Dubrovnik

 

Dubrovnik (lat. Ragusium) is a city in the extreme south of Croatia. It is the administrative center of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and one of the most important historical and tourist centers in Croatia. According to the 2021 census, there are 41,562 inhabitants; 92% of them declared themselves Croats.

The old town of Dubrovnik has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979.

The prosperity of the city of Dubrovnik from the earliest times was based on maritime trade. In the Middle Ages, as the Republic of Dubrovnik, it was the only city-state on the eastern coast of the Adriatic that competed with the Republic of Venice. Along with its wealth and diplomacy, the city achieved an extraordinary level of development, especially during the 15th and 16th centuries. Dubrovnik was one of the centers of the development of the Croatian language and literature, and many important Croatian poets, dramatists, painters, mathematicians, physicists and other scholars created there.

 

When to come

Dubrovnik weather is fairly mild due to its position on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. However certain dates might be more suitable depending on your preferences of number of tourists, weather and etc.

 

The Dubrovnik Summer Festival

Dubrovnik Summer Festival is an annual summer festival that started in 1950 shortly after completion of World War II. It usually lasts from 10 July to 25 August. It consists of dozens of artists who stage open air performances of classical music, theatre, opera, dance, circus and etc. In addition to native residents Dubrovnik also hosts guests from all over Europe and beyond.

 

Orientation

The mountains in Dubrovnik come close to the sea, so even the Old Town is very relief and half consists of stairs. Outside, the slopes become even steeper. Because of this, Dubrovnik is stretched in length for more than 5 km. The historical center is closer to the southern edge of the city, while the port and bus station, on the contrary, are closer to the north; both are at low altitude. The highway passes 100 m higher, and already stunning views open from it, although it is even better to climb Mount Srd (400 m), literally hanging over the Old Town. The panorama from above is one of the best on the Adriatic coast.

The mode of visiting Dubrovnik largely depends on the transport available to you, but it’s definitely not worth it to become like Western tourists and stay in the city for several days. With a car, it is better to bypass Dubrovnik altogether, looking at the city from above, or find free parking in the vicinity and make a short trip to the center by public transport. Without a car, you can spend the night in the city, since the prices for accommodation here are more humane than for everything else, but even in this mode, you are unlikely to stay in Dubrovnik longer than one day.

If you plan to spend money on entrance tickets, it is better to immediately buy a Dubrovnik Pass card, which gives you the right to visit the main museums and fortress walls, as well as free travel on public transport (unlike other cities, the card itself is not valid in transport - you need to find a ticket kiosk, where they will issue the appropriate travel card). The card costs €35 for 1 day, €45 for 3 days and €55 for 7 days (2023). You can buy it at museum ticket offices, tourist information offices and large hotels.

 

Dubrovnik Destinations

Fortifications

Walls and towers. Summer: 8:00–19:30, the rest of the time - during daylight hours. €33. The image of Dubrovnik is largely made up of its walls - the largest defensive structures on the Adriatic. The walls surround the Old City in a continuous ring, reaching almost 2 km in length and 25 m in height, with a width of 4-6 m from the mainland to 1.5-5 m from the sea. This impressive composition is completed by 5 bastions and 17 towers: 3 round and 14 square. The first stone fortifications appeared in Dubrovnik as early as the 8th century; the current walls were built in the 14th century, when the city was freed from the rule of Venice, and were further strengthened in the second half of the 15th century after the fall of Constantinople. Trying to resolve issues not by war, but by diplomacy, the Dubrovnik Republic was ready for war if something happened: the walls are so powerful that they easily survived the earthquake of 1667. When all the medieval cities began to get rid of their walls, this did not make sense in Dubrovnik: the difficult terrain would still not allow laying streets in their place. Now the walls are fully used for the amusement of tourists and for the benefit of the city. A circular walk is considered a mandatory item of the program, the views are really wonderful, although in the peak of the season it is better to come early before the crowd has gathered (it’s good to watch the sunset from the walls, but there will most likely be many who want to). The entrance to the walls is at the gates of Pile and Ploce. The entrance ticket is obscenely expensive, and there is no point in buying it, in general - you need to take the Dubrovnik Pass right away.

1 Pile Gate (Vrata od Pila). The main city gates were built in 1460 and made in accordance with all the rules of military science with an inner space-"trap", which now serves as a ramp for the disabled. The gates are modestly decorated - with a small sculpture of St. Blaise, the patron saint of the city, and the most interesting thing is in front of them: this is a former city moat, planted with trees and turned into a park, which is pleasant to walk along, hiding from the summer heat.
2 Gate of Ploče (Vrata od Ploča). The eastern gate was built only 10 years earlier than the Pile gate and is also decorated with the figure of St. Blaise, but they are structurally different, since they are combined with the whole fort, from the platform of which a good view of the harbor opens.
3 Fort Lovrijenac. Dubrovnik Gibraltar is a fortress on a sheer cliff that covers the Old Town from the sea. It was built at the beginning of the XIV century to protect against the Venetian fleet and contributed to the fact that Dubrovnik no longer belonged to Venice. There is nothing particularly interesting inside, although you can look at the Old Town from the side or enjoy the pine trees growing around. Entrance with tickets to the fortress walls or Dubrovnik Pass.

Dubrovnik Fortress

 

Inside the Old City

Of the old cities of the Croatian coast, Dubrovnik is the most prominent. It is divided in half by a straight, wide and ideally flat Stradun street, on both sides of which narrow streets climb up the slope, turning into tiring steep stairs. This unusual topography developed back in the Middle Ages, since the southern half of the Old City was once an island (the very Ragusa where the descendants of the Romans from Cavtat moved in the 7th century), and the northern half was the Slavic Dubrava located on the mainland. When in the 11th century the channel separating them was filled up, one wide and straight street appeared in the narrowness of the Old City, at the ends of which the main city gates were built.

The old city is evenly and densely built up with houses made of light stone. Most of them bear traces of Baroque reconstruction after the earthquake of 1667, which is especially noticeable in temples, but some secular houses have retained their Renaissance or even Gothic appearance. It is not so much individual buildings that are interesting here, but the urban landscape as a whole. Walking among this antiquity is very pleasant, if only to come here early in the morning. Then numerous restaurants put their tables on the narrow streets, leaving people only a narrow passage - so narrow that the waiter could easily block your way by unfolding the menu of his excellent establishment. In the evening, when it gets dark, dinner on one of these streets has its own charm (as well as the cost), but not in the high season, because tourists dodging waiters will stumble over your table all the time.

4 Onuphrius' or Onofrio's Fountain (Velika Onofrijeva česma) (at the Pile Gate). Because of the dome, the fountain can be mistaken for Turkish, although instead of oriental patterns, it has classical bas-reliefs. It was built in 1438 by the Naples architect Onofrio della Cava.
5 Church of Saint Blaise (Crkva sv. Vlaha). The temple in honor of the patron saint of the city was built in 1715 on the site of an old church that burned down in a fire. The city didn’t have much money at that moment, so the unknown Marino Gropelli was invited from Venice - not even an architect, but a sculptor who did an excellent job and became so popular that he later received orders all the way from Russia (for sculptures for the St. garden). The temple is decorated in the Baroque style; the interior is modest by Italian standards of that time, but the plasticity of the outer walls is wonderful.
6 Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Dubrovačka katedrala). According to legend, the Dubrovnik Cathedral was built with the money of the English King Richard the Lionheart, whose ship was wrecked near the city. The earthquake of 1667 did not spare the temple, and a whole galaxy of Italian architects was engaged in its restoration, or rather, restructuring. From the outside, this is a completely canonical baroque monument, but inside there are much more ancient relics: from the relics of the patron saint of the city, St. Blaise, to the altar triptych by Titian.
7 Sponza Palace (Palača Sponza). One of the most beautiful civil buildings in the city was built in 1516-21 at the intersection of Gothic and Renaissance. As was customary then, a large courtyard with open galleries was made inside. You can enter it for free during the day (the door is closed in the evening); moreover, you can look into one of the rooms where the memorial hall of the heroes of the defense of Dubrovnik is equipped.

