Ragusa
(Ragusium) was founded in 614, by Roman refugees from Epidaurum (Cavtat) and Salona. From
878 the Dalmatian coastal cities, among them Ragusa, although under Byzantinian
sovereignty, pay tributes to the duke of Croatia. Between 1000-1018 Ragusa was under
Venetian controll, later in 1081-1085 accepted Norman (Sicilian) sovereignty. In 1167 came
again under Byzantinian rule. Byzantinian sovereignty ceased with the conquest of
Constantinople during the 4th crusade (1204). From this time Venice controlled the town
untill 1358. Between 1358-1382 Ragusa was under the Kingdom of Hungary.
After this time,
Ragusa became an important trading center and an independent republic based on maritime
trade, with special relations with the Ottoman Empire. The Republic
of Ragusa had for official language the Italian, the city council was dominated by
Patrician families. During the 15th-16th centuries the "Repubblica di
Ragusa" had a fleet of more than 500 ships. In 1667, Ragusa was struck by a heavy
earthquake. In 1683 the Turks were defeated in the Battle of Kahlenberg outside Vienna.
With the defeat of the Ottoman Empire and the intensification of oceanic trade, the city's
decline began. In 1806, the Republic of Ragusa was conquered by Napoleon's troops and on
31 January 1808 the "Repubblica di Ragusa" was dissolved and it was incorporated
into the Illyrian Provinces. Between 1814-1918 the city was under the Austrian Empire, it
was started to be call also Dubrovnik. After the dissolution of the Asburgic Empire, it
became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Yugoslavia from 1929). At the
very beginning of the World War II, Dubrovnik was part of the Independent State of
Croatia. From April 1941 until September 1943 Dubrovnik was under the Italian control and
after that by the Germans. In October 1944 the Partisans liberated Dubrovnik from the
Germans and it became part of Yugoslavia in 1945 and later in 1991 of Croatia.
The 'Pearl
of the Adriatic', situated on the Dalmatian coast, became an important Mediterranean sea
power from the 13th century onwards. Although severely damaged by an earthquake in 1667
and again in the 1990s by armed conflict, Dubrovnik managed to preserve its beautiful
Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains. It's in list
of the UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1979.
Stradùn (Placa), Dubrovnik (Ragusa). It was built over the sea channel which once separated the halves of
the city. This road was paved in 1468. The design of the Placa goes back top the 13th
century but a great proportion was destroyed by the 1667 earthquake so gothic and
renaissance were replaced by baroque facades.
Bokar fort, Ragusa (Dubrovnik). This fort
was built in 1464-1470 by the Florentine Michelozzo Michelozzi (Firenze 1396-1472). It
lies on the South-West corner of the city walls.
Pile gate (Porta Pile), San
Biagio, Ragusa (Dubrovnik).
Onofrio Fountain, Ragusa (Dubrovnik). It
was built by the Salernitan Onofrio de la Cava in 1438-1444.
Stradùn (Placa), Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
Cloister of the Dominican Church and
Convent (Dominikanski Samostan, Chiesa e Convento Domenicani), Dubrovnik (Ragusa). This
cloister was projected by the Florentine Maso di Bartolomeo in 15th century. The Convent
was built starting in 1315.
Bokar fort, Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
Lovrjenac fortress, Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
Sv. Ignacije Church (Chiesa di San
Ignazio), Dubrovnik (Ragusa). This church was finish to build in 1725.
View from the walls, Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
The harbor, Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
San Biagio, Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
Street and walls of the Dominikanski
Samostani (Convento Domenicano, Dominican Convent), Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
View, Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
Sv. Vlaho, Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
Velika Gospa (Cattedrale di Santa Maria
Maggiore), Dubrovnik (Ragusa). It costruction was started in 1671 by the Italian
architects Andrea Buffalini and Paolo Andreotti.
Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
Bell Tower, Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
Palazzo Sponza, Dubrovnik (Ragusa). It was
built starting in 1312, it was used first as Mint Palace and later as Custom House.
View from a window in Palazzo dei Rettori
(Knezev Dvor), Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
Palazzo dei Rettori (Knezev Dvor),
Dubrovnik (Ragusa). The Palace was built by Onofrio de la Cava in 1435. The Portico was
added in 1465 by Michelozzo Michelozzi.
Rupe, Dubrovnik (Ragusa). Built as granary
between 1542-1590, it has 15 big wells carved in the rock. The Rupe now houses implements
of daily life and some archaeological artifacts.
Rupe, Dubrovnik (Ragusa). The inscrition
in Italian at the entrance: "Adi 2 di Marzo 1590 porta fornita"
San Giovanni fortress (Sv. Ivan), Dubrovnik
(Ragusa).
Bell Tower, Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
Stradùn (Placa), Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
The new bridge over the Dubrovacka,
Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
City walls, Dubrovnik (Ragusa). A walk
along the great medieval city walls is definitely the highlight of a trip to Dubrovnik
(Ragusa). The views of the surrounding and surrounded buildings are fantastic, and the sea
looks incredibly blue from these elevated vantage points. The stone walls were constructed
between the 13th and 16th Centuries in Gothic and Renaissance styles, they are nearly two
kilometres (1940 m) long and up to 25 m high with three round towers, 12 square towers,
two corner fortifications, 5 bastions and a fortress (San Giovanni, Sv. Ivan). The easiest
way to access the city walls is from the stairs at the beginning of the Placa, near the
Pile Gate.
City walls, Dubrovnik (Ragusa).
The western walls of Ragusa (Dubrovnik),
Minceta Tower on the left, this tower was built in 1461-1464 by Giorgio Orsini (Zara
1400-1475), it was projected by the Florentine Michelozzo Michelozzi (1396-1472).
