Saint John's Fortress, Limestone fortress in Old Harbor, Croatia.
Saint John's Fortress is a limestone structure in Dubrovnik's old harbor built with round walls facing the sea on a sloped base. The harbor side features vertical stone surfaces and contains a Maritime Museum, an aquarium, and studios operating inside.
Construction began in 1346 and continued through multiple phases until 1557, when two earlier forts merged into the present structure. This consolidation significantly strengthened the city's defense against threats from the sea.
The Maritime Museum inside displays seafaring history through ship models and tools used by medieval traders. The collections show how this harbor supported the city's role as a major Mediterranean trading center.
Visitors should know that the Maritime Museum, aquarium, and art spaces require separate entrance tickets and operate independently. Plan several hours if you want to see everything inside.
Stone vaults inside the fortress now house an aquarium where visitors can observe various species from the Adriatic. This unexpected use of historic space creates an interesting connection between the fort's past defense purpose and today's conservation effort.
Location: Dubrovnik
Made from material: limestone
GPS coordinates: 42.64009,18.11247
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:45
The old town of Dubrovnik sits on the Adriatic coast and shows buildings from the 13th to the 17th centuries. The city was an independent maritime republic for hundreds of years and developed its own architecture that combines Venetian and local elements. The city walls enclose a compact core of palaces, churches and public squares built on limestone. The main street Stradun runs straight through the town and connects the main gates. At both ends stand fountains from the 15th century that once secured the water supply. The Rector's Palace shows how the elected rulers lived and worked, while Sponza Palace once served as a customs house and mint. The city wall itself is walkable and offers views of the sea and the rooftops of the old town. Several fortresses reinforced the defenses: Fort Lovrijenac perches on a rock outside the walls, Revelin Fortress protected the eastern approach, and the sea wall ends at St. John's Fortress, which now houses a maritime museum. Lokrum Island lies just a short boat ride away and was once a monastic site. Today plants from different climates grow there. The beaches around Dubrovnik often sit in small coves between rocks, where the water is clear and deep. The Dominican Monastery and Franciscan Monastery preserve art and manuscripts from the republic's era. The cathedral was rebuilt in baroque style after an earthquake in the 17th century destroyed the older church.
Walls of Dubrovnik
366 m
Rector's Palace, Dubrovnik
136 m
Dubrovnik Cathedral
171 m
Sponza Palace
194 m
Orlando's Column
205 m
Lazzarettos of Dubrovnik
191 m
St Blaise's Church
187 m
Saint Ignatius Church
263 m
Holy Annunciation Orthodox church
309 m
Clock tower
176 m
Dominican Church and Monastery in Dubrovnik
186 m
City Guard Building
174 m
Cableway Srđ
329 m
Fort Revelin
223 m
Porporela
35 m
Banje
362 m
Mala Onofrijeva česma
179 m
Skočibuha palace
144 m
Kaše
122 m
The State Archives in Dubrovnik
214 m
Maritime Museum
28 m
Marin Držić Theatre
136 m
Banje Beach
311 m
Buža Beach
343 m
Natural History Museum (Dubrovnik)
237 m
Dominican Monastery
215 m
War Photo Limited
353 m
Dubrovnik Aquarium
30 mReviews
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