Walking the Walls of Dubrovnik

Stradun, Dubrovnik’s main street, as seen from the city walls

The old town of Dubrovnik is completely surrounded by intact fortified walls, even including the Old City Harbor. The walls run for 1940 meters encircling the city and are considered amongst the greatest of fortification systems during the Middle Ages because they were never breached during that time period. The walls were so strongly constructed, they even withstood any damage from the earthquake of 1667.

The red roofs of Dubrovnik

A portal to the sea

Fort Lovrijenac

We walked all 1940 meters of the walls surrounding the city. Nearly 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) doesn’t sound like a lot but take into consideration that we’re having one of the hottest summers in nearly 50 years and that a lot of stairs are involved as the walls vary in height towering above the city at 25 meters high at some points. There are three entrances to the walls and we started our walk on them at the Gate of Ploče. Once we reached the top of the steep staircase leading us to the top of the walls, we were immediately rewarded with stunning views of Fort Lovrijenac rising on a gorge 37 meters high. This fort defended Dubrovnik from attacks from both the land and the sea. It certainly earned the message carved into its doors: “Non bene pro toto libertas venditur Auro.” (“Freedom can not be sold for all the treasures of the world”).

A narrow portion of the walls snake toward Lokrum Island

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