Album Croatia from Martin M. Miles

Dubrovnik

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 22:21:07 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Dubrovnik

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 22:05:52 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Dubrovnik

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 21:45:42 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Dubrovnik - Santa Clara

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 19:47:22 +0000

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Dubrovnik - St. Saviour

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 18:23:05 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire.

The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October.

The inscription above the main entrance if St. Saviour tells the tourist, that following an earthquake on 17 May 1520, which killed about 20 people and damaged many buildings, the "Republic of Ragusa" commissioned a church as a sign of gratitude for sparing the city from bigger destruction. The construction started in 1520 and the church was completed in 1528.

When in 1667 Dubrovnik was hit again by an earthquake which killed some 5000 citizens and destroyed much of the city, the small St. Saviour Church withstood the disaster.

Dubrovnik - Cathedral

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 15:44:26 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire.

The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October.

The cathedral was built on the site of several former cathedrals. The building of the 12th century Romanesque cathedral was partially funded Richard the Lion Heart. This was a votive after having survived a shipwreck near Lokrum in 1192 on his return from the Third Crusade. Lokrum is a small island just half a mile away from Dubrovnik.

After that cathedral had been largely destroyed in the earthquake of 1667, Italian architects completed the Baroque cathedral within only thirty years.

Dubrovnik - Rector's Palace

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 15:19:02 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire.

The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October.

The Rector's Palace in the center of the old town used to serve as the seat of the Rector of the Republic of Ragusa. It housed as well an armoury, a powder magazine and a prison.

The previous existing building was destroyed by a fire in 1435. The job, to build a new palace here was offered Onofrio della Cava of Naples, a master builder, who had previously built the aqueduct of Ragusa. A gunpowder explosion damaged the building in 1463. The renewal brought some Renaissance style to the previous Gothic palace, that after the earthquake of 1667 was reconstructed in Baroque style.

Seen in the backdrop is the "Sponza Palace" (aka "Divona")

Dubrovnik - Roland

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 12:45:31 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire.

The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October.

A Roland statue (Roland - Orlando - Hruodland) in the center of Dubrovnik.

Roland was a (mythical) military leader under Charlemagne, who got killed at the Battle of Roncevaux in 778. The oldest major work of French literature, the "Chanson de Roland", tells the story about this battle. His legendary sword Durendal can still be seen, sticking in the cliff over Rocamadour.

In Germany Roland became a symbol of the independence of the growing cities. In the late Middle Ages many cities placed statues of Roland in their marketplaces. There are still some dozends Roland statues in Northern Germany (eg in Bremen fom 1366, Wedel from 1450). This Roland statue, dated to the early 15th century, is the southernmost I have ever seen.

Dubrovnik - Stradun

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 11:10:52 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Dubrovnik was founded probably within the 6th century. It grew in medieval times and was known as "Republic of Ragusa" between 1358 to 1808. It was added to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - and after the Congress of Vienna was part of the Habsburg Empire.

The old town of Dubrovnik, since 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, is a wonderful city - and a major tourist destination. The center of Dubrovnik is small, so it can get pretty crowded, when two cruise ships have arrived - even in October.

"Stradun" (aka "Placa") is the limestone-paved main street of the old town. In 1667 a devastating earthquake hit Dubrovnik. This and a large fire immediately afterwards, destroyed most of the city and killed about 5000 citizens. Before the reconstruction of the city started, a law was passed, specifying the layout of all future residential buildings,

All houses lining the Stradun were built after the earthquake - and share the same pattern.

Dubrovnik

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 09:31:22 +0000

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Dubrovnik - City Map

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 22:01:55 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The City of Dubrovnik joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979.

It did not help the city after the break up of Yugoslavia. In October 1991 Dubrovnik was attacked by the Yougoslav armee with a siege that lasted for seven months. The number of casualties, according to Croatian Red Cross, was 114 killed civilians.

Artillery attacks on Dubrovnik damaged 56% of its buildings to some degree. The walled city sustained 650 hits by artillery rounds.

Here is a city map with the sites of damage.

Dubrovnik - Franjo Tuđman Bridge

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 19:31:27 +0000

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The Franjo Tuđman Bridge, erected 1998 - 2002, carries the D8 state road at the western approach to Dubrovnik. Two large cruise-ships have docked in Gruž, Dubrovnik´s harbour. So we will meet many tourists in the old townn about 2kms south.

Igrane

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 13:43:25 +0000

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Igrane has a population of less than 500, but for sure way more hotel beds. Seen in the backdrop is the island of Hvar.

