Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Dubrovnik-Neretva County

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire. The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. In the distance the city walls of Dubrovnik can be seen. To the left is the small island of Lokrum, where in 1192 Richard the Lionheart survived a shipwreck on his return from the Third Crusade.

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire. The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center is small - and completely surrounded by city walls.

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire. The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small - and is completely surrounded by city walls.

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire. The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October. This is the cloister of the former Convent Santa Clara ("Samostan sv. Klare"). It was the most important of the 8 nunneries, that once existed in Dubrovnik. It is claimed, that one of the first orphanages in the world was founded here in 1432. Today here is the "Restaurant Klarisa".

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire. The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October. The inscription above the main entrance if St. Saviour tells the tourist, that following an earthquake on 17 May 1520, which killed about 20 people and damaged many buildings, the "Republic of Ragusa" commissioned a church as a sign of gratitude for sparing the city from bigger destruction. The construction started in 1520 and the church was completed in 1528. When in 1667 Dubrovnik was hit again by an earthquake which killed some 5000 citizens and destroyed much of the city, the small St. Saviour Church withstood the disaster.

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire. The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October. The cathedral was built on the site of several former cathedrals. The building of the 12th century Romanesque cathedral was partially funded Richard the Lion Heart. This was a votive after having survived a shipwreck near Lokrum in 1192 on his return from the Third Crusade. Lokrum is a small island just half a mile away from Dubrovnik. After that cathedral had been largely destroyed in the earthquake of 1667, Italian architects completed the Baroque cathedral within only thirty years.

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire. The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October. The Rector's Palace in the center of the old town used to serve as the seat of the Rector of the Republic of Ragusa. It housed as well an armoury, a powder magazine and a prison. The previous existing building was destroyed by a fire in 1435. The job, to build a new palace here was offered Onofrio della Cava of Naples, a master builder, who had previously built the aqueduct of Ragusa. A gunpowder explosion damaged the building in 1463. The renewal brought some Renaissance style to the previous Gothic palace, that after the earthquake of 1667 was reconstructed in Baroque style. Seen in the backdrop is the "Sponza Palace" (aka "Divona")

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire. The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October. A Roland statue (Roland - Orlando - Hruodland) in the center of Dubrovnik. Roland was a (mythical) military leader under Charlemagne, who got killed at the Battle of Roncevaux in 778. The oldest major work of French literature, the "Chanson de Roland", tells the story about this battle. His legendary sword Durendal can still be seen, sticking in the cliff over Rocamadour. In Germany Roland became a symbol of the independence of the growing cities. In the late Middle Ages many cities placed statues of Roland in their marketplaces. There are still some dozends Roland statues in Northern Germany (eg in Bremen fom 1366, Wedel from 1450). This Roland statue, dated to the early 15th century, is the southernmost I have ever seen.

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire. The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October. "Stradun" (aka "Placa") is the limestone-paved main street of the old town. In 1667 a devastating earthquake hit Dubrovnik. This and a large fire immediately afterwards, destroyed most of the city and killed about 5000 citizens. Before the reconstruction of the city started, a law was passed, specifying the layout of all future residential buildings, All houses lining the Stradun were built after the earthquake - and share the same pattern.

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire. The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October. Small, pretty steep lanes lead down to the center.

The City of Dubrovnik joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979. It did not help the city after the break up of Yugoslavia. In October 1991 Dubrovnik was attacked by the Yougoslav armee with a siege that lasted for seven months. The number of casualties, according to Croatian Red Cross, was 114 killed civilians. Artillery attacks on Dubrovnik damaged 56% of its buildings to some degree. The walled city sustained 650 hits by artillery rounds. Here is a city map with the sites of damage.

The Franjo Tuđman Bridge, erected 1998 - 2002, carries the D8 state road at the western approach to Dubrovnik. Two large cruise-ships have docked in Gruž, Dubrovnik´s harbour. So we will meet many tourists in the old townn about 2kms south.