DUBROVNIK - In Your Pocket

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What to see
The Church of St Blaise (Crkva sv. Vlaha) D-3,
Luža 3, tel. 32 34 62, fax 32 33 10. Named after the
saint protector of Dubrovnik, this is perhaps the church most
beloved of the city’s people. Sitting four square on Stradun, its
stained glass windows by local artist Ivo Dulčić (1971) lit up at
night make a wonderful show. A church has stood on this spot
since 1368, but following a fire, the present church (1717) was
built in Baroque style by Venetian architect Marino Gropelli,
who was also sculptor of the statue of St Blaise standing
above the entrance to the church, protectively holding a scale
model of the Old Town in his hand. The church’s front steps are
the setting for some of the most important events of the life
of the city, including New Year’s Eve and the opening night of
the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, which always used to include
a concert by legendary renaissance-pop group and Eurovision
contestants The Troubadours. Mass in foreign languages can
be arranged by appointment.
The Lazaret (Lazareti) L-5. Just past the Ploče gates
is a row of adjoining stone buildings with gates guarding the
courtyards. This was the Dubrovnik lazaret - quarantine
houses for travellers in times of plague. Since these buildings
were usually destroyed when the need for them passed,
Dubrovnik’s lazaret is one of the last remaining in Europe.
The rather impressive stone buildings now house artists’
workshops and a humanitarian organisation, and are the
venue for concerts and DJ parties.
The Rector’s Palace (Knežev dvor) D-3, Pred Dvorom
1, tel. 32 14 37. One of the loveliest buildings in the city
and the seat of the Rector, the figurehead of the Republic
elected within the nobility, whose term lasted for just one
month confining him to these quarters which he could only
leave on official occasions and religious holidays. The building
changed its appearance after two explosions of gunpowder
stored here, and its current appearance is mainly thanks to
the renaissance designs of Juraj Dalmatinac of Zadar and
Michelozzo Mihelozzi of Florence in the 1460s. Alterations
were added in baroque style in the 17th century following
the earthquake, and since the original building by Onofrio
della Cava, creator of the city aqueduct and fountains, was in
gothic style, the result is a blend of styles which is timelessly
romantic. The palace’s frontage has a delightful colonnade
with choir style decorative stone benches. Inside, a beautiful
courtyard is the venue for recitals and concerts. The palace
is now a museum where you can view the richly appointed
offices and quarters of the Rector, plus the arsenal, courtroom
and prison cells. Artworks, costumes and domestic objects
of the period are all on display.
Dubrovnik
telephone code is +385-20
Dubrovnik In Your Pocket
Mass in English
Mass is held in English every day at 12:00 at the Jesuit
Church of St Ignatius C-4, Poljana R. Boškovića 6,
tel. 32 35 00.
Churches
Dubrovnik’s citizens have often had cause to ask for help
over the ages, and have never forgotten to say thank you.
That’s why they engaged in building so many churches.
Here are just a few of the main ones in the Old Town.
Church and Convent of Sigurata & Museum of
Sigurata Convent (Samostan i muzej Sigurata)
B-2, Od Sigurate 13, tel. 32 14 67. To find this pink
little baroque confection, you have to enter what looks like
someone’s garden off an intimate side street. There was
probably a church on this spot well before its first mention in
the 12th century. Franciscan nuns established their convent
here in the 13th century, and the adjoining museum contains
household objects they used in order to support their order
(e.g. needlework), as well as liturgical utensils and artworks,
including two wax dolls of the baby Jesus (Bambino). At one
time, every Dubrovnik household had such a doll, which was
especially venerated at Christmas time. Open 10:00 - 12:00
and 16:00-18:00 and upon request or prior announcement.
Entry 10kn, children 5 kn.
Church of St Saviour (Crkva sv. Spasa) B-2, Placa
bb. The first church you’ll see on entering the Old City from
the Pile gate is St Saviour’s, with its typical Dalmatian rosette
window on the front. It was built between 1520 and 1520 by
grateful citizens who were delivered from a terrible earthquake
– it is said that even the city’s aristocratic ladies helped
with carrying wood and stone. It’s often used as a venue for
concerts and recitals.
Rozario Church and Confraternity (Crkva i
bratovština Rozario) D-2, Zlatarska. Opposite the
Dominican monastery is a further building which once formed
part of the complex, and includes the diminutive Rosary
church – nowadays used as an occasional gallery space.
The building dates back to 1594 and is built in mannerist
and baroque styles.
Serbian Orthodox Church and Museum of Icons
(Pravoslavna crkva i muzej ikona) C-3, Od Puča 8,
tel. 32 32 83, fax 32 38 29. Dubrovnik’s Orthodox church
was built from 1865-1877, and stands behind impressive
wrought iron gates. It houses a number of icons, mainly
Byzantine and Cretan, but those looking for a more extensive
collection should head for the museum on the second floor
of the building next door.
St Ignatius’ Church (Crkva sv. Ignacija) C-4, Ruđera
Boškovića 6, tel. 32 35 00, fax 32 46 50. Part of a fine
complex on an elevated square close to the southern edge
of the Old Town, the wonderfully ornate Jesuit church of St
Ignatius is approached via a romantic baroque staircase
which is modelled on the Spanish Steps in Rome (1738). The
church itself was built between 1667 and 1725 by architect
Ignazzio Pozzo, and like most Jesuit churches of the period
was modelled on the Gesù in Rome, the mother church of
the Jesuits. Both the stairway and the square in front of
the church are used as venues at the Dubrovnik Summer
Festival. Despite the somewhat run-down appearance of
the adjoining college, an esteemed place of education, this
is a particularly atmospheric spot in one of the oldest parts
of the city. QOpen 07:00 - 20:00.