Tower Minčeta

Stradun Street

Home of the poet and play writer Marina Drzicha (Dom Marina Drzica)

Dubrovnik City Museum

Dominican Convent (Dominikanski samostan i crkva sv. Dominika)

Saint Savior Church

Franciscan Monastery

 

Outskirts

8   Mount Srd (Srđ). The best view of this city is from a height of 400 m and cliffs hanging right above Dubrovnik. In addition to the upper cable car station and a shamelessly expensive restaurant, there is Fort Imperial (Tvrđava Imperijal) at the top - a small fortress built in 1810 by the French army. Like many military installations of that time, she almost did not participate in real hostilities and would have remained another atavism if she had not had a chance to play a key role in the defense of Dubrovnik in 1991. During the heavy fighting, the Croatian army managed to hold the top, and with it the city below. Now inside the fortress there is the Dubrovnik Defense Museum (Muzej Domovinskog rata u Dubrovniku; summer: 9:00–22:00, €4) with a selection of photographs, documents and other exhibits - living witnesses of the Yugoslav war.

How to get there: climbing the rocky path from the Old Town takes an hour and a half and in the heat does not bring the slightest pleasure. From May to October, you can use the lift, but there is also a cheaper, and year-round option: on weekdays, several times a day, city bus number 17 from the Pile gate goes to the village of Bosanka, from where it remains to walk along the asphalt road for only half an hour with a climb of just over 100 m. This path is also good because it allows you to see the Old Town a little from the side - in this perspective it is more photogenic than when viewed from the top almost vertically down. Cars enter the mountain freely through the same village; Upstairs there is enough space for parking, no money is taken for it.

 

What to do

A complex ticket for €20 (2023) includes a visit to the historical (Prince's Court), maritime and ethnographic museums. This ticket is optimal if you do not plan to walk along the walls - otherwise it is better to immediately buy the Dubrovnik Pass card, which, along with the three main museums, covers several others. There are no separate tickets to the maritime and ethnographic museums, you need to take a comprehensive one.

1 Rector's Palace or Prince's Palace (Knežev dvor, Rector's Palace). April to October: 09:00–18:00, other times: 09:00–16:00; Wednesday is always a day off. €15. The residence of the ruler of the city is a Gothic palace of the middle of the 15th century. This is perhaps the only building in Dubrovnik that has undergone only minimal rebuilding and has retained its medieval appearance, especially noticeable in the intricate decoration of the columns. Since there was no ruler in the city, the Prince's Court has been occupied by a historical museum - a collection of all kinds of artifacts, from ancient coins to weapons, ceramics and clothing. There is also an exhibition of paintings and icons from the houses of local aristocrats.
2 Sea Museum (Pomorski muzej). April to October: 09:00–18:00, other times: 09:00–16:00; Wednesday is always a day off. In the Middle Ages, Dubrovnik lived on maritime trade, so the museum tells about the city almost more than the historical one: models of ships, old maps, and navigational instruments are exhibited here. All this is shown in the most historical setting - the premises of the fortress of St. John (Tvrđava Sv. Ivan), one of the fortified bastions along the perimeter of the city walls. Once upon a time, a giant chain was thrown from the fortress to the gates of Ploce, protecting the harbor from the enemy.
3Ethnographic Museum or the Museum of Rupe (Etnografski muzej Rupe). April to October: 09:00–18:00, other times: 09:00–16:00; Wednesday is always a day off. Collections of national clothes, jewelry and other household items across the Adriatic coast are almost the same, but only in Dubrovnik the museum occupies a unique historical building - a granary built in 1548, inside which there are huge pits for grain (rupe), carved right into the rock. These reserves were enough for the city for at least a year, which made it possible to keep a long-term defense in case of emergency.

 

Getting here

By plane
Demand creates supply, so there are many direct flights to Dubrovnik, especially in summer. Major European airlines fly here: Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, LOT, Ryanair, Vueling, and even Air Lingus operates direct flights from two Irish airports at once, which in itself should be alarming. Croatian Airlines operates 2-3 daily flights to Zagreb, and these flights are year-round - unlike international flights that stop for the winter.

There are two more airports within a 2-3 hour drive from Dubrovnik - Bosnian Mostar and Montenegrin Tivat, but both are inactive and are also separated from Dubrovnik by border crossings. Croatian Split Airport has the same seasonality as Dubrovnik Airport. Drive from Split at least 4 hours.

1 Dubrovnik Airport (Zračna luka Dubrovnik, IATA:DBV). The terminal is spacious, modern and usually half empty when not in peak season. At the check-in counters and in a clean area, there are several similar cafes with drinks and sandwiches - the prices are about the same as in the Old Town, there is no hot food. Wi-Fi is free for the first 15 minutes, after which you have to pay €5 per hour: such is Dubrovnik. In the village of Močići, adjacent to the airport, there is a good supermarket, as well as a Domestic restaurant with a local audience and prices that are usual for the Croatian coast. It is easy to get here by car, but you can also walk (15 minutes from the terminal building - there is a sidewalk for most of the way).

How to get there: the airport is located 20 km southeast of Dubrovnik in the direction of Montenegro. There are special Platanus Shuttle buses (there is no word “airport” on them), synchronized with the aircraft schedule: they depart from the airport half an hour after the arrival of each flight, and from the city according to a floating schedule that changes every day and is published on the website. Buses depart from the bus station and make an intermediate stop at the lower cable car station. When bought online or at a kiosk at the airport, the ticket costs €9 one way and €12 round trip (no need to print); at the box office of the bus station is more expensive, the driver does not sell tickets. The journey to the airport takes 40 minutes. A taxi to the city costs about €40 (2023). Several suburban bus routes pass by the airport, but they run so infrequently that it is impossible to adapt to them.

By bus
Buses to Split 7-10 times a day, 4 hours on the way. Usually they go further to Zagreb, which takes already 9.5-10 hours, and maybe even longer if the route passes through Sibenik and Zadar. Flying from Zagreb to Dubrovnik is much more convenient.

In the direction of Montenegro 3-4 buses per day to Herceg Novi (1 hour 15 minutes) and further along the coast up to Budva (2.5-3 hours). For some reason, these buses are very expensive by Balkan standards, and even for a short trip across the border they will charge you about €20. In the direction of Bosnia, buses are noticeably cheaper, but they only go to Sarajevo (6 hours) via Mostar (3.5 hours), 2-3 times a day. Trebinje is very close, literally across the border, but you can only go there by taxi or in transit through Montenegro (Herceg Novi).

2  Bus station (Autobusni kolodvor) (bus 1a, 1b, 7, stop Luka Gruž). 🕑 7:00–22:00. The building belongs to the seaport. Under the bus station, it has a tiny room with a toilet and a left-luggage office (€0.66 per hour), ticket offices go directly to the street. There is a cafe-bar at the bus station (6:00 AM - 11:00 PM), and several restaurants across the road are very cheap by the standards of Dubrovnik. The bus station is located 3 km from the Old Town, it is better to take a city bus. Walking is not interesting, and tiring because of the terrain.

By car
From Split 230 km, drive about 3 hours. The first half of the way is a paid autobahn, an alternative to which is the coastal route through the city of Makarska - beautiful, but slow and tiring. The autobahn ends near the city of Ploče; further on, a narrow, mostly two-lane road leads to a new bridge on the Peljesac peninsula and, skirting the territory of Bosnia, leads to Dubrovnik.

