Heritage Dubrovnik

City walls and towers

Today's Clty walls are exactly as they were in the 14th century with the external towers, fortesses and bastions. They were completed during Dubrovnik's golden age, that is, the two centuries between the fall of Constantinople 1453, and the great earthquake in 1667.
• Minceta fortress (15th c.,) is on the north west of side, circular and dominating.
• Revelin fortress (15th c.,) Impressive fort, above the eastern city gates - Ploce.
• Bokar fort (15th c.,) is on the south - west side the city, at Pile. Its function was to protect the western entrance to the city.
• Fort Lovrjenac (14th - 16th c.,) is built on a cliff thirty seven metres above the sea. Amidst the many inscribed stones, there is one inscription which states:
Non bene pro toto libertas vendltur auro - Freedom cannot be sold for gold.

Main buildingsCity gates (west - Pile, east - Ploce) both with wooden drawbridges (15th c.,)

• Rector's palace is the most important building in ancient Dubrovnik. The Rector lived here during his monthly mandate. The state offices were at ground level, as well as the notaries and some of the state archives. The building was commenced in 1435, by Onofrio di Giordano de la Cava, Michelozzo and completed by local masters.
• Sponza Palace is the oldest of Dubrovnik's mediaeval buildings, built in 1520 by the local masters Pasko Milicevic and the Andrijic brothers. As it was mainly used as the Customs House, it was known as the Divona.
• Lazarets used to be the Quarantine quarters and also warehouses. The construction of this large complex, by the sea was started in 1590.
• Arsenal (13th c.,) with later alterations.

Monuments, fountains

• Statues of St. Blaise (from the 12th to 20th c.,) According to mediaevel legend St. Blaise saved the citizens of Dubrovnik in the 10th century from an attack by the Venetians. Legend says that Stojka, the Cathedral priest saw a vision of a grey haired old man, wearing a Bishop's mitre and crozier, who warned him of the danger threatening the city. ln return Stojka brought St. Blaise's reliquaries to Dubrovnik and until today he is revered for his power and deeds. Whenever the Dubrovnik citizens wish to show their self sufficiency independence, power and sovereignty, they erected a statue to St. Blaise.
• Orlando's column with its likeness of the knight Orlando, in front of St. Blaise's Church is the work of the Master, Antun Dubrovcanin, from the year 1418. The length of his right forearm was known as the Dubrovnik arm and is 51.2cm long.
• Statue of the poet Ivan Gundullc Of all the Dubrovnik poets, the first to whom a statue was built, was the baroque writer (author of Osman and Dubravka) lvan Gundulic. The statue was created by the sculptor lvan Rendic in 1892.
• Statue of Miho Pracat, was placed in the atrium of the Rector's Palace in 1638.
• The large Onofrio fountain (15th c.) with its sixteen carved heads, is situated at the beginning of the main street of the Old City Placa (Stradun).
• The little Onofrio fountain, Luža, 15th c., was restored and replaced in position 3. 2. 96. its true home.
• Colleglum Ragusinum opened in 1658 on Ruder Boškovic Square, which is reached by a baroque staircase (form of sea shell) from Gundulic Square.