Dubrovnik City Walls

The Dubrovnik City Walls are Croatia’s capital’s most iconic site, having gained the city the title ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’, and represent some of the best preserved medieval fortifications in the world. Completely surrounding the city by the 13th century, the Dubrovnik City Walls continued to be strengthened and improved up to the 16th century.

Today, Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Dubrovnik City Walls history

In the 9th century, Saracens besieged Dubrovnik for 15 months. The earliest settlement upon the islet was protected by walls. The City first spread over the uninhabited eastern part of the Laus islet. During the 9th and the 10th century, the eastern section was included within the defensive walls.

The City was separated from the mainland by the sea channel which was filled with earth in the 11th century and by the 13th century, the whole city was enclosed with the walls. Dubrovnik’s Dominican Monastery became a part of the walls in the 14th century. At the same time, 15 square forts to increase the strength.

The design derives from the 14th century and the definitive shape as we see it today was fixed around the fall of Constantinople in 1453; also the period referred to as the ‘Golden Age’ of Dubrovnik.

Dubrovnik City Walls today

Now measuring an impressive 2 kilometres in length, the Dubrovnik City Walls, dotted with imposing forts and gates, remain the city’s dominant landmark. One of the most impressive of these is Pile Gate – a robust gothic construction dating back to 1537 which is usually the starting point of a walk around the Dubrovnik City Walls.

Ploče Gate is the main entrance to the Old Town from the eastern side which also has a bridge like Pile Gate. This gate (also known as Vrata od Ploca) was built in the 14th century.

The walls themselves are generally 6 metres thick and 24 metres in height. Today, a walk along the Dubrovnik City Walls is an unmissable part of your visit and provides a fantastic overview of the city’s history.

Getting to Dubrovnik City Walls

Dubrovnik’s City Walls are literally unmissable when visiting the city, encircling the Old Town’s most notable sites and leading out onto Dubrovnik’s beautiful beaches and hotels.