St Katherine’s Convent (Samostan sv. Katarine)
C-3, Strossmayerova. The graceful building which now
houses the acclaimed Music School, in one of the oldest
parts of town south of Stradun, is the former convent of St
Katherine.
St Nicholas’ Church (Crkva sv. Nikole) D-2,
Zlatarska. This little church at the Ploče end of Prijeko was
originally built in simple, pre-romanesque style typical for
early Middle Ages Dalmatia; a late renaissance frontage
was added in 1607. Inside, you can see stone ornaments
in an interlocking style reminiscent of Celtic knotwork called
“pleter”, which is typical of early Croatian churches, plus a fine
painting of the Madonna dating back to the 13th century.
St Sebastian’s Church (Crkva sv. Sebastijana)
D-2, Sv. Dominika. This 15th century church was built by
the Ploče gate, for a good reason: St Sebastian is the saint
protector against plague. It lies under the protective wing of
the Dominican monastery, in a pretty corner by the stone
steps and balustrade.
Museums & Galleries
Tickets
Groups of 4 can get discount tickets for four museums:
the Rector’s Palace, Maritime Museum, Marin Držić
House and Ethnographic Museum for 50kn adults,
25kn children.
Art Gallery Dubrovnik (Umjetnička galerija
Dubrovnik) L-5, Frana Supila 23, tel. 42 65 90, fax
43 21 14, info@ugdubrovnik.hr, umjetnicka.galerija.
dubrovnik@du.t-com.hr, www.ugdubrovnik.hr. This
1930s mansion just outside the Old Town at Ploče is the place
to see an extensive collection of Croatian modern painting and
sculpture which encompasses almost all important artists
since the beginning of the 20th century. Entry for Art Gallery
Dubrovnik and The Dulčić, Masle, Pulitika Gallery - 30kn.
QOpen 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon.
Ethnographic Museum Rupe (Etnografski muzej
Rupe) B-3, Od Rupa 3, tel. 32 30 13, fax 32 20 97.
“Rupe” is named after the pits which were hewn out of living
rock in this granary, which was used for drying and storing
imported grain for the city’s people. Built in 1590, this is a
fascinating building in itself, and the exhibits showcase the
economic, cultural and spiritual development of Dubrovnik.
The folk costumes and textiles give the best flavour of
the region where folk culture is still celebrated. QOpen
10:00 - 16:00.
What to see
Spooky legends
Lokrum is connected with several legends. The least
scary of them is about Richard the Lionheart, who was
caught in a violent storm on his return from the Crusades,
and was so grateful to find shelter on the island that he
pledged 100,000 ducats for the building of a church on
the spot, but was persuaded by the Dubrovnik nobles to
allow it to be built in the city instead. And thence came,
the story goes, the money for building the Dubrovnik
cathedral. More creepy is the curse of the Benedictine
monks, who were so furious at being cast off the island
by the occupying French in the early 19th century that
they cursed any person who would look upon Lokrum as
his own property. And indeed, every owner since then did
meet a violent death, including Emperor Maximilian, who
was executed by firing squad by Mexican republicans.
Gallery Otok, ARL (Galerija Otok, ARL) L-5, Frana
Supila 8, tel. 32 46 33/ 32 37 66, arl@du.htnet.hr,
www.arl.hr. A gallery in the Dubrovnik lazaret - the former
quarantine houses - which now houses an artists’ community,
including workshops and this gallery. Contemporary local art
of an excellent standard. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed
Sun.
Maritime Museum (Pomorski muzej) E-3/4, St.
John’s fortress(Tvrđava Sv. Ivana), tel. 32 39 04.
Considering how vital sailing and shipbuilding to the growth
of the Dubrovnik Republic, this is one of the city’s most
important museums. The display of models of the fine
galleons that were once built here is the stuff of fairytales -
they, along with blueprints from the archives, were used for
building the replicas that you might glimpse in the Gruž harbour
today. Along with the Aquarium, the Museum is housed in the
massive St John’s fortress on the old harbour. Entry 35kn
adults, 15kn children. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00.
Modern History Museum (Muzej suvremene
povijesti) B-2, Poljana Paska Miličevića 1, tel. 32 48
56, fax 32 20 96. The Museum’s work focuses on gathering
documentation on contemporary history since World War Two,
including memoirs and photography. From time to time you can
see all their exhibitions in Knežev Dvor. The museum doesn’t
have a permanent display but occasional exhibitions.
The Aquarium (Akvarij) E-3, Kneza Damjana Jude 12,
tel. 32 39 78, fax 32 38 72. Housed in the magnificent St
John’s fortress (Sveti Ivan), the Aquarium gives you the chance
to get to know the sea life of the Adriatic without having to
eat it. Children will love it; animal rights activists may be less
than impressed. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00.
The Archaeological Museum (Arheološki muzej)
D-4, Braće Andrijića 7, tel. 32 40 41, arheoloski.muzej@
du.htnet.hr. The Archaeological museum currently does not
have a permanent residence, and some of its collections are
still under preparation, but you can see objects dating back to
prehistoric times excavated from the Old Town itself, including
fragments of early Romanesque churches featuring the
attractive plaitwork typical for Dalmatia. A prehistoric ceramic
pot and female bust were found on the Pelješac peninsula.
There is possibility that museum has been relocated. The
museum doesn’t have a permanent display but occasional
exhibitions.
www.inyourpocket.com
Summer 2008
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