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| View of Dubrovnik from the St. Lawrence Fortress |
The second stop on our cruise was Dubrovnik, also known as ‘The Pearl of the Adriatic’, is one of the world’s most breathtaking walled cities. Easily one of the most impressive man-made sites I’ve ever seen. First, we climbed the (many) steps to Fort Lovrijenac, or St. Lawrence Fortress, often called "Dubrovnik's Gibraltar", a fortress and theater outside the western wall of the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia. Famous for its plays and importance in resisting Venetian rule, it overshadows the two entrances to the city, from the sea and by land. Early in the 11th century, the Venetians attempted to build a fort on the same spot where Fort Lovrijenac currently stands. If they had succeeded, they would have kept Dubrovnik under their power, but the people of the city beat them to it. *The first picture below is from a Dubrovnik travel guide.*
We then walked around the walls of the city, taking us about 1.5 hours to complete. We then descended and walked the streets of the city, where there are many restaurants, cafes, and shops. There's even a Hard Rock Cafe! It was hard to believe people actually live here. While having a snack, we asked the waitress which was the prettiest church in the city (there are over 50!), and she told us the Church of St. Ignatius in Dubrovnik's Old Town, the 'one with the steps'. She was absolutely correct, and there is no way we would have found this one without asking (see the images of the painted dome).
Once the capital of the Republic of Ragusa (1358-1808), Dubrovnik is now Croatia’s most popular tourist destination. Dubrovnik was the first state to ban slavery in 1416, hosts Europe's oldest continually operating pharmacy (1317), and served as a real-life filming location for Game of Thrones. The city was originally founded by Roman refugees and was a powerful maritime republic for centuries, although it was bombed during the Croatian War of Independence in 1991.
Originally, we had a boat excursion planned at this port, which I was looking forward to. The excursion was cancelled, and I am so grateful, as this was truly an amazing day!
On to Kotor!
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