In the direction of Montenegro - the coastal road to Herceg Novi (50 km). In the direction of Bosnia and Herzegovina - the road through the mountains on Trebinje (35 km). It is convenient to go further along it to Mostar or Sarajevo, bypassing the busy coastal route. All border crossings operate around the clock.

The parking situation in Dubrovnik is catastrophic. Open parking near the Pile gate costs, depending on the season, from €3 to €10 per hour, and if you mistakenly drive into the garage next door, you will have to pay €30, and this amount will cover only the first 4 hours of parking; the daily fee will be almost €100. Further from the Old Town, the so-called zone 3 begins with a payment of € 1.33 per hour (6:00  – 22:00) in the machine - in the high season you will not find anything cheaper, unless you go to the very edge of the city, to the Babin Kuk area where there are free parking spaces; You can return to the center by bus number 6.

3  Parking Žičara (between the walls of the Old Town and the lower cable car station). Winter: €1.33 per hour, summer: €6.5 per hour. A convenient option for winter time, but do not confuse this parking lot (behind the barrier) with the parking lot for "residents". All other sites nearby, including directly under the walls of the Old City, are also intended for local residents.

On the ship
Due to the lack of convenient roads, Dubrovnik has not become a modern cargo port, but passenger traffic is still very active here. From April to October, 2-3 times a day, high-speed passenger catamarans run to Split with intermediate stops on the islands of Hvar and Korcula. Travel time is from 4.5 to 6 hours and is comparable to a bus; the price is about twice as high, €38 (2023). There is also a night ferry to the Italian port of Bari (10h). He takes cars on board, runs every other day in the summer, less often in the off-season, and stops walking altogether in the winter. In addition, Dubrovnik is an indispensable stop for all Adriatic cruises.

4 Passenger port (Gruž) (in the northern part of the city, not far from the bus station). The name Gruž comes not from the word “cargo”, but from the name of the suburb where the port moved in the 20th century, when the harbor near the walls of the Old Town became too small for modern ships. Now everything is moored here: both huge cruise liners and a variety of private boats - from simple capitalist yachts to highly tuned sailboats. The latter are designed exclusively for tourists and usually provide their services to organized groups, although there are also offers for singles who are spontaneously recruited for some kind of boat trip.

 

Transport around the city

There are 10 city bus routes in Dubrovnik, of which only 1a, 1b, 4 and 6 run quite often - usually every 15 minutes from Monday to Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sundays. The routes converge at the Pile stop at the gates of the old city. At each stop posted timetables for all city routes at once. You can find out which of them serve this particular stop by the colored squares on the roof. Please note that the name of only one terminal is often indicated on the buses themselves, even if the car is heading in the opposite direction.

Traffic patterns and timetables are on the website of a local company. Fare payment with magnetic stripe cards, which must be passed through the terminal next to the driver. A single ticket costs €1.70 at a tobacconist's and €2 at the driver's (2023). A daily ticket for €5.30 (for 24 hours from the moment of the first pass) is sold only in special ticket kiosks at some stops. These kiosks are open 7:00–20:00 except Sun.

5  Pile stop (near the gate of the same name). Here you can find all the buses of city routes and some suburban ones (the rest depart from the bus station). A beautiful electronic scoreboard shows the current departures, but not for all buses and is not quite accurate.
6  Cable car. From April to October: 9:00–21:00, in summer: until 24:00. One way: €15, round trip: €26.50. The lift to Mount Srd serves as an important landmark north of the Old Town. Buses heading to the airport pick up passengers near the lower station of the cable car.
Taxis are waiting for those who wish along the perimeter of the Old Town and in other popular places. Tariffs are fixed and posted on special plates; around the city - within €15, to Mount Srd - about €30 (2023). Uber and the local Croatian service Cammeo also operate in the city.

 

Shopping

There are only tiny food supermarkets in and around the Old Town. For something larger, you will have to go closer to the outskirts.

1  Pemo, Antuninska ul. 4 (Old city). 7:00–21:00. Small supermarket with own bakery. The best option within the city walls.
2 Atlant Centar, ul. dr. Ante Starčevića 24 (on the way to the bus station). Grocery supermarkets: 7:00–21:00. Shopping center with restaurants, boutiques and everything you need in such cases. It is useful not by itself, but by the fact that within a radius of hundreds of meters from it there are two large grocery supermarkets - Tommy and Pemo.
3  Gruž market (next to the port). 6:30–15:00. Surprisingly authentic place where they sell fresh fish and fruits and vegetables; mostly local public, and prices are above average, but still not touristy. Inexpensive cafe-bars and even canteens are grouped around the market, although they all close in the middle of the day. There are also exchangers with the most favorable rates, and they are open until the evening - longer than the market itself.

 

Eat

Eating out in Dubrovnik is frankly expensive. Even in the cheapest places, prices for hot dishes start at €10, and restaurants in the Old Town are more expensive than in the center of Paris: you will be asked for almost €20 for some cevapcici and €25-30 for a fish dish. Eateries with pancakes or grills are absent as a class, and even inexpensive "casual" bars, which are usually at every turn in Balkan cities, are very few in Dubrovnik. The situation is aggravated by the fact that all catering is either located inside the Old Town, where the prices are exorbitant, or a couple of kilometers from it, where there is nothing interesting around. If you don’t want to overpay, look for establishments near the bus station and the port, although even there there are more pretentious ones than all the others.

Cheap
1  Konoba Tabak  , Vukovarska st. 34 (2 km from the Old Town in the direction of the bus station). Mon–Sat 8:00–16:00. Hot: €8-10. A home-cooked restaurant that seems to have escaped the wave of high prices that has swept over the city: a hearty three-course meal here will cost no more than the simplest order in the center. Plain checkered tablecloths and a very varied menu including traditional Dalmatian cuisine.
2  Tutto Bene (Old Town). 10:00–23:00. If you need to grab a bite to eat in the Old Town, this is one of the few reasonably priced options. The menu includes burgers, wraps, chicken wings - for €8-10 per serving, they also sell sliced pizza. There are tables inside where you can eat all this, although seats are in short supply, and drinks cost like in a good restaurant.

Average cost
3  Pizzeria Tabasco  , Hvarska ul. 48 (near the lower cable car station). 9:30–24:00. Pizza: €12. If you need a bite to eat in the Old Town and are ready to walk up the stairs outside the ramparts, then this pizzeria is a very reasonable price-quality ratio. In addition to pizza, only salads and lasagna are on the menu - no ordinary pasta or risotto, but there is a local dish piroške - the same pizza, only folded in half and poured with sauce.

Expensive
4 Gradska kavana Arsenal. 8:00–24:00. Pasta or risotto: about €15, hot: from €20. Beautifully served dishes in the best traditions of the Adriatic coast are a suitable option for those who are not embarrassed by high prices. Visitors note excellent service, and the building itself is a direct continuation of the Prince's Court with a cozy terrace overlooking the sea.

Cafe
5 Coffee Break, ul. branitelja Dubrovnika 41 (500 m from the Pile gate towards the bus station). Mon–Fri 8:00–16:00, Sat 8:00–13:00. The closest place to the Old Town where you can sit quietly with a laptop and a cup of coffee. From food only sandwiches and standard pastries. The institution itself is the cafeteria of the University of Dubrovnik, founded in 2003 and so new that a normal student canteen has not yet been opened in it.
6  Cold drinks Buza. Summer: 8:00 AM - 1:00 AM, the rest of the time according to the weather. The case when it is not a pity to overpay: a summer cafe on a rocky ledge right above the sea. The view from here is amazing, and all the fuss of the Old Town remains somewhere behind, behind the line of city walls, a narrow passage through which is marked with a special sign. The place is good, but either not very famous, or completely indecently expensive: prices start at €6, while there are no universal options like espresso - only cold drinks, including alcoholic ones, are on the menu. Payment only in cash.

