnik Republic (Libertas).

  • ST BLAISE CHURCH

    Entrance is free

    On the right side of Orlandos column stands St. Blaise church who is the patron

    and protector of Dubrovnik. It is a baroque church built in between 1705 and

    1717 (to replace the building of 1368 that was lost by fire) . St. Blaise Church is

    built on the plan of a Greek cross and topped with a grand dome. Its wide

    staircase is a popular place for weary tourists to have a rest while watching

    people passing by. Inside the church are numerous art treasures saved from the

    earlier church, including a gold-plated silver statue of St. Blaise, holding a 15th-

    century model of the city, at the main altar.

  • PALACE SPONZA

    On the left from Orlando's column there is one of the most important buidings in

    the city, Pallace Sponza. It represents a harmonious blend of Gothic and

    Renaissance architecture.Throughout the times of the Dubrovnik Republic it had

    different purposes and was used as a custom house, a mint and main warehouse.

    The interior of Sponza consists in a round and spacious court, arranged as a

    double cloister, with round arches below and slightly pointed arches on the first

    floor. First floor was used for social gatherings and meetings of learned and

    literary societies. Ground floor houses exhibitions of artists and festival concerts

    and contains the original 16th mechanism controling the town bell and clock.

    Palace remained in continuous public use until the end of the 19 th century.

  • CITY BELL TOWER

    The elegant Bell Tower, 35m tall, dating from 1444. is connected to Palace

    Sponza. It got broken down and rebuilt in 1928. Modern clock, with bronze

    jacks in the form of soldiers that strike the hour (Maro and Baro) is a faithful

    copy, with the addition of a figured time indicator, of which one dates from

    1478. (original can be seen in Sponza palace). Huge bell in the tower, over 2000

    kilos in weight, is the only original detail from the first bell tower dating from

    1501. On St. Blaise's day, a lottery is held in a space connecting palace Sponza

    and Bell Tower. A man in charge of lottery is reading the numbers while

    citizens throw different vegetables and fruit at him.

  • SMALL ONOFRIO'S FOUNTAIN

    Small Onofrios fountain is in intermediate vicinity of St. Blaise church. Onofrio

    de la Cava who projected Big Onofrios fountain projected this one too. It was

    erected in 1438. In middle ages it also had a religious meaning. Only Christians

    used it.It is in the shape of an octagonal basin with defaced sculptural panels,

    from which rises a 'baroque-Gothic' column. Near that fountain there used to be

    another fountain where only Jews got water. In third street, udioska, counting

    from Palace Sponza there is a Synagogue, said to be the oldest in Balkans and

    third oldest in Europe. It is closed on Saturdays and Sundays- check the fee, and

    working times.

  • RECTOR'S PALACE

    Working hours in winter (3 November - 21 March):9.00 am - 4.00 pm, every day Working hours in summer (22 March - 2 November): 9.00 am - 6.00 pm, every day. Entrance fee for adults 40 kn, children: 20kn

    This is the most important building from which all decisions and laws regardingthe governing of Dubrovnik Republic were brought. It is built in in a mixture ofGothic and Renaissance styles, probably due to two explosions that happened in1435. and 1463., as well as the Great Earthquake in 1667., after which theRector's Palace was badly damaged. The name clearly states it was the home ofthe Rector who was elected by the Great council to represent the Republic for amonth. During that time he wasn't allowed to leave the palace at anytime excepton government business which completely fits into the Dubrovnik Republicprinciple clearly stated above the doors of the Great council hall: "Oblitiprivatorum, publica curate" which meant "Forget private and deal with publicbusiness". Today a historical museum is placed in it, as well as many otherexhibitions and concerts.

