Facts about Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a historic city of Croatia. It is located on the Adriatic Sea coast in the extreme south of Croatia, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. As of 2001, the population of Dubrovnik was 43,770. In the 2001 census, 88.39% of Dubrovnik's citizens declared themselves as Croats. The population of Dubrovnik was 49,728 in 1991. So its population decreased by 5958 in two years i.e. from 1999 to 2001. Since 1979, the historic centre of Dubrovnik has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.[2008] The prosperity of the city of Dubrovnik has always been based on maritime trade. In the Middle Ages, as the Republic of Ragusa, it became the only eastern Adriatic city-state to rival Venice. Supported by its wealth and skilled diplomacy, Dubrovnik achieved a remarkable level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries. Ragusa(old name of Dubrovnik) was one of the centres of the development of primarily the Croatian language and literature, home to many notable poets, playwrights, painters, mathematicians, physicists and other scholars. Ragusa was Dubrovnik's official name until 1909. The modern name of the city is derived from the Slavic word dubrava which means forest. In Croatian, the city is known as Dubrovnik and in Dalmatian, Latin, Italian, and formerly in English as Ragusa. However, today more and more Italian sources use name Dubrovnik instead of Ragusa. The current name was officially adopted after World War I when the city passed to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and then onto Yugoslavia. Ragusa (Raugia) was founded in the 7th century on a rocky island named Laus, which provided shelter for Latin refugees from the nearby city of Epidaurus, today's Cavtat also Ragusavecchia. Some time later a settlement of Slavic people grew at the foot of the forested Srd hill. This settlement gives to the city its Slavic name "Dubrovnik". Medical service was introduced in Dubrovnik in1301. The first pharmacy (still working) was opened in 1317. A refuge for old people was opened in Dubrovnik in1347. The first quarantine hospital (Lazarete) was opened in 1377. Slave trading was abolished in 1418. The orphanage was opened in Dubrovnik in 1432. The water supply system (20 kilometers) was constructed in 1436. Dubrovnik was ruled by aristocracy that formed two city councils. As usual for the time, they maintained a strict system of social classes. The republic abolished the slave trade early in the 15th century and valued liberty highly. The city successfully balanced its sovereignty between the interests of Venice and the Ottoman Empire for centuries. In May, 1544, a ship landed in Dubrovnik filled exclusively with Portuguese refugees, as Balthasar de Faria reported to King John. Dubrovnik was struck by a catastrophic earthquake in 1667 that killed over 5000 citizens, including the Rector, leveling most of the public buildings. After the earthquake of 1667, the republic gradually declined. In 1699 the Republic sold two patches of its territory to the Ottomans in order to avoid terrestrial borderline, with advancing Venetian forces. In 1806 the city surrendered to French forces, as that was the only way to cut a month's long siege by the Russian-Montenegrin fleets (during which 3000 cannon balls fell on the city). At first Napoleon demanded only free passage for his troops, promising not to occupy the territory and stressing that the French were friends of the Ragusans. Later, however, French forces blockaded the harbours, forcing the government to give in and let French troops enter the city. On this day, all flags and coats of arms above the city walls were painted black as a sign of grief. In 1808, Marshal Marmont abolished the republic and integrated its territory into the Illyrian provinces. On October 1, 1991 Dubrovnik was attacked by the JNA with a siege of Dubrovnik that lasted for seven months. The heaviest artillery attack happened on Dubrovnik on December 6, 1991 with 19 people killed and 60 wounded. In May 1992 the Croatian Army liberated Dubrovnik and its surroundings, but the danger of JNA sudden attacks lasted for another three years. General Pavle Strugar, who was coordinating the attack on Dubrovnik, was sentenced to an eight year prison term by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for his role in the attack of the city. Today Dubrovnik is a tranquil cultural and tourist centre hosting many musical, art and theater events year round. The annual Dubrovnik Summer Festival is a cultural event when keys of the city are given to artists who entertain Dubrovnik's population and their guests for entire month with live plays, concerts, and games. In the bay of Dubrovnik is the 72-hectare wooded island of Lokrum, where according to legend, Richard the Lionheart was cast ashore after being shipwrecked in 1192. The island includes a fortress, botanical garden, monastery and naturist beach. Dubrovnik's most beloved church is St Blaise's church, built in the 18th century in honor of Dubrovnik's patron saint. Perhaps the most striking feature of Dubrovnik is its walls that run 2km around the city. The walls run from four to six metres thick on the landward side but are much thinner on the seaward side. The system of turrets and towers were intended to protect the vulnerable city but now make one of the most picturesque sights in the Adriatic. Dubrovnik has an international airport of its own. The airport is located approximately 20km (12.5 mi) from Dubrovnik city center, near Cilipi. The climate along the Dubrovnik Region is a typical Mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and hot and dry summers. Average annual air temperature of Dubrovnik is16.4°C (61.5°F).
Average annual precipitation of Dubrovnik is 1,020.8 mm. Aaverage annual rain days in Dubrovnik are 109.2. Average annual sunshine in Dubrovnik is 2629 h. Average daily hours of sunshine in Dubrovnik are 7.2 h. Ivan Gundulic, a famous poet lived in Dubrovnik. |
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