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Traveller Story
Down - View from the nearby hills
The best time to visit is probably during
the Dubrovnik Summer Festival usually held from mid July to the end of
August. The exact dates vary from year to year, but we will endeavour
to publish the exact dates as soon as they are announced. One of
the highlights of the Festival is certainly the performance of one of
Shakespeare's plays at the Lovrijenac Fortress. Whichever time you
choose to visit Dubrovnik, you can rest assured that this magical city will
certainly not fail to enchant you and you family or friend.
Above - The view on the walls from
the beach
Connections:
Dubrovnik is linked with all major Adriatic harbours. Regular ship lines
between Pescara, Bari, Ancona , Split, Rijeka, Venice ... are maintained.
Dubrovnik is linked with all major European destinations through Čilipi
Airport.
Local bus service from early morning hours until 2 a.m. connects marina with
the centre of Dubrovnik, and with the Old town.
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Brief description:
The City of Dubrovnik or the 'Pearl of the Adriatic' or
the 'City Monument', as Dubrovnik is known worldwide, is situated on
the southern part of Dalmatian coast. It is a cultural centre of
Croatia and one of the most prestigious tourist resorts in the
Mediterranean. Previously one of the most important Mediterranean sea
powers from the 13th century onwards, Dubrovnik has now developed into
a true modern city.
Above - The main street STRADUN
Although severely damaged by an earthquake in 1667, Dubrovnik
managed to preserve its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches,
monasteries, palaces and fountains. The city has been severely damaged again
in the 1990s by the Serbian Army despite world wide calls for protection.
After being the focus of a major restoration programme co-ordinated by
UNESCO, Dubrovnik shines in its whole beauty
again. The best time to visit is during the Summer Festival in late July and
early August.
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Old City of Dubrovnik:
On the basis of a substantive report on the state of
conservation of Dubrovnik that was submitted by the Croatian authorities, ICOMOS advised that it was greatly impressed by the restoration works
undertaken in Dubrovnik, and strongly supported the request made by Croatia
to delete Dubrovnik from the List of World Heritage in Danger. The
Croatian Authorities have also been further encouraged to continue with the
process of preservation.
Above - St. Blaise's Church
Among other treasures of the city are Dominican Monastery
(XIV century), the cathedral, St. Blaise's Church, the wall that surround
the city, ZIDINE (See-dee-nna) in Croatia. Once in town you should
also find the time to listen to the music at the Rector's Palace or
the world-famous Summer Festival (July-August every year)
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ACI
MARINA - DUBROVNIK
ACI marina Dubrovnik lies near Komolac about 2 Nm from the
entrance to the port of Gruž and only 6 km from the old city
nucleus.
Open: All year round.
Berth: The marina has 450 berths and 110 boat
places on land. All berths have water and power supply.
Facilities:
Reception, exchange office, café, tennis
courts, swimming pool, toilets and showers, laundry service, grocery
store, nautical gear store, repair shop, 60 t travel lift, parking
lot, gas station (butane bottles available) (500 m). Customs
formalities can be effected all year round in the port of Gruž. This
marina is one of the main ADAC and ÖAMTC information and service
points.
In the year 1999 ACI marina Dubrovnik along with five other ACI
marinas was awarded the "European Blue Flag", an environmental
award, given to communities that make a special effort to keep their
beaches and marinas clean and manage them with consideration for the
local environment. The marina has been nominated for the same award
in the year 2000. |
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The
History of Dubrovnik
The Origin of the Name Dubrovnik
The today's name of Dubrovnik is derived from the Croatian word Dubrava,
which means oak wood. In the past, oak trees surrounded the area of
todays Dubrovnik. The
Latin name Ragusa - Rausa, in use until the 15th century, originated from
the rock (lat. Lausa - meaning rock) where the first settlement was
established.
The Establishment of the
Dubrovnik as a village:
Dubrovnik was founded in the first half of the 7th century by a group of
refugees from Epidaurum (today's Cavtat). They established their settlement
at the island and named it the Laus. Opposite of that location, at the foot
of Srđ Mountain, Slavs developed their own settlement under the name of
Dubrovnik (named by "Dub" - type of wood). The settlements were separated by
a channel which was filled in 12th century, present Placa or Stradun, and
since than the two settlements have been united. At that time the city walls
started to be built as a protection from different enemies ( Arabs,
Venetian, Macedonians, Serbs, etc.), who wanted to conquer Dubrovnik.
The Government of
Dubrovnik Republic
[top]
The Republican Constitution of Dubrovnik was strictly aristocratic. The
population was divided into three classes: nobility, citizens, and artisans
or plebeians. All effective power was concentrated in the hands of nobility.
The citizens were permitted to hold only minor offices, while plebeians had
no voice in government. Marriage between members of different classes of the
society was forbidden. The administrative bodies were the Grand Council
(supreme governing body) and the Small Council (executive power) (from
1238.) and the Senate (from 1253.). The head of the state was the Duke,
elected for a term of office for one month.
Grand Council (Veliko vijeće) consisted of exclusively members of the
aristocracy; every noble took his seat at the age of 18.
