Fort Lovrijenac or St. Lawrence Fortress, often called "Dubrovnik's Gibraltar", is a fortress and theater outside the western wall of the city of
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik (), historically known as Ragusa (; see notes on naming), is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, in the southeastern semi-exclave of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterran ...
in
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
, above sea level.
[Dubrovnik]
Tim Emert. Retrieved 2009-11-05. Famous for its plays and importance in resisting
Venetian rule, it overshadows the two entrances to the city, from the sea, and by land. Early in the 11th century, the Venetians attempted to build a fort on the same spot where Fort Lovrijenac currently stands. If they had succeeded, they would have kept Dubrovnik under their power, but the people of the city beat them to it. The "Chronicles of Ragusa" reveal how the fort was built within just three months and from then on constantly reconstructed. When the Venetian ships arrived, full of materials for the construction of the fort, they were told to return to Venice. The Croatian leg of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series takes place in Lovrijenac.
Construction Date
Chronologists date the fort to 1018 or 1038. However first records of the forts existence are from 1301 when the council voted on the Commander of the Fort.
Layout of the fort
Lovrijenac has a triangular shape with three terraces. The thickness of the walls facing the outside reach whereas the section of the walls facing the inside, the actual city, are only thick.
Two drawbridges lead to the fort and above the gate, there is an inscription ''Non Bene Pro Toto Libertas Venditur Auro'' (Freedom is not to be sold for all the treasures in the world).
Lovrijenac's use as a stage was a recent addition to the history of the fort, and the performance of
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
's ''
Hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' has become the symbol of
Dubrovnik Summer Festival
The Dubrovnik Summer Festival ( hr, Dubrovačke ljetne igre; is an annually-held summer festival instituted in 1950 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. It is held every year between 10 July and 25 August.
On more than 70 open-air venues of Renaissance-Baroq ...
.
A production of ''A Midsummer Nights Dream'' was performed here as part o
Midsummer Scenein the summer of 2017 and 2018. The TV series ''
Knightfall
"Knightfall" is a 1993–1994 Batman story arc published by DC Comics. It consists of a trilogy of storylines that ran from 1993 to 1994, consisting of "Knightfall", "Knightquest", and "KnightsEnd".On the comic book covers, only the third part ...
'', an historical fiction drama about the
Knights Templar started filming during the last week of June 2017 around the fort and the bay of Pile, these scenes were meant to depict the
Siege of Acre (1291).
Gallery
File:LOVRIJENAC 2.JPG
File:LOVRIJENAC 3.JPG
File:LOVRIJENAC 4.JPG
File:LOVRIJENAC 5.JPG
File:LOVRIJENAC 9.JPG
File:Hrvatska zastava na Lovrijencu.JPG
File:LOVRIJENAC 22.JPG
File:LOVRIJENAC 24.JPG
File:Cannon on the Fort Lovrijenac.jpg
File:Pogled na Dubrovnik s Lovrijenca.JPG
File:Pogled s utvrde Lovrijenac na Dan neovisnosti 2014.JPG
See also
*
Walls of Dubrovnik
The Walls of Dubrovnik ( hr, Dubrovačke gradske zidine) are a series of defensive stone walls surrounding the city of Dubrovnik in southern Croatia."''...city's founding before the 7th century as a Byzantine castrum on a rocky island named Laus. ...
References
External links
Dubrovnik City WallsDubrovnik forts and gates
{{Castles in Croatia
Forts in Croatia
Buildings and structures in Dubrovnik
Tourist attractions in Dubrovnik