Dubrovnik city guide

Dubrovnik in Croatia is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, called the pearl of Adriatic sea. In Dubrovnik are very well preserved defensive walls built in XVI century, projected by an italian master Michelozzi. Massive walls defended independence and get on republic enemies’s imagination. When they saw fortifications they resigned to attack the city.

In Dubrovnik are the old, narrow streets with romantic palaces of rich families. There are small coffe shops on every tiny corner. There is the Stradun - main, full of live street which connect main city gate with harbour.



This city is also about great politics, great money, dark secrets and enigmatic figures. Like this one that image you can see on the west wall of the rector’s palace, main building here. It is a figure of antique greek god Aesculapius, the protector of medicine and doctors.


The relief shows an old man seating on the throne in alchemy laboratory. The effigy of Eskulapus was made by Petar Martinov from Milano between 1435-1442. At the time humanists of Dubrovnik thought that antique god was born here! In former Epidaurus!


They thought the word Epidaurus does not descend from roman language but old-ilirian. They connected simbols – of god Eskulapus, who is always presented with snake, which is still the simbol of medicine even today with ilirian tribes from the time of the great kingdoms. Ilirians were one of the oldest indo-european tribes in Balkan teritory. Many of them used snake as their crest. Is it possible?

In III c. A.D. the cult of god of medicine was moved from greek colonies to Rome. From where and why the image of Eskulap is on the rector’s palace in Dubrovnik?

Come and find out!