Get to Know Old Town, Dubrovnik Croatia

Dubrovnik’s Old Town is one of the most remarkably preserved medieval cities in the world. Surrounded by the City Walls, the historic center of Dubrovnik was deliberately planned after the city was devastated by an earthquake in the 1600s, and meticulously restored after civil war in the 1990s. The historic status and restoration of the Old Town is carefully overseen to preserve the beauty and authenticity of this legendary capital.

Teeming with cafes, bars, restaurants, and markets, many people enjoy just wandering the narrow streets and exploring the old town, shopping at the bazaars or finding a sunny square to enjoy a delicious meal and people watch. But the Old Town also includes a number of sights that shouldn’t be missed by visitors.

Old Town Palaces

• Sponza Palace: Sponza Palace was originally built in the 1500s, in a mixed Gothic and Renaissance style. It was one of the few buildings to survive the earthquake of 1667. Over the centuries, it has served as a custom’s house, warehouse, mint, armory, treasury, and a bank. This focus as a trading and meeting center is reflected on the inscription over the door, a Latin phrase meaning: “Our weights do not permit cheating. When I measure goods, God measures with me.” Today, Sponza Palace houses the incredible archives of Dubrovnik, with documents and manuscripts dating back to 1022AD.
• Rector’s Palace: The Rector’s Palace was the seat of the Rector of the Republic of Ragusa, and the state was administered from this building. Originally a fort built in the 1200s, it was heavily damaged and rebuilt in the 1400s and again in the 1600s, so the medieval structure grew to have Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural elements that harmonize beautifully. Today, the building houses a museum, and is one of the key sights in Old Town.

Churches in Old Town

• Assumption Cathedral: The Assumption Cathedral as it stands today is on a site that has had a cathedral since the 7^th In 1192, King Richard the Lionhearted survived a shipwreck on the nearby island of Lokrum, and vowed to found a church on the site. The city soon persuaded him to contribute to the building of a cathedral inside the city instead, and the earlier basilica was rebuilt. That 12^th century cathedral was mostly destroyed in the 1667 earthquake, and the people of Dubrovnik immediately set about rebuilding a new cathedral on the same site, which was finished in 1713. The treasury holds 182 reliquaries, the most important being the arm, leg, and skull of Saint Blaise, patron saint of Dubrovnik.
• Church of St. Blaise: This church to the patron saint of Dubrovnik was built in 1715 in the Baroque style. It was situated on the site of a Romanesque church that had been badly damaged in the earthquake and then finally destroyed by a fire in 1706. This richly decorated church is one of the most popular sights in Dubrovnik, and increasingly in demand for weddings.

Monuments in Old Town

• Orlando’s Column: In Luza Square in Old Town stands a pillar carved with a knight, supporting a small platform. The knight is Orlando, known as Roland elsewhere in Europe, and he was a symbol of the protection of the Hungarian-Croatian king. Built in 1418, the pillar was used to make public proclamations. Orlando also had a practical purpose, as his forearm is the length of a standard Ragusan cubit. Today, Orlando is the centerpiece of many social and cultural events in Dubrovnik, holding pride of place into modern times.
• Onofrio’s Fountain: Just inside the Pile Gate stands the beautiful Onofrio’s Fountain. Built in 1438 by famous Italian architect Onofrio, the fountain was a solution to the low supply of fresh water in Dubrovnik’s long, hot summers. Fresh water was just one more way that this city protected itself from siege, bringing water from spring nearly 12 kilometers away. The ornate decorations were heavily damaged in the earthquake of 1667, but the 16 spouts of this fountain were a steady water supply to the citizens of Dubrovnik all the way up until the end of the 19^th century, when houses were supplied with modern indoor plumbing. The water is still fresh and drinkable today, but it has become more important as a popular meeting spot for locals.

These are just a fraction of the things to do and see in Old Town, but are a good place to start your explorations of this incredible city.

We know that unlike many of our well-trodden destinations, Croatia may seem like a step out of the comfort zone. But don’t let a few strange letters of their alphabet scare you off! Once you check out our brief eBook about what to expect on your first trip to Dubrovnik, you will realize that it is much more simple that you imagine. Download it right here:

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