 

Drinks

D'vino wine bar, Palmotićeva ul. 4a (Old Town). 10:00–24:00. A suitable place for tasting Croatian wines, which are brought in sets of three glasses of 50 ml. For a snack, local cheeses and prosciutto. The room is small and cozy, in the evenings it is better to book.

 

Hotels

If food in Dubrovnik is always expensive, then accommodation for the night is quite affordable. In summer, prices for a double room confidently go up over €100, but already in September or May outside the Old Town - for example, near the bus station - you can settle in normal conditions for half the amount. The old city is naturally more expensive, although there are good options there in the low season. However, it must be borne in mind that the movement of any transport within the city walls is not only prohibited, but also impossible, and walking there with large luggage is a pleasure below average.

 

History of Dubrovnik

Beginnings and expansion

There are several theories about the foundation of Dubrovnik (Latin: Ragusa), and it is generally accepted that the city was founded in the 7th century, when the Latins from the city of Epidaurum (south of Dubrovnik, in the same place as present-day Cavtat) took refuge from the onslaught of the Avars. and Slavic to the rock Laus, which means rock (Laus → Lausium → Rausium → Ragusium → Ragusa). Later, these same Slavs built a settlement on the southern slopes of the Srđa hill, on the mainland across from the cliffs, and named it Dubrava, which means oak forest. Over time, the settlements became more and more connected, until they were completely united in the 11th century, filling a narrow canal that separated them (today's Placa street, i.e. Stradun), and in the 12th and 13th centuries, protecting themselves completely defensive walls. According to some other theories and ancient inscriptions, Dubrovnik may have been founded before the 3rd century, as a small settlement on the islet of Laus.

Today, there are new doubts regarding the origin of Dubrovnik, because both of the above-mentioned theories have proven to be wrong. During the renovation of the Cathedral, the remains of two former churches were found deep under the foundation of the current building, one of which was known before, and the other, even older, dated to the 5th century. In addition to the change in theory, there was also the discovery of a part of Dubrovnik's walls, also dated to the same period. During the sounding of Stradun, the fact was established that the islet of Laus never existed, because Stradun itself is not an embankment but a natural sandy beach, which stretched between the hills of Srđ and the rocky area (the so-called Laus). New findings, as well as the discovery of Greek coins and ceramics under Mali Mul in the port, seem to confirm the thesis of some historians, that the beginnings go back long before the 7th century, i.e. to the time of the ancient Greeks. The position of Dr. Ničetić, with which he proves the inevitability of the existence of an ancient port between Budva and Korčula, additionally gave credibility to the thesis about the origin of the settlement in Greek times.

Dubrovnik was initially part of the Dalmatian theme and recognizes the rule of Byzantium. It was first mentioned in documents in 850. Nikola Zvonimir Bjelovučić wrote about Red Croatia and Dubrovnik in 1929. In his paper, he published a chapter on the old royal church of St. St. Stephen from the half of the 10th century, Croatian. to King Stjepan Miroslav and his wife Queen Margarita in Dubrovnik in 948, their endowment, the king's donation of Župa do Orašac, the tomb of Queen Margarita in Dubrovnik where she lived as a nun and a piece of St. The cross that Queen Margarita gave as a gift and about the old Croatian churches in the area of Dubrovnik.

Around 992, it was burned down by Emperor Samuilo. At the end of the 10th century, the archbishopric and metropolis of Dubrovnik was founded. Then it becomes ecclesiastically independent from Split. From 1205, the Republic of Venice, using the Crusades, ruled Dubrovnik, which lasted until 1358. During the time of Venetian rule, the people of Dubrovnik raised three rebellions, but they could not free themselves from the Venetian rule.

Although it recognized the Venetian rule, Dubrovnik managed to preserve its autonomy, because it elected the Small and Great Council, the Senate and other city self-government bodies. The commune received its statute in 1272. Trade developed very early in Dubrovnik, especially with the hinterland, primarily with Bosnia during the era of the Kulina ban.

The population is divided into the rich nobles: patricians (nobiles cives), the urban regiment - commoners, usually in the jobs of merchants and captains, as well as scribes, and serfs, peasants who work for the nobles - cultivate the land. The patricians try to close themselves in, but the result is the death of the noble families. They had to give in and enter into marriages with the common people.

At the time of the rise of Raška, he successfully defended himself against her attacks. In the 13th century, the power of Dubrovnik grew over the wider city area and neighboring territories. Thus, Lastovo voluntarily joins Dubrovnik, and since 1333, the Republic of Dubrovnik has been part of the Ston War, i.e. Pelješac with Ston. The Serbian Emperor Dušan gave Dubrovnik control over the War of Ston (Pelješac) for a fee of 500 perper, payment of taxes. In 1345, Mljet also became part of the Republic.

Ston had great strategic significance for Dubrovnik, as it was able to control navigation around the mouth of the Neretva and in the Mljet channel. The area from Ston to Zaton was secured by Dubrovnik when it bought Primorje from Bosnia at the beginning of the 14th century and Konavle at the beginning of the 15th century (the coastal part in 1333, and the Konavle part with the Soko fortress and Cavtat and Oboda on December 31, 1426). At that time, the borders of the Republic were established, which has been recognized by all Dubrovnik's neighbors since the end of the 15th century.

Dubrovnik signed numerous international agreements with Italian cities (especially Pisa) and other neighbors in the hinterland (Bosnia, Serbia), mostly ensuring the supremacy and privileged position of Dubrovnik merchants.

With the Peace of Zadar in 1358, the Republic of Venice renounced all possessions on the eastern coast of the Adriatic in favor of the Croatian-Hungarian Kingdom. Dubrovnik, in a successful diplomatic move, accepted the symbolic supreme authority of the king (Ludovic I.), which gave Croatia-Hungary literally no influence over the commune and paid them a tribute of 500 ducats, thus protecting itself from the attacks of Venice.

Since that time, Dubrovnik has been building its independence more and more. The prince is elected by the people of Dubrovnik themselves, and after the death of Ludovic I in 1380, it developed into an independent and recognized Republic.

 

The prosperity of the Republic of Dubrovnik

The Republic of Dubrovnik was a patrician aristocratic republic in which power was vested in nobles gathered in the Great Council (parliament). The Grand Council elected the city officials - the Council of Petitioners (Senate), which took care of foreign affairs, and the Small Council (executive power). The prince was elected for 1 month to prevent any corruption. There was no permanent army, but there were only orderlies and guards, and if necessary, mercenaries were hired. On January 27, 1416, Dubrovnik passed a decree abolishing slavery and banning the transport of slaves, which was the first ban on slavery in Europe and the first to recognize the independence of the USA. In the 15th century, it had about 40,000 inhabitants, which made it one of the largest cities in Europe (London about 50,000, Florence over 100,000).

The Republic of Dubrovnik experienced its heyday in the 16th century, when the people of Dubrovnik successfully established trade ties with the Turks (even though they paid tribute to them, they retained freedom, independence and the privileges of free trade throughout the territory of the Ottoman Empire. The people of Dubrovnik already had their strongholds in the Balkans and they are successfully developing trade with Turkey, but also Italy and Spain.

In the Bulgarian capital Sofia, there was a church of St. Mary and St. Vlaha, which the regiment called the "Church of Dubrovnik", and which for a long time was the only place in the Ottoman Empire where Christians were allowed to serve the Eucharist.