Small Council (Malo vijeće) consisted first of 11 members and after 1667. of
7. The Small Council was elected by the Knez or Rector.
The Senate (Vijeće umoljenih) was added in 1235. as a consultative body. It
consisted of 45 invited members (over 40 years of age).
While the Republic was under the rule of Venice the Rector was Venetian, but
after 1358. the Rector was always a Ragusan.
The length of the Rector's service was only one month and a person was
eligible for re-election after two years. The rector lived and worked in
Rector's Palace but his family remained living in their own house.
The government of the Republic was liberal in character and early showed its
concern for justice and humanitarian principles, e.g. slave trading was
abolished since 1418.
The Statute of the Republic of Dubrovnik
[top]
Dubrovnik got its own Statute as early as 1272. and , among others, codified
Roman practice and local customs. The Statute included the town planning and
regulations of quarantine (hygienic reasons). The Republic of Dubrovnik was
very inventive regarding laws and institutions that were developed very
early:
- medical service was introduced in 1301.
- the first pharmacy (still working) was opened in 1317.
- a refuge for old people was opened in 1347.
- the first quarantine hospital (Lazarete) was opened in 1377.
- slave trading was abolished in 1418.
- the orphanage was opened in 1432.
- the water supply system (20 kilometers) was constructed in 1436.
The History of the Dubrovnik
Republic
[top]
From its establishment the town was under the protection of the Byzantine
Empire that helped Dubrovnik in the wars against Saracens (886.- 887.),
Bulgarian and Macedonians (988.), and Serbs (1184.). After the Crusades Dubrovnik
came under the sovereignty of Venice (1205.-1358.), and by the Peace Treaty
of Zadar in 1358. it became part of the Hungarian-Croatian Kingdom. Having
been granted the entire self-government, bound to pay only a tribute to the
king and providing assistance with its fleet, Dubrovnik started its life as
a free state that reached its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1526.
Dubrovnik acknowledged the supremacy of the Turkish Sultan (annual tribute
was paid to the Sultan). A crisis of Mediterranean shipping and especially a
catastrophic earthquake on the 6th of April 1667. that killed over 5000
citizens, including the Rector, levelling most of the public buildings,
ruined the well-being of the Republic.
With great effort the Republic recovered a bit, but still remained a shadow
of the former Republic. In 1806. Dubrovnik surrendered to French forces, as
that was the only way to cut a month's long siege by the Russian-Montenegrin
fleets (during which 3000 cannon balls fell on the city). The French lifted
the Russian-Montenegrin fleets and saved Dubrovnik for the time being. The
French army, led by Napoleon, entered Dubrovnik in 1806. In 1808. Marshal
Marmot abolished the Dubrovnik Republic (the name was in use from the 15th
C.).
The Territory of the Dubrovnik
Republic
[top]
As it had good relations with its neighbours, Dubrovnik was allowed to trade,
trading both in the Orient and the Mediterranean. With numerous countries
and towns it had special agreements and was not paying taxes on goods sold
or transported trough some countries. During several centuries Dubrovnik grew
into the most powerful economic centre in the south of the Adriatic and it
developed a powerful fleet of merchant and war ships. Dubrovnik had over 200
merchant ships called Argosy.
At the Golden Period of Dubrovnik the territory of the Republic extended
from Klek-Neum in the north to Sutorina (Boka Kotorska) in the south and a
few kilometres inland. It included the islands of Šipan, Lopud and Koločep
(after 1080.), Mljet (1141.) and
Lastovo (1216.), the town of Ston (1298.) and the Pelješac Peninsula
(1399.). The coastal territory of the Republic without islands was
approximately 120 kilometres in length. Dubrovnik Republic also ruled
Korčula, Brač and Hvar for a brief period (1414.-1417.), but was forced to
release them to Venice.
The History of Dubrovnik from
the End of Republic until today
[top]
In 1809. Dubrovnik become part of the Ilyrian Provinces. In 1815., by the
resolution of Vienna Congress, Dubrovnik was annexed to Austria (later
Austria-Hungary), and remained annexed until 1918. when it became part of
the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. In 1929. the Kingdom of Serbs,
Croats and Slovenes became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and was divided into 8
districts. Until 1939. Dubrovnik was part of Zetska district and then was
included in Banovina of Croatia. At the very beginning of the World War II
Dubrovnik was first part of the Independent State of Croatia. From April
1941. until September 1943. Dubrovnik was occupied by the Italian army and
after that it was occupied by Germans. In October 1944. Partisans liberated
Dubrovnik from the Germans. In 1945. Dubrovnik became part of the Federative
People's Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1963. the Federative People's Republic
of Yugoslavia changed its name into Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
and was consisting of 6 republics. Dubrovnik was part of the Socialistic
Republic of Croatia. In 1990. the republics of the Socialistic Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia reached their independence. The Socialistic Republic
of Croatia was renamed into Republic of Croatia. At October 1, 1991.
Dubrovnik was brutally attacked by the Serbo-Montenegrin army. The Serbo-Montenegrin
siege of Dubrovnik lasted for seven months, and in May 1992. the Croatian
Army liberated Dubrovnik and its surroundings, but the danger of Serbo -
Montenegrin sudden attacks lasted for another three years. Today, Dubrovnik
is a free and safe town, worldly known, and the most popular tourist
destination in Croatia.
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