Dubrovnik Explored

Today it is raining, again (we have these massive rainstorms followed by the most amazing sunny days). So today is a good time to work on the blog, and, finally talk about the city of Dubrovnik.

It seems, from my perspective, that there are three parts to this area called Dubrovnik. The Big Dog is, of course, the Old City (Grad Dubrovnik), a UNISCO World Heritage Site and rightly so. But more of that in a minute.

The Little Dog (or so I like to think of it) is Lapad, the “tourist peninsula.” We’ve talked about this area in a previous blog post (Dubrovnik in the Rain – and Sun), so I won’t say any more here.

Then there is Gruz, the newer port area, what I consider to be the tail of the dog. This area is useful, work-a-day; not particularly picturesque. There is the port, and the boats: a few small private boats tied to the dock, and the tour boats and ferries. And then there’s the cruise ships. The port can handle up to three of these behemoths, which look like – and are – floating cities. Conveniently located near the cruise ship docks is the main bus station, with buses going around the city, and to other parts of Croatia.

The "new" port, Gruz -- ultra-modern bridge at one end of town to balance the ancient city at the other!

Were we live is on the hill that delineates these three areas. Centrally located, you might say. It’s a 20-minute walk to the Pile gate, the main entry to Old Town, south-east of here; 25 or so minutes to the east is the Lapad beach; and 20 minutes north to the port. Since the port area also contains some major grocery stores and other shopping centers, we’re there pretty often.

Cruise ships really are floating cities

Not pretty overall but still some intriguing spots

Like I said, the port is a useful but not particularly attractive area. The buildings are hardly the “Soviet-era gray concrete blocks” I’ve heard of elsewhere (I haven’t seen those anywhere in Croatia, for that matter), but there certainly is no architectural unity, or even much that’s very pretty. So when we go out for a stroll to take in the sites, we head for the Big Dog, Dubrovnik Old Town.

Grad Dubrovnik is the reason people come to this area, and it’s a very compelling reason. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, the walls were begun in the 7^th Century, and reached their current form in the 15^th. They are considered to be the most extensive fortifications of the Middle Ages, protecting the inhabitants of the city for over 500 years. This area was originally known as the Republic Ragusa, famed for its brilliant diplomacy. It was able, over the course of the centuries, to avoid tangling with other powers in the area, a powerful factor in the preservation of the city walls. Of course, credit is also due to the master builders who laid them out and constructed them, and the residents of the city who cared for and maintained them over the centuries.

Comparisons between the old town of Montpellier, the city in Southern France were we spent our first three months, and Grad Dubrovnik are inevitable! While old Montpellier was a maze of short, winding streets, Dubrovnik is laid out on a grid pattern, many narrow streets but all parallel and right angles. Much harder to get lost!

Enough of the history lesson; let’s go to the city!

Best part of the 20-minute walk to the Old Town! Padlocks are from loving couples, locking in their love

Beyond the fence is this lovely coastal view

And along the way no end of interesting sights...

Although some parts are not so lovely, when the massive buses barrel past seemingly inches away

We arrive at the Pile Gate, main entrance to the city, after running the gauntlet of tourist shops, main bus stop, tourist pick-up point, and cruise and tour hawkers. (Whew!) Note St Blaise, the city's patron saint, over the door: he shows up everywhere in the city. (And, see all those people? It's like that all day long...)

But before we go in, let's look around...

The Mincenta Tower, at the north corner of the city, one of three forts within the walls (and a filming site for Game of Thrones, but we'll save that for another blog)

Here we see St. Blaise again

Fort Bokar, at the south-western corner

Once through the gate in the outer wall (right background), visitors zig-zag down to the inner gate, on the left. First thing visitors see: St. Blaise (inset above the inner gate)

And finally, we get inside! The ever-crowded main street, Stradun, with the Bell Tower in the background. 

Main square and Orlando's Column

Sponza Palace

The Dubrovnik Cathedral (Dubrovacka katedrala) and the Rector's Palace (left)

Interior of the Rector's Palace

St. Blaise again!

Ah, the Church of Saint Blaise! (Crkva sv. Valaha)

'Nother Church (possibly Crkva Svetog Stjepana, Church of St. Steven)

Lots of cats in the city

A memorial to the Croatian War of Independence (known locally as the Homeland War, or the Greater-Serbian Aggression), 1991, as a result of the break-up of Yugoslavia. The city of Dubrovnik suffered extensive bombardment and numerous houses burned (including this art studio). 

And just a nod to King's Landing: Dubrovnik has been used for filming many scenes for "Game of Thrones," and other movies (big, big tourist draw, in all the finest tourist shops!).

There's many tiny, narrow streets branching off the Stradun, the main street through the city. The city is in a sort of a valley, so the side streets climb steeply up to the city walls.

Entering the city from the port area.

Say, now that we're at this end of the city, let's look in on the harbor...

And  another view, from a distance

Well, we've been here so long the sun has set, but the city at night is, if possible, even more fabulous. This is the port, at the far end of the main street from the Pile Gate.      

The harbor at night, with the famous pirate ship (famous, at least, to the tour operator who runs it!)

  The main square, and the bell tower.

More views of the well-illuminated exterior walls as we leave the city proper

And here's the Lovrijenac Fortress, guarding the city from across Blackwater Bay

And so it seems our time here in Croatia is almost up; in another week or 10 days (early November, in any event) we will be in Seville, Spain.  Still, we have lots more to say about  Croatia, and Dubrovnik. Like, those Game of Throne sites we keep mentioning....

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