It trades in mining, agricultural and livestock products, manufactured goods, salt, etc. In the 16th century, Dubrovnik had a strong navy (about 180 ships), the third largest in the world in terms of strength and size. Dubrovnik ships transported the goods of foreign traders, sailed along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and reached as far as England, and there is also a proven case that the Dubrovnik carrack reached the coast of North America, where the sailors mixed with the local population. Also famous is the only Dubrovnik colony in the world, in the village of Gandaulim, near Stara Goa in India, the Church of St. Vlaho, the protector of the Republic of Dubrovnik and the people of Dubrovnik.

The basis of Dubrovnik's economy was intermediary trade and shipping, as well as trades and trades. In the 15th century, the first workshops for the production of cloth, glass and soap were organized. At that time, Dubrovnik also had educational, social, communal and economic institutions. In the old travelogue of Sir Richard Guylford along the Croatian coast in 1506, which he wrote on the occasion of a pilgrimage to Palestine, which was a disguise for him to inform about Venetian war shipbuilding, Guylford writes about Dubrovnik as a Croatian city. He unequivocally located it in the Croatian kingdom. In the same entry, he does not distinguish between Slavonia and Dalmatia, which he considers to coincide territorially - except that 'Dalmatia' is of course an older and more widespread term. Second, he calls the whole of 'Slavonia or Dalmatia' a 'Croatian province'.

In the 16th century, thanks to trade and seafaring, considerable financial resources accumulated in Dubrovnik. Stronger trade and maritime companies were established, but the social differences between the commoners deepened, so the rich became equal to the nobles. Dubrovnik is built with income from crafts and trade.

Freedom was the most respected in Dubrovnik. It had its own flag (with the image of the patron Saint Blaise and another with the inscription "LIBERTAS - Latin Freedom"), coat of arms and army. He established a branched network of diplomatic and trade missions in many European countries. Their interests are represented at the courts of European rulers by their vassals, while the consulates protect the interests of Dubrovnik sailors.

An important ally of Dubrovnik's freedom was Spain, and the biggest enemy of its independence and freedom was Venice. In the second half of the 16th century, the power of Dubrovnik declined. The causes are great geographical discoveries and a price revolution that devalues money. Dubrovnik bankers invest less in shipping and crafts, because there is a lack of capital, and the competition from French, English and Dutch sailors is increasing.

Artiluk, a silver coin, was minted in Dubrovnik between 1627 and 1701.

 

Decline

In 1667, Dubrovnik was almost destroyed by a strong earthquake in which a large number of Dubrovnik residents died, while many buildings were demolished.

The earthquake of 1667 was not the only event that caused the decline of the power of the Republic of Dubrovnik, namely the discovery of America, the trade routes moved to the Atlantic, the construction of the Split pier by the Venetians, and the fact that they no longer had a monopoly on trade with the Turks are some of the main causes. The earthquake, and not long after, the fire, are just the crown of all the misfortunes that hit Dubrovnik at that time.

After several centuries of successful balancing between the two superpowers in their area - the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire, the general European offensive against the Turks (defeat at Vienna in 1683, at Mohač in 1687) was also reflected in Dubrovnik, because the Venetians took advantage of the Turks' weakness and by taking the Trebinje district completely cut off Dubrovnik from the Turkish Empire and put it in a very difficult situation. However, with the peace in Srijemski Karlovci in 1699, the Republic of Venice had to withdraw from Popova polje and return it to the Turks, and on that occasion the first systematic demarcation of Turkey and Venice in Dalmatia was carried out. Once again, primarily through skillful diplomacy, the people of Dubrovnik freed themselves from the danger that the Republic of Venice would surround them and separate them from the hinterland.

With the Peace of Požarevac in 1718, the people of Dubrovnik left the corridor between Neum and Klek to the Turks, which remained with the Turks, so that they would not be in direct contact with the always threatening Venetians. Thus, the people of Dubrovnik physically separated themselves from the Venetian possessions in Dalmatia. During the war with the Turks (1683 – 1699), the people of Dubrovnik decided to re-accept the symbolic supreme power of the Hungarian-Croatian crown and renewed the contract from 1358. In the 18th century, the Dubrovnik economy strengthened again and Dubrovnik built a strong navy. The orientation of the great European naval powers towards the Atlantic is used by Dubrovnik for transit on the Mediterranean Sea, but its ships also sailed across the Atlantic to America.

In the 18th century, Dubrovnik had more than 85 consulates. The strongest economic factor was the citizenry, because the estates were thinned out after the earthquake in 1667.

 

Disappearance of the Republic of Dubrovnik

At the beginning of the 19th century, Napoleon appears on the European scene, which significantly affects the history of Dubrovnik. On May 26, 1806, the army of the French general Lauriston illegally entered the territory of the neutral Republic of Dubrovnik, and the next day it fraudulently entered the city, asking only to rest and refresh on the way to the then French possessions in Boka Kotor. Instead, she immediately occupied the City on behalf of Napoleon. Very soon after the beginning of the French occupation, the Russian and Montenegrin army entered the territory of Dubrovnik and started fighting with the French army, looting and burning everything on their way. This culminated in the siege of the occupied City (in which 3000 cannonballs fell on it). On January 31, 1808, Marshal Auguste Frederic Louis Viesse de Marmont issued a proclamation abolishing the Republic of Dubrovnik, despite the opposition of the Republic's authorities, and annexing the territory of Dubrovnik to the Kingdom of Italy (a puppet state of the French Empire), from which it was subsequently separated and together with Istria, Dalmatia and the Slovenian lands united in Napoleon's Illyrian provinces. Marmont was given the newly created title "Duke of Dubrovnik" (Duc de Raguse) by Napoleon.

After seven years of French occupation, encouraged by the desertion of French troops after the failed invasion of Russia and Austria's re-entry into the war, all Dubrovnik's social classes, under the leadership of the ruler, rose up in a general uprising against the occupation. On June 18, 1813, together with the British allies, they forced the French garrison on the island of Šipan, then in Ston and Lopud to surrender, after which the uprising spread to the mainland of the Republic, starting with Konavle. Then they began the siege of the City, with the help of the British Navy with the ships HMS Bacchante and HMS Saracen, under the command of Captain William Hoste, and soon the population inside the besieged City joined the uprising. The Austrian Empire sent its troops under the command of General Todor Milutinović under the pretext that they came to help their Dubrovnik allies, however, as it soon turned out, they actually wanted to replace the French occupation of Dubrovnik with their own. They seduced one of the temporary governors of the Republic, Vlaho (son of Brnja) Kaboga, with promises of power and authority (which he did not enjoy for long, but died in disgrace, since then called "Traditur" - traitor by the people), and they managed to convince him that the door with the eastern sides remain closed to the Dubrovnik insurgents who have gathered there, while the Austrian forces (without Dubrovnik soldiers) enter through the gate in the west to occupy the City, after the surrender of the French garrison of 500 soldiers under the command of General Montrichard.

After that, the banner of St. Blaise flew alongside the Austrian and British flags, but only for two days, because on January 30, General Milutinović ordered Mayor Sabo Giorgi to lower it. In patriotic enthusiasm, Giorgi, who was the last prince of the Republic before the French occupation, refused to take down the flag, "because it was attached (raised) by the people", and not a single person from Dubrovnik wanted to do that, even after they were threatened with weapons, but flag taken down by Austrian soldiers.

Although the government of the Republic of Dubrovnik never signed a capitulation or relinquished sovereignty, which under Klemens von Metternich's rules adopted by Austria for the Congress of Vienna meant that it should have been restored, the Austrian Empire managed to convince other allies to allow it to keep the territory of the Republic of Dubrovnik. were many smaller and less important cities and former states were admitted to the Congress, that right was denied to the representative of the Republic of Dubrovnik. All this was in complete contrast to the solemn treaties that the Austrian emperors signed with the Republic: the first signed on August 20, 1684, in which Emperor Leopold I promises and guarantees inviolable freedom to the Republic ("inviolatam libertatem"), and the second from 1772. , in which Empress Maria Theresa promises protection and respect for the inviolability of the territory and freedom of the Republic of Dubrovnik.