Podgorka

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 10:48:23 +0000

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Most of the hotels at the Makarska Riviera are already closed for the winter. We found a still open hotel in Podgora that day. We were the only guests that night.

We sipped a drink on the terrace, indulged in the tranquil athmosphere - and watched the sunset..

Podgorka

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 09:38:38 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Most of the hotels at the Makarska Riviera were already closed for the winter. We found a still open hotel in Podgora that day. Pure Luxury! We were the only guests that night and the last for that season. The owners locked the hotel the next day.

Adria

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 08:00:57 +0000

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Heading south. The weatherhad improved dramatically.
The Adriatic coast is in deed breathtaking.

Split - Diocletian's Palace

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 21:23:32 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Split, the largest city of Dalmatia, was (just like neighbouring Trogir) as the Greek colony in the 4th century BC. Roman emperor Diocletian had a palace built as a retirement residence near Salona, the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia at that time.

After the Romans abandoned the site, the Palace remained empty for several centuries, but when Salona was sacked by Avars and Slavs in the 7th century, the walled Palace of Diocletian was settled by refugees from Salona.

Since the the palace has been occupied, with residents making their homes and businesses within the palace basement and directly in its walls. Today the remains of the palace form about half the old town and city center of Split.

In 1979 the historic center of Split was included into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Beneath the palace are large cellars. Due to the immense downpour, the lower parts and subterranean tunnels were already flooded, when I entered. The higher parts house a kind of bazaar for the tourists. But when the gully turned into a fountain I left the cellars pretty fast.

Split - Diocletian's Palace

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 19:47:26 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Split, the largest city of Dalmatia, was (just like neighbouring Trogir) as the Greek colony in the 4th century BC. Roman emperor Diocletian had a palace built as a retirement residence near Salona, the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia at that time.

After the Romans abandoned the site, the Palace remained empty for several centuries, but when Salona was sacked by Avars and Slavs in the 7th century, the walled Palace of Diocletian was settled by refugees from Salona.

Since the the palace has been occupied, with residents making their homes and businesses within the palace basement and directly in its walls. Today the remains of the palace form about half the old town and city center of Split.

In 1979 the historic center of Split was included into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Beneath the palace are large cellars. Placed in the deeper ones now is a museum. Maybe this subterranean underground once has been used as cistern. Due to the immense downpour, the museum got flooded.

Split - Temple of Jupiter

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 17:58:52 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Split, the largest city of Dalmatia, was (just like neighbouring Trogir) as the Greek colony in the 4th century BC. Roman emperor Diocletian had a palace built as a retirement residence near Salona, the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia at that time.

After the Romans abandoned the site, the Palace remained empty for several centuries, but when Salona was sacked by Avars and Slavs in the 7th century, the walled Palace of Diocletian was settled by refugees from Salona.

Since the the palace has been occupied, with residents making their homes and businesses within the palace basement and directly in its walls. Today the remains of the palace form about half the old town and city center of Split.

In 1979 the historic center of Split was included into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

The small, rectangular "Temple of Jupiter" was built within the 3rd century, when Diocletian's Palace was erected. It was later converted into a baptistery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist.

It was locked, but I could peep into the temple. I could not see the famed ceiling, but I could see the cruciform baptismal font. I learned meanwhile, that the crowned person on the throne is the Croatian King Demetrius Zvonimir ("Dmitar Zvonimir") an ally of Pope Urban II and Norman Robert Guiscard (aka "Robert the Cunning").

Split - Temple of Jupiter

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 15:29:14 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Split, the largest city of Dalmatia, was (just like neighbouring Trogir) as the Greek colony in the 4th century BC. Roman emperor Diocletian had a palace built as a retirement residence near Salona, the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia at that time.

After the Romans abandoned the site, the Palace remained empty for several centuries, but when Salona was sacked by Avars and Slavs in the 7th century, the walled Palace of Diocletian was settled by refugees from Salona.

Since the the palace has been occupied, with residents making their homes and businesses within the palace basement and directly in its walls. Today the remains of the palace form about half the old town and city center of Split.

In 1979 the historic center of Split was included into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

The small, rectangular "Temple of Jupiter" was built within the 3rd century, when Diocletian's Palace was erected. It was later converted into a baptistery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist. A Roman sarcophagus was placed next to the portal. The walls were covered with ancient graffiti. The rain was really heavy meanwhile. Here is the weathered head of a bishop with protruding ears. Lots of heavy rainfalls over the centuries washed off his face.