Thursday, July 12, 2012

Dubrovnik Croatia: The Pearl Of The Adriatic

By Jeremy Winters


Situated on the edge of the Adriatic Sea, the natural and historical beauty of Dubrovnik Croatia has enthralled people for ages. George Bernard Shaw was so captivated with the magnificence of this south Croatian medieval area that it attained the name "the pearl of the Adriatic" from the renowned writer.

The landscape of Dubrovnik is rich in beauty because of the bays, the beaches, the woods and the sharp cliffs. At the same time, all those with a taste for history and the mysteries of bygone periods are going to find the city with its ancient medieval alleys, squares, churches and the still unchanged city walls absolutely nothing short of remarkable.

Taking in the Sights at Dubrovnik

You should begin your sightseeing by taking a walk alongside the ancient city walls. These walls were constructed in the 10th century. There are four fortresses at as many corners of the Old Town. Those are Revelin Fortress, Bokar Bastion, Minceta Tower and St. John's Fortress. From there on you might move ahead to Placa or the Stradum, made in 1468. At one end of Placa, you'll find the Great Onofrio Well or Onofrio's large fountain. Italian architect Onofrio della Cava made this fountain during 1438. In the course of the recent war in 1992, this fountain was partially damaged.

Sponza Palace, constructed in 1522, is another main tourist attraction. The city archives are held in this palace upstairs while the displays happen downstairs. Yet another old palace of this town is Rector's Palace, also made by Onofrio della Cava. This palace, however, has experienced lots of damages from a number of wars in medieval times. The present structure therefore has little resemblance with the original edifice and now represents more like a hodgepodge of various architectural styles and traditions.

The Franciscan Monastery in the Old Town also has an illustrious history. It is said that the monastery held the oldest apothecary in Europe. The monastery was destroyed in the 1667 earthquake and then was subsequently reconstructed. Then if you have a love for Baroque architecture, you have to visit the Church of St. Blaise, constructed in the years 1705-1717.

The site of the Cathedral of Dubrovnik Croatia carries a lengthy heritage, too. The present cathedral was built in 1673. However, the later excavations uncovered the existence of a Romanesque cathedral underneath the current one. Further excavations exposed still another church beneath this Romanesque church.

And once you have your fill of the historical sites, one can look into a few entertaining things to do in Dubrovnik. A cable car excursion offers an incredible aerial view of this area. You may additionally check out the Visia Dubrovnik 5D Museum. The city is famous for its delightful local food, as well, and you will uncover a lot of good dining places dotting the city. Lucin Kantun, Lokanda Peskarija, Proto, Poklisar - these are some of the best restaurants in the area. The night club and bar scene of Dubrovnik Croatia is quite alive and enticing, as well. So go to the bars if you desire to look into the night life of this city.




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