 

Recent history

When the Republic of Dubrovnik officially ceased to exist in 1815, its territory was annexed to the Kingdom of Dalmatia. Together with Croatia and Slavonia, it formed the Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia, which until 1918 was part of the Habsburg Monarchy, i.e. Austria-Hungary.

It is an interesting detail that the City was unlit for a long time, and street lights and the beginnings of public lighting began to be used only in the last decade of the 19th century. Until then, the small number of ferals that existed in the City could not provide security for citizens to be able to pass through the streets even at night. Until 1870, there were only 45 lanterns in the city, so the city and the suburbs were poorly lit, after the mentioned year, the number of lanterns increased to 150, and instead of oil, kerosene was used as lighting fuel. The 'ferral lighter' lit them at dusk, and they burned as long as there was fuel in them. In the summer time, as well as in the moonlight, the lanterns were not lit. Despite the increased number of these lighting fixtures placed on stone and iron pillars, the lighting was scarce and short-lived, so already in 1895, Frano Gundulić, the then municipal mayor, made a decision to allow the introduction of electric lighting. On June 1, 1901, the first electric light bulb lit up on Stradun.

When the core of supporters of the future People's Party was formed in Dubrovnik. Since the proclamation of constitutionality in 1860, the populist circle in Dubrovnik, headed by Pero Čingrija and Niko and Rafa Pucić, has been at the forefront of achieving the goals of the People's Party, which won the municipal elections in 1869, and the Croatian language was introduced as a medium of instruction in the Dubrovnik high school. Later, the processes of national differentiation led to the »Serb-Catholic-autonomist coalition government in the Dubrovnik municipality in 1890-1899. Consolidation of the People's (Croatian) Party was contributed by a group of young right-wingers led by Fran Supila. The new political group convincingly won the elections in 1899.

After the First World War, with the disintegration of the Habsburg Monarchy, Dubrovnik, together with all of Croatia, became part of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, which on December 1, 1918 became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and in 1929, finally, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. With the division of that country into 33 regions, the Vidovdan Constitution of 1921, the Dubrovnik Region was founded in 1923. With the declaration of the dictatorship, it becomes part of the Zeta banovina, with its seat in Cetinje. Finally, in 1939, a separate Banovina Hrvatska was created, parts of which include Dubrovnik and its surroundings. The Greater Serbian and South Unitarian circles did not take kindly to the fact that Dubrovnik had escaped them. The most influential Croatian party, the HSS, was divided and disunited in those years, and this disagreement was resolved only after the visit of the secretary of the HSS, Jurj Krnjević, to Dubrovnik on May 2, 1940, when he succeeded in uniting three city organizations into one (Gruž, Pile, Dubrovnik and Grad). .

In 1941, with the declaration of the Independent State of Croatia, Dubrovnik became part of it. It was the seat of the Greater Dubrava parish. The majority of the people of Dubrovnik rise up against the fascist NDH, and join the illegal anti-fascist movement led by the National Liberation Army and partisan detachments of Yugoslavia. Fascist terror was present in Dubrovnik. After the fall of the fascists, in October and November 1944, the communists liquidated 109 civilians and 78 members of the military on the islands of Daksi, Korčula and Jakljan and the Pelješac peninsula, as well as on Orsula in Dubrovnik. The majority of those killed were members of the HSS along with priests, among whom was Petar Perica, the author of the church songs "Zdravo Djevo, Kraljice Hrvata" and "Dok nebesa nek se ori". Since the entry of Partisan forces into Dubrovnik, there has been systematic repression of Croatian Catholic youth, which culminated on April 12, 1947, with the arrest of more than 90 Dubrovnik residents.

With the end of the war and the establishment of the communist Democratic Federative Yugoslavia, Dubrovnik is a city in the People's Republic of Croatia.

In Central and Eastern Europe, the Soviet political and social system begins to weaken. Then an organized movement began to work in Croatia, the goal of which was a free democratic Croatia, which no one would exploit economically or oppress nationally. In 1990, multi-party elections were held, which overthrew communism in Croatia. The Croatian Democratic Union, under the leadership of Franjo Tuđman, received the most votes. One independent candidate and three MPs from the HDZ list were elected to the Croatian Parliament from Dubrovnik. In 1991, a referendum was held in which the majority of the people of Dubrovnik opted for an independent Croatia. At the same time, a population census was conducted, according to which 70,602 inhabitants live in the Dubrovnik municipality, of which 58,300 are Croats, 4,735 are Serbs, as well as Muslims and other nationalities. Knowing about the imminent war, most Serbs move to Republika Srpska and Montenegro.

 

Homeland war

On October 1, 1991, members of the JNA from Trebinje and Montenegrin volunteers - began an armed attack on Dubrovnik, with the aim of creating a greater Serbia. The city was bombed every day, and the heaviest was on December 6, 1991. On April 20, 2012, the mayor of Trebinje, Dobroslav Ćuk, expressed regret for the events of twenty years ago and denied that it was an apology for the crimes committed.

The cross on Srđ was irretrievably damaged by the shells. Likewise, Onofrio's fountain, the Franciscan and Dominican monasteries, the church of St. Vlaha and other sanctuaries, Archives, hotels, electrical installations and numerous other buildings. However, the help of UNESCO came very quickly, and the city was perfectly restored.

The American plane USAF CT-43 crashed near Dubrovnik on April 3, 1996. 34 passengers died, including US Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and New York Times reporter Nathaniel Nash.

 

