Dubrovnik Fortresses

The Minčeta must be the most visited fortress in Dubrovnik. It is also the most massif tower in town, north from the town-wall and with the best view over the city. Three Croatian architects worked on it, but I'll spare you their typical -hard to spell and pronounce- names. The Minčeta fort was originally cubical and small, but over the years several parts where added. At 1646 the construction stopped and ever since nothing has changed to the building. On the terraces of this beautiful historical monument shows are sometimes performed during summer.

Yet Dubrovnik's history has left its marks on the city. There are so many other fortresses to be admired it would be hard to name them all. So of the most important ones are the following.

The Bokar fortress lies south-west to the town-wall and was build to guard the Pile Gate, or main entrance to the city. It is a round tower build during the Renaissance, the oldest European tower in it's category, and preserves a large collection of cannons.

The St. Ivan fortress is found in the South as well. This one was build between 1346 and 1557, to protect the harbor. Today one can find three museums in it: the marine museum, the ethnographic museum and the sealife museum.

Than there is the Revelin fortress, build in the 16th century east from the town. He as well used to protect the harbor and is eventually used as a stage for summer-performances.

Last, the Lovrijenac fortress lies west from Dubrovnik's old town and is build on a 26 meters high cliff. Manuscripts say that it was build in only three months time, to dominate both sea and land. Today, the wonderful interior is often used to perform Shakespeare plays at.