DUBROVNIK, Old City - World Heritage Sites in Croatia
Dubrovnik - Pearl of the Adriatic
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast in
the extreme south of Dalmatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist
destinations on the Adriatic. In 1979, the old city of Dubrovnik, which includes
a substantial portion of the old walls of Dubrovnik, joined the UNESCO list of
World Heritage Sites.
The prosperity of the city of Dubrovnik has always been based on maritime trade.
In the Middle Ages, as the Republic of Ragusa, also known as the fifth Maritime
Republic (together with Amalfi, Pisa, Genoa and Venice), it became the only
eastern Adriatic city-state to rival Venice. Supported by its wealth and skilled
diplomacy, the city achieved a remarkable level of development, particularly
during the 15th and 16th centuries. Although severely damaged by an earthquake
in 1667, Dubrovnik managed to preserve its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and
Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains.
Click on the picture to enlarge
The Walls of Dubrovnik
The Walls of Dubrovnik are a series of defensive stone walls that have
surrounded and protected citizens of the afterward proclaimed maritime
city-state of Dubrovnik (Ragusa), since the city's founding prior to the
7th century. With numerous additions and modifications throughout their
history, they have been considered to be amongst the great fortification
systems of the Middle Ages, as they were never breached by hostile army
during this time period. Today's intact city walls, constructed mainly
during the 12th–17th centuries, mostly a double line, have long been a
source of pride for Dubrovnik.
The walls run an uninterrupted course of approximately 2000 metres in
length, encircling most of the old city. This complex structure, amongst
the largest and most complete in Europe, protected the freedom and
safety of a "civilised" and "sophisticated" republic that flourished in
peace and prosperity for five centuries.