Maritime history

The first data on Dubrovnik's seafaring date back to 782, with the mention of the construction of Dubrovnik's arsenals, then in the 9th century in connection with the rejection of the fifteen-month Saracen siege (866/67), and again in 871, when Dubrovnik's ships transported the army to that together with the Byzantine and Croatian navy under Prince Domagoj participated in the liberation of Bari from the Saracens. The Dubrovnik ships clashed with the Saracens again in 1032, when they significantly contributed to the victory of the Byzantine fleet. In the first half of the 10th century, Constantine VII. Porphyrogenet calls Dubrovnik ships from the 9th century korablje (lat. carabus). Contractual documents with various coastal cities and maritime countries from the 11th century testify that Dubrovnik already had a developed Mediterranean maritime trade, which also strengthened for the Venetian authorities in the 13th and 14th centuries. , nava, urka, etc.) were also a role model for the strongest naval forces of that time. Following the development of the merchant fleet, the Republic founded more than 20 consulates during the 15th century, mostly in ports on the Apennine Peninsula and in Sicily. The merchant fleet was at the peak of its development, and in world maritime trade, Dubrovnik took a leading place, developing into a world maritime center. In the 16th century, his merchant navy had from 170 to 200 larger ships, on which about 4,000 sailors were employed, and exceeded the needs of domestic merchants. Dubrovnik ships sailed to all the major Italian, French and Spanish ports, reaching England and Flanders in the west, then to Greek, Aegean and Ottoman ports in Syria and Egypt, and to Portuguese possessions in India. In more than 60 Mediterranean ports, the Republic of Dubrovnik appointed consuls who protected the interests of Dubrovnik trade groups. The development of shipping was carefully supervised by special magistrates. Thanks to seafaring, shipbuilding developed, so Dubrovnik sailing ships, valued throughout the Mediterranean, were built in the Croatian shipyard, opened in 1525, and in the island shipyards of Lopud and Šipan. Towards the end of the 16th century, Dubrovnik's shipping and trade gradually began to decline due to the appearance of smaller but more economical French, English and Dutch shipping in the Levant, and frequent piracy by Berbers and Ulcinians. In 1599, the Republic had 52 long-sea ships with a carrying capacity of about 21,000 tons, which represented a decrease of 10,000 tons compared to the period 1570 - 1585. The decline of the Dubrovnik fleet continued, so in the middle of the 17th century. it had only 100-120 ships with a total carrying capacity of 12,000 cars, with a small number of ships above 100 cars. By 1695, the Dubrovnik merchant navy was reduced to only 75 ships, and at the turn of the 18th century. there were only 40 sailing ships under the Dubrovnik flag out of only 2,900 cars with a total carrying capacity. In that period, the largest number of consulates in Dubrovnik ceased to operate. The upheaval came when the people of Dubrovnik intensified their intermediary trade with smaller ships with the Italian cities of the Papal States: Ancona, Bari and Barletta, as well as Naples and Greek ports. Maritime capital was increasingly transferred to the Dubrovnik coast (Slano), Konavle (Cavtat) and especially to Pelješac (Orebić), so from 1640 to 1680 the people of Pelješ operated as many as 2/3 of the ships under the flag of St. Vlah. Dubrovnik's extra-Adriatic shipping took off in the middle of the 18th century, so the people of Dubrovnik had about 150 ships in 1750 with about 2,200 sailors employed, and by the end of the century, about eighty consulates had been opened again in the Mediterranean. Legal issues related to shipping and seafaring were regulated, at the time of the establishment of the Maritime Office, by the Rulebook of the Republic of Dubrovnik on national navigation (1745, printed in 1784). Dubrovnik ships then sailed from Constantinople, Alexandria and Livorno to Marseille and the Spanish coast, and they also visited the American Atlantic ports of New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. According to the book Aroboraggi, a constant increase in the number of ships is noticeable since the beginning of the 19th century. until 1805, when 278 ships with a total carrying capacity of 24,772 tons were registered, and according to the report of the poet and writer Bar Proper Bettera, before the fall, the Republic had a total of 350 ships, of which 80 were for cabotage (up to 16 tons) and 270 long-sailing ships with an average payload of approximately 250 tons. Despite the catastrophic consequences for Dubrovnik's shipping brought by the collapse of the Republic and the period of French rule, Dubrovnik remained the main maritime shipbuilding and trade center of the Kingdom of Dalmatia until the 1850s. The rise followed the appearance of new shipowners, especially in Pelješac (Flori, Mimbelli, Kovačević, Bjelovučić and others). With the establishment of the Pelješki Maritime Society in Orebić in 1865, which until its liquidation in 1891 had more than 30 sailing ships, and the Dubrovnik Maritime Society in Dubrovnik (which existed from 1869 to 1889), an attempt was made to concentrate capital in the shipping industry, but due to steamship competition, it was very quickly led to the collapse of these societies. After the acquisition of the first steamship Dubrovnik (219 BRT) in 1880, the Dubrovnik Steamship Company was founded (1889), and with it the new companies Unione (1890) and Naprijed (1894), which joined forces with Dubrovnik during the First World War sailing. On the eve of the First World War, she had 6 ships with 3250 GRT, and during the war she was not in business. Between the two world wars, along with Dubrovnik Navigation, new companies Slobodna plovidba, Rad, Jugolevant, First Dalmatian Trading Company were founded. In that period, coastal navigation with passenger ships and long-distance navigation with cargo ships developed (in 1945, it had 10 long-distance cargo ships and 14 coastal passenger ships.). After the Second World War, with the centralization of the merchant navy in 1946, the fleet was assigned to Jugolinia, a newly founded unique shipping company in Rijeka, in 1951 the Dubrovnik Maritime Transport Company was founded (joined in 1962 to Atlanstka plovidba); Atlantska plovidba was founded in 1955, and since 1995 it has been operating as a joint-stock company and has a fleet of 20 ships (1997).

 

Geographical location

Region: Dubrovnik area/Dubrovnik
Coordinates: 42°38'26" N, 18°06'35" E.
Area: 143.35 km2

Dubrovnik is located on the southern Adriatic. The city developed on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, where the series of Adriatic islands ends and the open sea begins. It lies on the southern slopes and at the foot of the hill Srđ. The wider Dubrovnik area includes a narrow coastal strip about 250 km long, which stretches from Klek in the west to Sutorina and Cape Prevlaka in the east.

 

Climate

Mean annual temperature: 16.6 °C
Average air temperature of the coldest month (January): 9.0 °C
Mean air temperature of the warmest month (August): 26.0 °C
Sea salinity: 38 ‰

There are more than 250 sunny days a year. The mean annual temperature is 16.6 °C, and the summer temperature is 26 °C. Snow and low temperatures are rare. The coldest month of the year is January, and the warmest is August. The swimming season lasts from April to October. There are 109 rainy days in a year, and only 14 in the summer. The hill Srđ protects the town from the storm, and the islet Lokrum from the south wind.

 

Economy

In Dubrovnik, they are already in the 11th century. became associations of merchants and craftsmen classified by activity. The main economic branches for centuries have been shipbuilding, shipping, trade, crafts, and since the end of the XIX. and tourism. Mining, agricultural and livestock products, manufactured goods, salt, etc. were traded. Salt was obtained in Gruž and Slana and on the islands of Šipan and Mljet, and the most important center of salt production was Ston. In the 16th century, Dubrovnik had a strong navy (about 180 ships), the third largest in the world in terms of strength and size. Dubrovnik ships transported the goods of foreign merchants, sailed along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and reached as far as England, and there is also a proven case that the Dubrovnik carrack reached the coast of North America, where the sailors mixed with the local population (Indians).

The oldest chamber of commerce in Croatia was founded in Dubrovnik. It was founded by the French in 1808, after the collapse of the Republic of Dubrovnik, while the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Zagreb was founded only in 1852. Today there is a Dubrovnik County Chamber, and the city is the economic center of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County.

The port of Gruž is the passenger port with the most cruise ship arrivals in Croatia. The most important institution in the port of Dubrovnik is the harbor master.

  

Festivals

Feast of St. Vlah
Veneration of St. Blaise was best manifested during the celebration of his feast day on February 3, when people came en masse to the city. It was a holiday for all the inhabitants of the Republic. To enable everyone to participate, the 'Freedom of St. Vlaha', the day when every offender, convict and exile could freely come to the city 2 days before and 2 days after the holiday, without anyone being allowed to call him to account (this freedom was later extended to 7 days before and 7 days after the holiday ). For the holiday, the entire Republic flocked to the city - those who could not go, celebrated at home, with their church flags and in national costume, to bow and pray to their saint, to thank him for his protection in the past and recommend himself and his family for the future. This is still the case today, so people prepare long and thoroughly for this ceremony.

Music festival "Julian Rachlin and friends"
It is a chamber music festival that, since 2000, has traditionally taken place at the end of summer on the stage in the atrium of the Duke's Palace. Along with the founder of the festival, the famous violinist and violist Julian Rachlin, many famous world musicians perform at the festival.

Libertas Film Festival
The Libertas Film Festival began in 2005 with the idea of expanding the festival's cultural offer in Dubrovnik to film as well. The festival takes place during the summer, and feature and documentary films from independent productions dedicated to the promotion of freedom from countries around the world are shown on the program. In the competition part, the selected films compete for the Dubravka award, which is awarded by an expert jury in the categories of best feature film, best documentary film and best short film. The film best rated by the audience receives a special audience award.

Screenings are held in the Dubrovnik cinema Sloboda, the city theater of Marin Držić, the renovated Jadran summer cinema inside the Dubrovnik city walls and the summer cinema on the roof of the Revelin fortress.

