Origins
Although the archeological
evidence suggests that the cliff
site of Dubrovnik was inhabited by
the Iron Age the actual origin of
Dubrovnik is steeped in mystery.
According to a passage written by
the Bizantine Emperor, in the
beginning of 7th ct. some
inhabitants of Pitauru fled before
the barbarian hordes and settled in
what is today Dubrovnik.
Another, more mythical account,
states that a certain Radoslav the
White, King of Bosnia, exiled to
Rome after being overthrown by his
son Ceslav in 458. When Ceslav died
without the successor, ambassadors
were sent to invite Radoslav to
return. Radoslav accepted and on
this return landed in Dubrovnik
(Gruž, according the chronicle
written by Nikola Ranjina) where he
decided to stay. The earliest
fortifications were to preserve the
treasure and relics.
Saint Blase, The Patron Saint
In 971 a Venetian army landed in
Dubrovnik under pretenses of being
en route to Levant. When St. Blase
appeared at midnight to Don Stoico
explaining the Venetians plan to
seize Dubrovnik, the Don ran to the
town authorities and these in turn
promptly sent Venetians on their way
(however, it was under their
suzerainty from 1205 to 1358). St.
Blase has been the Dubrovnik's
patron saint ever since.
After the Fall of Rome
From the fall of Rome until the 9th
ct. Dubrovnik was ruled by
Bizantium.
The Mercantile Power
Utilizing the Balkans' and the
Adriatic trading routes Dubrovnik
grew into a mercantile power. Having
no military might, it relied on its
skillful diplomats to preserve its
freedom.
Croatian Athens
An unprecedented flourishing of arts
and literature followed in the 15th,
16th, and the 17th ct. earning
Dubrovnik the title of 'Croatian
Athens'.
The Great Quake
The great earthquake (Velika
Trešnja) struck Dubrovnik about 8am
on April 6, 1667. Many
people and much of the
property perished eitherby the quake
itself or in the fires it caused. It
was only with the greatest of
efforts and courage that a handful
of patricians restored the order in
the city. |
New Prosperity
During the Napoleonic years the
Republic enjoyed its short-lived
prosperity again.
The Ragusan Republic Abolished
At about 2 o'clock on January 29,
1808, a representative of Napoleonic
France, one Colonel Delort, entered
the Senate and delivered a brief
speech with which the Republic was
abolished.
After the Republic
The Congress of Vienna in 1915 gave
Dubrovnik to Austria. In 1918 it was
incorporated into Yugoslavia, the
very same artificial state which in
1991, during Croatia's war for
independence, brought much
destruction to the people and the
cultural heritage of this glorious
city.
The City of Dubrovnik Today
The Pearl of Adriatic, Dubrovnik,
today stands as welcoming and as
beautiful as ever; its sturdy walls
bask in the Mediterranean sun, its
rooftops smile at the streets
bustling with locals and tourists
alike. . .
George Bernard Shaw once said if you
wanted to see heaven on earth you
had to come to Dubrovnik.
And you were quite right, Berny.
Quite right.
Additional sources:
Official Homepage of Dubrovnik
Tourist Board of Dubrovnik
UNESCO's page about Dubrovnik
Wikipedia's page about Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik Summer Festival
A Guide to Dubrovnik |