Walls of Dubrovnik, Medieval fortification system in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
The fortification encloses the old town of Dubrovnik on the Croatian Adriatic coast with massive stone walls and numerous towers. The structure connects different fortresses and bastions into a closed ring that runs directly along the sea and climbs steep slopes.
Limestone forts around the settlement date from the late 8th century; the sea channel to the mainland was filled in the 11th century, after which a single wall enclosed the core. The present circuit follows a plan of 1292 and was built mainly between the 13th and 17th centuries, peaking from the early 15th to the later 16th century under the Republic of Ragusa. The 1667 earthquake left the solidly built walls largely unaffected.
The walls were built from local limestone, and stone was so scarce during the 15th-century works that anyone arriving in Dubrovnik from Gruž or Ploča had to carry a block sized to his own body. Since 2015 a race runs the full 1,940-metre circuit along the top of the walls. The old town and its walls joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1979.
The walk takes between one and two hours depending on pace, with some stairs steep and uneven. Early morning or late afternoon offers less crowding and more comfortable temperatures in summer.
On the north side stands Fort Minceta, whose round tower forms the highest point of the entire structure and allows wide views over the surroundings. Some wall sections still carry traces of cannonballs from past sieges that were never removed.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,750 contributors worldwide.
