DUBROVNIK (43 770 inhabitants) is under the UNESCO's protection as a cultural and tourist resort. It is pearl of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, one of the symbols of the Croatia state and freedom.

The oldest settlement Rausij (Ragusium) was situated on the cliff at the foot of the Srđ Mountain which was divided by a small channel. When the settlement extended to the mainland, the channel was filled up and both settlements were linked with ramparts (12. and 13 c.), forming this unique urban area.

The unique ramparts of Dubrovnik (1940m long, 4 to 6m thick on the mainland side, 1, 5 to 3m thick form the seaside and up to 25m high) are reinforced with 3 circular and 12 square towers, with one large fortress, two corner ones and five bastions. The main street within the walls called Placa (known as Stradun) was built on the leveled little channel and it links the eastern town gate (“Od Ploča”) with the western one (“Od Pila”). The centre of public life is on the square of Luža . The palace Sonza (beginning of the 16.c, now house of Archive) with the atrium where concerts are held, is situated on the square. On the eastern, side of the square are the bell-ringer's house called Luža zvonara (1463), the town's bell and clock tower (1447) with two statues of men (1478) that strike the Bell , weighting two tonnes. In the niche, in front of the house of the main guard, there is small fountain.

In the St. Catherine's convent, there is a school of music, the St. Mary's church forms part of the Archive while the houses of the former Benedictine’s monastery are converted into private ovens. In the street called Rupe there was a wheat storing area (16.c.), and fifteen huge containers having the capacity of 1 500 tons. In front of the Baroque church of St. Blaise (18.c.), the protector of the town, there is the Orlando 's column (1417). On the way to the Ploče gate, there is the Dominican monastery (14.c.) with a nice cloister. The monastery houses a valuable collection of gold archive and a library, gold articles and paintings.

The Croatian name Dubrovnik was firs recorded in 1187. It was the town-state of remarkable diplomats, skillful merchants, seamen, top artists and magnificent buildings, “the Croatian Athens” as the people used to call it, (the “golden age” in the 15. and 16. c.) was among the most prosperous towns on the Mediterranean . The Duke and the members of the Great and Small Council of the Senate respected the inscription written over the entrance of the Great Council which says:” Forget all your privet matters, have in mind only the general benefit!” (Obliti privatorum publica curate). They were successful in politics even after the disastrous earthquake (1667) and all the way to the fall of the Republic of Dubrovnik (by the Napoleon's decree).Dubrovnik and its surroundings were heavily damaged by the grenades in the Fatherland's war.

 

Next to it, is house of the Municipality. The theatre is also within this complex and then follows the Duke's court with an atrium where concerts are held. South of the Poljana Marina Držić, there is an old town quarter called Pustijerna with the Skočibuha palace built in the Renaissance style which is the best preserved private house from the time (before the earthquake in 1667). On the western side, there is a magnificent Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (1713) with a valuable treasury. East of the Cathedral, there are the church of Our Lady from Carmel (1635) built in the Baroque style, the Great (staircase 1738) and behind the Cathedral, the street leads to the Baroque complex of Jesuit church of St. Ignatius (1725) and the house of the Collegium of Dubrovnik.

On the western part of the town, in the place called Poljana Paska Miličevića, there is the Great Onofri's fountain covered with a dom. This fountain with sixteen sides, is the end of the aqueduct built by Onofrio della Cava, stretching from the source of the Rijeka Dubrovačka to the town itself. Even today it is still in use. By the Pile gate on Stradun, the main street is the Franciscan monastery of Little Brothers with an exceptionally nice cloister and the church of St. Francis of Assisi . The monastery houses an ancient pharmacy from 1317 (one of the oldest in Europe ) and the museum contains valuable copies from Library. There are also the church of St. Salvation built in the Renaissance style and the former convent of St. Clare (The Poor Clares). There are several churches situated within the walls while a larger number of them are situated outside the walls such as the convent of nuns and Our Lady of Danača (15.c.).