  • CATHEDRAL

    Working hours in summer (4 April - 1 November): Work days 9.00 am - 5.00 pm , Sundays and holidays 11.00 am - 5.00 pm Working hours in winter: Work days 10.00 am - 12.00 am and 3.00 pm - 5.00 pm Sundays and holidays 11.00 am - 12.00 am and 3.00 pm - 5.00 pm. No entrance fee, except for treasury 15kn

    Dubrovnik's Cathedral stands in the center of Poljana Marin Dri, close to

    Rector's Palace. The first Dubrovnik Cathedral was built from the 12th to the

    14th century in Romanesque style. It was destroyed in the Great Earthquake in

    1667 and the present Cathedral was built on its place.This Romanesque Baroque

    style Cathedral is a cruciform in plan, a three-hall building which contains a rich

    treasury and a line of paintings by top masters. According to legend, Cathedral

    from 12th century was built with money of english king Richard of Lion heart

    who had experienced a shipwreck near island Lokrum after he came back from

    the Third crusade war in 1192.

  • GUNDULI and POLJANA SQUARE

    Once you have ventured to Cathedral, next stop should be Poljana and Gunduli

    square. Right to Cathedral there is a passage that leads to Poljana square with

    caffe bars where you can rest and gather all impressions before continuing to

    Gunduli square. The square got name after Ivan Gunduli, the most famous

    poet of Dubrovnik. The statue of Ivan Gunduli dominates the square erected by

    the grateful citizens in 1892. In the mornings the square serves as a market

    where people come and sell their homegrown fruit and vegetables as well as

    lavander, rosemary and other essential oils that originate from countryside of

    Dubrovnik.

  • THE JESUIT CHURCH

    From Gunduli square, Jesuite Street leads to the foot of the imposing

    staircase ,modeled in 1738. on the 'Spanish Steps' in Rome, mounting to St.

    Ignazio, baroque church of the Jesuits, designed in 1725. It is situated in Plazza

    Ruer Bokovi, named after renomed astronomist,mathematician, physicist and

    philosohpher after which a Classical gymnasium that is attached to the church

    got name.

  • DOMINICAN MONASTERY

    If you still havent had enough of Dubrovniks monumental beauty, you can

    come back to the Bell tower, walk under the arch and continue walking till you

    reach Dominican Monastery. Inside the monastery there is a museum with

    artifacts from Dubrovnik's goldsmiths, reliquaries and other sacral objects. It's

    painting collection contains many works of the old masters from the 14th to 20th

    century. The library of Dominican Monastery was one of the biggest European

    libraries in the period between the 15th and 17th century and was founded in

    the 13th century. Its collection expands over 16,000 volumes, 240 incunabula

    and important archives, among which are the oldest Latin translations of

    Avicenna's works and a tractate of St. Thomas Aquinas (14th century).

  • CITY WALLS

    Entrance fees for Adults: 70,00 kunas (The entrance ticket is also valid for Fort Lovrjenac. Children and young people from 5 - 18 years of age: 30,00 kunas (The entrance ticket is also valid for Fort Lovrjenac.). Students, journalists, Croatian army soldiers, policemen and disabled persons: 30,00 kunas.

    All these breathtaking monuments are situated inside among the finest and mostcomplete city walls in Europe, protecting the freedom of Dubrovnik Republicfor centuries. They surround the entire Old City with their 1940 meters of lengthand up to 25 meters of height. The whole City Wall complex was built from the8th until the 16th century, consisting of an inner and outer section. There arefive bastions, 3 circular and 12 square and rectangular towers, two cornertowers, and one huge fortress. The outer section of City Walls consists of alower wall, having 10 semicircular bastions built by the famous Italian architectMichelozzo. The town is defended by two more separate fortresses, at Revelinon the eastern side and Lovrijenac on the southwest side. The easiest way toenter the city walls is where the whole story starts, at the beginning of Stradun,on west, next to Franciscan Monastery.

    If you havent walked the walls you havent seen Dubrovnik!

  • Hope you have enjoyed this small selection of greatest monuments in Dubrovnik.

    Sources:

    Wikipedia

    http://www.online-croatia.com/

    http://www.dubrovnikcard.com

    Photocredits go to Wikipedia contributers:

    Beyond_silence NinaneArdfern Hedwig_Storch LastaHajotthuVedran SerbuVidanVeselin AtanasovJolleJaganjac

    Curator: Karmen Skaro