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| Dubrovnik's medieval walls - the view of Fort Lovirjenac from the Fort Bokar tower |
Wednesday, July 6 - Trip Day 7
Our guide from our Kosovo trip, Boris, had warned us about walking the old town walls on a hot summer day. "You'll bake, as all the limestone will be reflecting heat and light at you." I was a little hesitant, but didn't want to miss the experience. Fortunately, we were early enough - mid morning - that is was neither too crowded nor too hot.
We climbed the steps at the Pile Gate on the east of the city to begin our walk. The walls are 1940 meters long and up to 25 meters high. No building was to be built that would be taller than the walls. They were constructed between the 13th and 17th centuries. At one time, a regulation was made to require every person coming to Ragusa (Dubrovnik) to carry a stone to place on the wall.
The greatest danger of invasion came from land, so the walls on the north side are thicker (4-6 meters) compared to the sea side (1-3 meters). There are four great city forts: the Minceta on the north, the Revelin fortress on the north-east, the fortress of St. John on the south-east near the old port, and the round sea tower, the Bokar.
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| At the top of the steps by the Pile gate |
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| The walkway is wide with good railings where needed, although I felt a little vertiginous in places |
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| Looking west down the Stradun |
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| The Big Onofrio Fountain |
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| Ivana calls this spot the mirror of Dubrovnik. St. Francis Monastery with bell tower on the left |
The greatest danger of invasion came from land, so the walls on the north side are thicker (4-6 meters) compared to the sea side (1-3 meters). There are four great city forts: the Minceta on the north, the Revelin fortress on the north-east, the fortress of St. John on the south-east near the old port, and the round sea tower, the Bokar.
Many scenes of King's Landing and Blackwater Bay from the HBO Game of Throne's series were filmed here in Dubrovnik. It was interesting to hear people yelling along the walls when they recognized different scenes from the series.
The Lovrijenac Fortress is outside Ragusa's old city walls. The story is that this fort was built in three months in the 11th century. It was built because diplomatic Ragusan spies reported that the Venetians were on their way with vessels loaded with stone to built their own fortress on this rock, to yolk Ragusa to the Venetian republic. When they arrived with ships full of building materials, the Venetians found they had lost the race to build the fort. The church of St. Lovro (St. Lawrence) already existed on this 37 meter high rock outcropping, so they named the fort after St. Lawrence (Lovrijenac).
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| Lovrijenac Fortress on the hill and the Bokar in the foreground on the left |
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| We could be extras in GOT, do you think? |
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| Lovely day for a parasol... |
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| Lovrijenac Fortress atop the rock outcropping on the left, the rounded Bokar tower on the right |
The Lovrijenac Fortress is outside Ragusa's old city walls. The story is that this fort was built in three months in the 11th century. It was built because diplomatic Ragusan spies reported that the Venetians were on their way with vessels loaded with stone to built their own fortress on this rock, to yolk Ragusa to the Venetian republic. When they arrived with ships full of building materials, the Venetians found they had lost the race to build the fort. The church of St. Lovro (St. Lawrence) already existed on this 37 meter high rock outcropping, so they named the fort after St. Lawrence (Lovrijenac).
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| The walls and walkways are thinner on the sea side |
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| Looking up to Mount Srd, across the city. New orange tiles replace roofs damaged by shelling during the Homeland War in 1991 |
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| To the west, our Sea Cloud anchors near Lokrum Island |
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| Checking out the guard tower |
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| Long and low on the left, the Lazaretto, where arriving seamen were quarantined for 40 days |
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