Select Page

A History lesson around the ancient walls of Dubrovnik…

A History lesson around the ancient walls of Dubrovnik…

With time to spare, we took the opportunity to get some history into the girl’s curriculum…. and where better to do this in a city which has had such a rich, varied and tumultuous history…

check out more Croatian articles here
Dubrovnik Walks (www.dubrovnikwalks.com) offered the best price/package and under the fantastic instructions of our guide (Marco) we headed off to experience the city from the best vantage point on top of the various forts along the city walls. Both girls were fortunate to meet up with their newly found friends from yesterday and it was a pleasure to spend the day again with our Canadian & Irish friends.
Dubrovnik’s port was the key to it’s early rise to prominence, and this led to various suitors trying to gain control of the city… be it the Venetians, Ottomans, Hungarians… they have all had a go…

Yet Dubrovnik has been a city republic, seen times of communism and hardship and recent conflicts that threatened to bring this UNESCO city to it’s knees… yet it has endured! Like any special place, it is due to the people of Dubrovnik and their unwillingness to give in… stoic, hard working people with strong ideas on their sovereignty! Yet to a person, incredibly (and rightfully) proud of their identify as Dubrovnik citizens.

Our girls were regaled with stories of yesteryear… from the plague and the 40 day quarantine periods, to the slants of the walls to protect them from bombardment, to the signing of treaties to broker peace…

Yet perhaps it is best know for its ability to withstand fire…Precariously placed beneath hills, its forts on top of the hill are crucially important yet the cities 6-10m wide walls have been continuously improved upon to ensure it remains safe/secure… yet it has been tested!!! Perhaps none more so than the recent Balkan conflict (1991-2) which saw 2 years of constant bombardment…. perhaps best viewed by the red roof tiles that show the new buildings adorning over 60% of the city… little remained, yet it was preserved!! and it now enjoys financial support from UNESCO to ensure it is preserved for future generations.

the best way to understand the destruction of the Balkan Conflict

Both girls (in fact all the kids) gazed at the amazing city scape, with its ‘Game of Thrones’ hill top fort (the Red Tower) set against the dazzling blue of the sea (helped by the occasional dolphin popping up to play)…

dubrovnik city walls

so where did we park the bus for the night?

Our Newsletter

About The Author

Richard

Ever wanted to pack your bags, just jump in a motorhome and go off and explore Europe as a family? Well, that’s exactly what my family has done since September 2015. Visiting 35 European countries, travelling over 54,000 miles and grabbing over 450 family experiences on the way… enjoying Bobsleigh in Norway, Climbing into Mt Etna in Sicily or Kayaking the River Dordogne.

1 Comment

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Learn more about us

check out OUR ADVENTURES

Translate our site

Subscribe

see inside our van…

Recent Videos

Loading...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This