Dubrovnik City Walls

The present shape of the walls was defined in the 14th century after the city gained its full independence from Venetian suzerainty, but the peak of its construction lasted from the beginning of the 15th century until the latter half of the 16th century. Being constructed very solidly, the walls were generally unaffected by a strong earthquake occurring in 1667. The walls run an uninterrupted course of approximately 1,940 metres in length, encircling most of the old city, and reach a maximum height of about 25 metres. The walls were reinforced by three circular and 14 quadrangular towers, five bastions (bulwarks), two angular fortifications and the large St. John's Fortress. In 1979, the old city of Dubrovnik, which includes a substantial portion of the old walls of Dubrovnik, joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The city walls have been preserved to the present day, not only because of the knowledge of the skilled construction workers and the constant care provided by city dwellers that maintained and rebuilt the structures as needed, but also because of the brilliantly reputed diplomacy in Dubrovnik, which managed on many occasions to avoid dangerous measures taken by enemies against the Republic of Ragusa. The town has four city gates: two that lead to the harbor and two (with drawbridges) that lead to the mainland. During the time period when the Austrian Empire controlled the city, two more gates were opened in the wall. The Minčeta Tower was built by a local builder named Nicifor Ranjina and Italian engineers sent by Pope Pius II in 1463, at the height of the Turkish threat. Originally as a strong four-sided fort, it is the most prominent point in the defensive system towards the land. The tower's name derives from the name of the Menčetić family, who owned the ground upon which the tower was built. By its height and impressive volume, the tower dominates the northwestern high part of the city and its walls.

Filmed with SONY RX10M3 in July 2021.

#croazia #croatia #dubrovnik #ragusa

[sydneyr.cauveren]

Fantastic city. And, you do so well at trying to get as many tourists as possible,
OUT of the picture ! Congratulations, as always. No one can do it better than YOU, Massimo!!

[polinapesin]

Ciao, Massimo. Spectacular views. Thanks a lot for this amazing video.

[francescocorona]

Video eccellente che completa il precedente. Grazie Massimo i tuoi video mi fanno rivivere le emozioni provate nei miei viaggi di tanti anni fa negli stessi posti. 4:26

[tianx]

Such a great city and also a great video from Massimo, wish to see it when there is less tourists though.