The Journey
The journey to Dubrovnik was idyllic. Beautiful views and scenery under a hot blazing sun as we travelled along the Dalmatian Coast.
The Old City
Rector’s Palace
The Rector’s Palace is a palace in the city of Dubrovnik that used to serve as the seat of the Rector of the Republic of Ragusa between the 14th century and 1808. It was also the seat of the Minor Council and the state administration. Furthermore, it housed an armoury, the powder magazine, the watch house and a prison.
The Clock Tower
The clock tower is basically Dubrovnik’s version of a celebrity—you can’t miss it when you walk through the old city walls, right there at the bottom of the main street. Built by Ivan Krstitelj in 1506, this bell has survived much drama—wars, earthquakes, and bombings—and still manages to ring on time.
The tower was designed and built by master architects Grubačević, Utišenović and Radončić in 1444. Provided with ample funds to work with by the authorities of the rich city-state, the architects included an unusual feature in the design. Instead of the traditional clapper hanging inside the bell, two wooden statues of men bearing hammers were made and placed on either side of the bell. At the appointed time, every hour and half-hour, the men would strike the bell with their hammers and allow the peal to ring out across the city.
The years took their toll on the original two, and a pair of more permanent bronze replacements were fashioned and named ‘Maro’ and ‘Baro’. Over time they became green with the tinge of corrosion, and have been nicknamed the ‘zelenci’, or ‘green men’, ever since.. The original figures are today kept in the Cultural History Museum in the Rector’s Palace.
We had to dodge the tourists!
Franciscan Monastery
The earliest friary was built in the 13th century outside the walls. A new friary inside the walls and close to the Pile Gate, was built in 1317, but its construction took centuries. Parts of the complex were rebuilt several times.
The church was destroyed by the earthquake of 1667. The 1667 Dubrovnik earthquake was one of the three most devastating earthquakes to hit Croatia in 2,400 years since records began. The entire city was almost destroyed, and around 3,000 to 5,000 people were killed. The city’s Rector, Simone Ghetaldi, was killed, and over three-quarters of all public buildings were destroyed. The earthquake marked the beginning of the end of the Republic.
Game of Thrones
Could spend an entire day or more exploring ‘Game of Thrones’ filmed locations. Never watched an episode—total ignorance. I may watch an episode in the future, though!
The Best Day
We decided to give the walk on the top of the wall a miss and decided to go up the mountain via the cableway.
The Imperial Fortress
We visited the fortress at the top of the hill. It was very interesting, with parts of the walls broken and missing due to the attacks of the Yugoslavian Army in 1991! It was cool inside as the sun baked on the ramparts.
In 1806, French troops led by General Marmont started building Fort Imperial where the old Church of St. Srđ once stood. This spot became the centre of some tough battles between the French, Russian, and Montenegrin forces. It’s interesting to note that Dubrovnik tried its best to stay neutral during this time to safeguard the Republic!
After the fall of Napoleon, Dubrovnik came under Austrian control. The Austrians upgraded and strengthened the fortress and its walls. The Ottomans were right next door until the Austrians occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1882. Dubrovnik could sigh a sigh of relief.
Then came the Balkans wars in 1991. There were Serbs and Montenegrins everywhere. Dubrovnik and the Imperial Fortress were in the hands of the Croatian Army, and all the surrounding areas were occupied.
The largest attack on the fortress and Dubrovnik by the Serbian-Contenegrin army came on December 6, 1991. The fighting around Imperial lasted all day, and the few defenders there managed to withstand the attack. The fortress suffered extensive damage, but many of Dubrovnik’s defenders then offered thanks to the old French and Austrian engineers for the solid building.
We inspected the holes in the walls!
Today, on the premises of the fort is a museum dedicated to the defence of Dubrovnik during the Homeland War.
I don’t know if it was the beer, but what unfolded was a highlight of the trip for us.
Let’s get mathematical. Why do lakes, mountains and coastlines appeal so much to us, and why are they often beautiful and arouse peace and joy within us? Scientists, mathematicians and psychologists tell us that it is the ‘fractals’ that do it for us—seemingly random patterns! Please google ‘fractals in nature’, and you’ll see what I mean.