Dubrovnik Film Festival (DUFF)
DUFF (Dubrovnik Film Festival) is an international film festival organized by the Association for the Promotion of Media Culture LUŽA, the institution Kinematografi Dubrovnik and the Šipan Film School association. The mission of the project is to promote amateur filmmaking among young people.

Prizes are awarded in the following categories:
1. The best animated film in a particular age group
2. The best feature film in a particular age group
3. The best documentary film in a particular age group
4. Best film in the open category
5. Best thematic film
6. Best film – audience award
7. Best film – Grand Prix

Silence Please!
Silence Please! is a festival of films shot in Dubrovnik.

Quarantine
The festival of contemporary performing arts Karantena was started in 1997 by Art Workshop Lazareti, a Dubrovnik association that, in its permanent programs, wants to create a cultural center where visitors could get acquainted with contemporary artistic expression. The festival brings different forms of contemporary alternative artistic expression from various performances, multimedia installations and contemporary dance, music and stage works. Since its inception, the festival has had an international character, and in addition to local artists, numerous guests from abroad also participate in it.

Marin Držić Theatre
In its history, Dubrovnik had a rich theater tradition, numerous writers, actors and stages. From 1682, he had his theater hall "Orsan", a remodeled part of the shipyard near the Town Hall, where performances were held until 1817, when it burned down for the Austrian authorities.

The City Theater of Marin Držić is an institution with its own artistic ensemble, which was founded in 1944. and is located on the site of the theater building from 1865. In its repertoire, it tends to stage the works of old Dubrovnik and other authors close to their homeland, thematically and linguistically, with occasional departures in the direction of more contemporary themes. The theater occasionally presents its works as part of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival and guest appearances in other cities.

 

Dubrovnik literature

The literature of the city of Dubrovnik greatly influenced the development of the Croatian literary language. Ljudevit Gaj and the Illyrians chose the language in the works of Ivan Gundulić and later Dubrovnik writers as the standard language. Dubrovnik's literature was very extensive in relation to the number of inhabitants. A small part has been preserved, because the printing press was difficult to access and because a large number of works, such as love poetry, were not intended for a wide audience. Some books remained in manuscripts or we only know them by name. In the 16th century, the people of Dubrovnik printed only 12 books, 7 of which were religious. The first two notable Dubrovnik writers are Šiško Menčetić and Džore Držić, who wrote under the influence of Francesco Petrarca. Their songs were published in Ranjina's anthology, which contained as many as 820 songs, but the original has not been preserved. Mavro Vetranović was prominent, who wrote poems, plays and patriotic works. One of the most prominent and popular Dubrovnik writers is Marin Držić. He wrote a large number of valuable pastoral dramas and comedies, among which "Dundo Maroje", "Skup" and "Novel od Stanac" stand out. Already in Držić's time, there were acting companies that performed his works. In Dubrovnik, there was humanistic-Latinist literature, whose representatives were Ilija Crijević, Jakov Bunić, etc. In the 17th century, Ivan Gundulić appeared, who represents the pinnacle of Dubrovnik literature with his epic "Osman", the pastoral drama "Dubravka" and a religious poem. "Tears of a Prodigal Son". In "Dubravka" he celebrates the love of freedom: "Oh beautiful, oh dear, oh sweet freedom!". After Gundulić, Ivan Bunić Vučić, who wrote pastoral and religious poems, is significant. Playwright Junije Palmotić based his writing on classical models, showed the mentality of the society in which he lived and enriched the Dubrovnik theater of his time. Among contemporary writers from Dubrovnik, Luko Paljetak stands out.

 

Museums

Cultural and historical museum - located within the Duke's Palace, it has permanent and temporary exhibitions, a preparatory workshop, a library and a museum shop.
The Museum of the Dominican Monastery - contains valuable manuscripts and incunabula, paintings by Dubrovnik painters from the 15th and 16th centuries, a large painted crucifix by Paolo Veneziano from the 14th century and an altarpiece by the Italian painter Titian from 1550.
The Museum of the Franciscan Monastery - contains paintings by old masters, the original inventory of the pharmacy from 1317 and goldsmith's items
Marin Držić's home - memorial museum of Marin Držić, has a theater collection.
Treasury of the Dubrovnik Cathedral - keeps gold and silver reliquaries, crosses, church utensils and paintings by Italian (Titian, Raffael, etc.), Flemish and Croatian painters.
The Maritime Museum - has a permanent exhibition and a library, the founder of HAZU.
Aquarium and Institute for the Sea and the Coast - located in the fortress of St. Ivan. There are fish, sponges, corals and other marine animals in 27 aquariums. The trademark of the aquarium is the seahorse.
Archaeological Museum - has a prehistoric, ancient, early medieval collection, a collection from the 13th century to 1667, a vase collection, an Egyptian collection and a numismatic collection.
Ethnographic museum - contains a permanent ethnographic exhibition, a preparatory workshop and a library.
Museum of Contemporary History - has occasional exhibitions and a library.
Synagogue Museum - religious exhibits, archival material, Tori collection from the 13th to the 17th century.
Sigurata Monastery Museum - contains a collection of paintings from the 16th to the 19th century, signs, a processional cross from the 14th century, church utensils, lace, etc.
Ronald Brown Memorial House - opened in memory of the tragic death of US Secretary of Commerce Ronald Brown and his associates. It contains a permanent exhibition of paintings by three Dubrovnik painters: Ivo Dulčić, Antun Masla and Đura Pulitika.
Visia Dubrovnik 5D Theatrum - a museum where with the help of modern 5D presentation technology with holographic projections it is possible to get to know the rich history and culture of Dubrovnik and Croatia.
Homeland War Museum - Permanent exhibit and exhibition Dubrovnik in the Homeland War 1991-1995 with exhibits from the period of defense of Dubrovnik during the Serbian-Montenegrin aggression 1991-1995.
Memorial room - Exhibition of photos of fallen defenders of Dubrovnik.
Museum of Red History - deals with archiving, research and presentation of the entire history of socialism in Croatia and Dubrovnik, and is the first museum of this type in Croatia.
the first water polo museum in the world (under construction)

 

Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra

The Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra is the professional orchestra of the city of Dubrovnik and is the main organizer of musical events in Dubrovnik. In his work, he continues the musical tradition that began to develop during the early Republic of Dubrovnik. The orchestra regularly performs as part of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. In his repertoire, he pays great attention to Dubrovnik classics from the 18th century, especially composers Luka Sorkočević and Ivan Mana Jarnović. During the concert season, he performs at concerts in the atrium of the Kneževo dvor and the summer house Crijević-Pucić, and also makes notable guest appearances in Croatia and abroad.

Dubrovnik carol
The Dubrovnik carol is an old custom of congratulating the upcoming Christmas and New Year, which is cherished in Dubrovnik and its surroundings. It takes place two days a year; on Christmas Eve (December 24) and New Year's Eve (December 31). Kolendars (mostly children and young people) go around the streets, houses and apartments singing a traditional carol song to congratulate the upcoming holidays. Caroling is often accompanied by musical instruments such as guitars and accordions. In return, the carolers are rewarded with money, sweets or fruit.

Dubrovnik missal
It originated in Dubrovnik, where it has been used at Holy Masses in the Dubrovnik Cathedral since the 12th century. It is written in the Beneventan script and notation and best represents Beneventan singing in southern Dalmatia and is a monument of zero category. It contains 230 prayers and 230 chants that can be compared to the most beautiful chants of the world heritage. The chants found in the Missal are diverse. Some are identical to other European chants, some are versions of similar chants, and some, like the exultet, are completely different and are not found anywhere else. It shows that Gregorian music was highly developed in Dubrovnik.