Dubrovnik (IPA: [dǔ.bro̞ ʋ.ni ː ː k], also known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic "(which is what is called Lord Byron), is a city on the Adriatic coast in southern Croatia, located at the end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. This is one of the most important tourist destinations on the Adriatic Sea, the port and the center of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Its population was 43,770 in 2001 [1] from 49,728 in 1991 [2]. In the 2001 census, 88.39% of its citizens declared as Croats.
In 1979, the city of Dubrovnik joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
The prosperity of the city of Dubrovnik has always been based on maritime trade. In the Middle Ages as the Republic of Dubrovnik, he became the only eastern Adriatic city-state to rival Venice. Bolstered by its wealth and skilled diplomacy, the city has achieved a remarkable level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th century. Dubrovnik was one of the first development centers in Croatian language and literature, home to many important poets, playwrights, painters, mathematicians, physicists and other scholars.
In Croatian, Serbian and other Slavic languages, the city is known as Dubrovnik, greek Raiyia (Ραυγια) or Ragousa (Ραγουσα) Albanian in the 17th century, the city lists sources like Rush. The Slavic toponym Dubrovnik
derives from the Proto-Slavic word for an oak forest dǫbrava * o * dǫbrova (archaic and literary Dubrava in Croatian), which is abundantly present in the hills north the walled city of Dubrovnik, by the end of the 11th century.
The present name was adopted officially in 1909, when the city was in the Austro-Hungarian rule.
Dubrovnik was founded in the 7th century on a rocky island named Laus, which provided shelter for refugees from the nearby Croatian city of Cavtat. Some time after the settlement of Slavic people grew at the foot of a wooded hill Srđ. This regulation gives the city its Slavic name "Dubrovnik".
The strip of wetland between Dubrovnik and Dubrava was reclaimed in the 12th century, the unification of the city around the newly made plaza (today Placa). The square was paved in 1468 and rebuilt after the earthquake of 1667. The town was fortified and two harbors were built on each side of the isthmus.
Another theory, recently published, on the basis of new excavations. New discoveries (a chapel and parts of the city walls) are dated to the 5th century, and which contradicts the traditional theory. The size of the old chapel, clearly indicates that there has been quite large settlement at that time. There is growing support from the scientific community for the theory that the main building of Dubrovnik took place during years BC. This "theory greek" was stimulated by the recent findings of many artifact greek during excavations in the port of Dubrovnik. In addition, drilling below the main street of the city showed that there is natural sand, which contradicts the theory of Laus (Lausa) island.
Dr. Antun Ničetić in his book (Povijest dubrovačka luke - History of the Port of Dubrovnik) outlines the theory that Dubrovnik was established from the greek sailors. A key element of this theory is the fact that ships in ancient times, after about 45-50 miles a day, and asked for a beach to pull up the water for a period of rest during the night. The rest of the site would be ideal source of fresh water nearby. Dubrovnik has both, and is located almost midway between two well-known settlements greek Budva and Korčula (95 nm is the distance between them).
Since its inception in the 7th century, the city was under the protection of the Byzantine Empire. After the Crusades Dubrovnik came under the sovereignty of Venice (1205-1358), and the Peace Treaty of Zadar in 1358, became part of the Croatian-Hungarian kingdom.
Between 1808 and the 14th century Dubrovnik was established as a free state. The Republic had its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries, when its thalassocracy rivaled that of the Republic of Venice and other Italian maritime republics.
The Republic of Dubrovnik has already received its statute in 1272, statutes that, among other things, codifies Roman customs and local practices. The Statutes included prescriptions for urban planning and regulation of quarantine (for hygienic reasons). The Republic was very inventive regarding laws and institutions that were developed very early:
* Medical service was introduced in 1301
* The first pharmacy (still working) was opened in 1317
* A refuge for the elderly was opened in 1347
* The first quarantine hospital (Lazareva) was inaugurated in 1377
* Slave trading was abolished in 1418
* The orphanage was opened in 1432
* The supply system Water (20 km) was built in 1436
The city was ruled by aristocracy that formed two city councils. As usual for the time being, it has maintained a strict system of social classes. The republic abolished the slave trade in early 15th century and greatly appreciated freedom. The city successfully balanced its sovereignty between the interests of Venice and the Ottoman Empire for centuries.
The economic wealth of the Republic was in part the result of the land has been developed, but most of the sea has done business. With the help of skilled diplomacy, Dubrovnik's merchants traveled lands freely, the sea and the city has had a huge fleet of merchant ships (argosy) that traveled around the world. From these travels they founded some settlements, from India to America, and brought parts of their culture and vegetation home with them. One of the keys to success was not conquering, but trading and sailing under a white flag with the word "freedom" (Latin: Libertas) clearly marked on it. This flag was adopted when slave trade was abolished in 1418.
Many conversos (Marranos) - Jews from Spain and Portugal - were attracted to the city. In May 1544, a ship landed there filled exclusively with Portuguese refugees, as Balthasar de Faria reported to King John. During this period we worked in the city, one of the most famous cannon and bell founder of his time: Ivan Rabljanin (Magister Johannes Baptista Arbensis de la Tolle).
The Republic gradually declined after a crisis of Mediterranean shipping - and, in particular, a catastrophic earthquake in 1667 that killed over 5000 people, including the Rector, leveling most of the public buildings - ruined the welfare of the Republic. In 1699 the Republic sold two patches of its territory for the Ottomans in order to avoid terrestrial borderline, with advancing Venetian forces. Today this piece of land belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina and its only access directed to the Adriatic Sea.
In 1806 the city surrendered to French forces, which was the only way to cut a month long siege by the Russian-Montenegrin fleets (during which 3000 cannonballs fell on the city). Napoleon first sought only to free passage for his troops, promising not to occupy the territory and stressing that the French were friends of Ragusans. Later, however, French forces blocked ports, 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 in mourning. In 1808, Marshal Marmont abolished the republic and integrated its territory Illyrian provinces.
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