Stadthafen von Dubrovnik, Port facility in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik's City Port (Porat) lies inside the Old Town walls, with three large vaulted arches on a small promenade dating from the 12th century and enlarged in the 15th. The basin is shielded by the Kase breakwater of 1485 and the Porporela mole of 1873, while the Revelin and Sveti Ivan fortresses flank the entrance.

The harbour's present layout was designed in the 15th century by the Croatian builder Paskoje Miličević. The Old Town reached it through the Ponte Gate (1476) and the Fish Market Gate (1381). Fortress Sveti Ivan, built in the 14th century to defend the harbour, was joined by the Revelin fortress outside the walls, built by Antun Ferramolino.

The three large vaulted arches on the small promenade date from the 12th century and were extended in the 15th; a fourth arch was later walled up. The complex, called the Arsenal, served as a shipyard where galleys for the city's defence were built and repaired, and smaller vessels are still repaired there today. It also operates as a popular city café.

Access to the port happens through two historic gates: the Ponte Gate built in 1476 and the Fish Market Gate from 1381. Visiting early in the morning helps you see the structures more clearly and enjoy the waterfront with fewer crowds.

The harbour's entrance was closed at night by a chain strung from the Tower of St Luke to St John Fortress, so no ship could slip in unseen. The 1485 breakwater Kase and the 1873 Porporela mole forced attackers into the fire of Revelin and Sveti Ivan.