Walls of Dubrovnik

Walls of Dubrovnik
Dubrovačke gradske zidine
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Walls of Dubrovnik from fortress Lovrijenac
Map
Walls of Dubrovnik is located in Croatia
Walls of Dubrovnik
Walls of Dubrovnik
Coordinates42°38′24″N 18°06′29″E / 42.640°N 18.108°E / 42.640; 18.108
TypeWalls
HeightUp to 25 m (82 ft)
Site information
OwnerCity of Dubrovnik, Croatia
Controlled byRepublic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik)
Open to
the public		Daily 9 am–5 pm (May-mid October until 7 pm)
ConditionWell-preserved or intact
Site history
Built13th century – 17th century
Defined in the 14th century
Built byDubrovnik citizens
Architects involved:
MaterialsLimestone
EventsNotable non-battle events:

The Walls of Dubrovnik (Croatian: Dubrovačke gradske zidine) are a series of defensive stone walls surrounding the city of Dubrovnik in southern Croatia.[Note 1][1] Ramparts were built in the outlying areas of the city, including the mountain slopes as part of a set of statues from 1272.[2] The existing city walls were constructed mainly during the 13th–17th centuries.[3] The walls run an uninterrupted course of approximately 1,940 metres (6,360 ft) in length, encircling most of the old city, and reach a maximum height of about 25 metres (82 ft).[4]

Refugees from destroyed towns such as Epidaurus fled to what would become the defensive settlement of Dubrovnik (also known later as Ragusa) which would become a haven of refuge with the construction of its town walls.[5] The walls were reinforced by three circular and 14 quadrangular towers, five bastions (bulwarks), two angular fortifications and the large St. John's Fortress. Land walls were additionally reinforced by one larger bastion and nine smaller semicircular ones, like the casemate Fort Bokar, the oldest preserved fort of that kind in Europe.[6] The moat that ran around the outside section of the city walls, which were armed by more than 120 cannons, provided superb city defense capabilities.[7]

In 1979, the old city of Dubrovnik, which includes a substantial portion of the old walls of Dubrovnik, joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.[4][8] Today, the Walls of Dubrovnik are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Croatia,[9] with more than 1.2 million visitors in 2019.[10]


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  1. ^ Milić, Bruno (1995). Razvoj grada kroz stoljeća II, Srednji vijek (in Croatian). Zagreb: Školska knjiga. pp. 242–245. ISBN 953-0-31641-0.
  2. ^ "Dubrovnik's Old City: The Destruction of a World Heritage Cultural Site". The George Wright Forum. 11 (1): 15. 1994. ISSN 0732-4715. JSTOR 43597355.
  3. ^ "Hrvatski opći leksikon: A-Ž". Hrvatski opći leksikon (in Croatian). Zagreb: Miroslav Krleža Lexicographical Institute. 1996. ISBN 953-6036-62-2.
  4. ^ a b "Dubrovnik". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  5. ^ Carter, F. W. (1969). "Dubrovnik: The Early Development of a Pre-Industrial City". The Slavonic and East European Review. 47 (109): 355–368. ISSN 0037-6795. JSTOR 4206098.
  6. ^ "City walls of Dubrovnik" (PDF). Geographica d.o.o. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  7. ^ "The city walls". Diu.hr. Dubrovnik International University. Archived from the original on 23 February 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  8. ^ "Old City of Dubrovnik". World Heritage. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  9. ^ McCrea, Kaeylen. "17 Top Tourist Attractions in Croatia". Touropia. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  10. ^ Thomas, Mark. "Almost 400,000 visitors on the iconic Dubrovnik City Walls so far this year". The Dubrovnik Times. Retrieved 17 November 2023.