DUBROVNIK, CROATIA (day 114)

DUBROVNIK,  UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the worlds most beautiful fortified cities. It is known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic" with its wonderful array of Baroque architecture, historic Gothic, churches, terra-cotta roofs & gleaming marble streets. It is one of the most unspoiled coastlines in Europe. Tourism is very important economy of the country, but mostly it has made its fortune through maritime trade. Throughout history the people have suffered many atrocities, the most recent of which was in 1991 when DUBROVNIK was attacked by Serbian forces.
Today DUBROVNIK is a Parliamentary Democracy and as a country they are very optimistic about their future.

THE OLD TOWN IS SURROUNDED COMPLETELY BY 

THE CITY WALLS

MOST OF THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE DURING THE 13th CENTURY

THE WALLS & TOWERS WERE REINFORCED WITH ADDITIONAL TOWERS & BASTIONS OVER THE FOLLOWING 400 YEARS 

On  average the walls are 80 feet high and up to 10 feet thick on the seaward side, 20 feet thick on the inland side, the city has a perfectly preserved Medieval atmosphere.

PILE GATE THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE OLD CITY

ONE OF THE TWO GATES IN THE TOWN WALLS

THE 15th CENTURY STONE ARCH HAS A STATUE OF ST. BLAISE 

THE CITY'S  PATRON SAINT

CHURCH OF ST SAVIOR

BELL TOWER AT ONE END OF THE MAIN STREET PLACA

The bells ring every 1/2 hour on the minute.

ONE OF MANY OTHER OLD CHURCHES & STATUES IN THE CITY

ALL OF THE NARROW STREETS ON THE INLAND SIDE OF THE MAIN STREET HAVE STEEP  STONE STAIRWAYS GOING UP TO APARTMENTS

INSIDE STAIRWAY LEADING UP TO SOMEONE'S HOME

                                               

SIDE STREET ON THE SEAWARD SIDE OF THE CITY

There are many outdoor cafes and restaurants throughout the city.

VIEW OF THE TERRA-COTTA ROOFS FROM THE TOP OF A STAIRWAY

TORA IN A TINY 15th CENTURY SYNAGOGUE THE 2nd OLDEST IN EUROPE

This SYNAGOGUE bears testament to the once thriving Jewish community in DUBROVNIK, made up largely of Jews that were expelled from Spain & Italy during the medieval period. 

TODAY THERE ARE 45 JEWS LEFT IN DUBROVNIK

The Temple serves as a museum and the jewish people that live in the city have to travel to Prague to attend religious services.

YELLOW RIBBON & BADGE

Before, during, and after WW II the Jews were persecuted in DUBROVNIK 

the same as they were persecuted in the rest of Europe .

The Ark were the TORAS were kept

I FOUND THE CEINGS IN THE TEMPLE TO BE INTERESTING

WOODY POINTING OUT 1 OF THE CANNONS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO DEFEND THE CITY

BANJE BEACH, HAS VIEWS ACROSS THE SEA TO THE TINY ISLAND OF LOKRUM

Just a short distance from the Ploca gate it has a curving stretch of golden sand. 

Tomorrow VENICE our last port..