Dubrovnik Croatia: The history is partially still looking for an answer on the question about the origin of the town. Upon the legend it was established by refugees from Epidaurus (today’s town of Cavtat) in the 7th century. They were running from the invasion of the Avares and Slaves and stopped on the small stone island of Laus. On the opposite side of that island, on the coast, developed the Slavic settlement, which was named Dubrovnik due to rich woods. By growing and union of these two settlements developed the new town, commune and Republic.
The great powers in the history acknowledged the sovereignty of Dubrovnik: the Byzantium, Venice, Croat-Hungary, the Turks. with an intelligent diplomacy Dubrovnik succeeded to preserve its liberty and internal independence and developed into one of the greatest maritime, commercial and cultural centres, especially in the 15th and 16th century. The crisis in the maritime traffic on the Mediterranean caused the economic fall, that deteriorated after the terrible earthquake in 1667. The town was not able to recover. The Republic was overthrown by Napoleon in 1808. The Congress in Vienna in 1815 refused the demand of the aristocracy to renew the Republic and annexed Dubrovnik to Austria that dominated until 1918, when the town was connected to Yugoslavia.
On the elections in 1990 the citizens of Dubrovnik committed themselves for the independent Croatia. In the Serbian-Montenegrian armed aggression in 1991 the town and its surroundings were badly damaged but the Old Town is today mostly renewed. Dubrovnik is rich with cultural and historical monuments: the City Walls, the Pile Gate, the fortresses Minceta, Bokar, St. John, Revelin and Lovrijenac, the Ploce Gate, the Onofrio Well, Stradun, the Palace Sponza, the Rector’s palace, are some of the numerous significant buildings.
In the north-western part of the region, the coast belt comprises the Pelješac peninsula, the isthmus of Ston, and the very narrow Dubrovnik seaboard as far as Rijeka Dubrovačka. To the east of the city of Dubrovnik is the coast belt of Župa Dubrovačka along the Gulf of Župa, and to the south-east of the township of Cavtat, the somewhat wider coast belt of Konavle. The Prevlaka peninsula and Point Oštro at the entrance to the gulf of Boka is the southernmost land point of the Dubrovnik region and the Croatian coast. A number of islands lie along the coast of the county, from Korčula, Lastovo, and Mljet in the west, continuing with the Elaphite group of inshore islands – the islands of Olipa, Jakljan, Šipan, Lopud, Koločep and Daksa. The chain ends with Lokrum , which is immediate vicinity – to the south-east right in front of the old city port.
The city of Dubrovnik is situated in 42°40’ N and 18°5’ E, and is the most southerly Croatian town. Its climate is Mediterranean. Therefore the average yearly temperature is 17°C characterized by very mild winters, and very dry, sunny summer. The average temperature is about 10°C in winter and about 26°C in the summer. The city is protected from the cold northerly bura by mount Srđ, and from the damp southerly jugo by the island of Lokrum. Like the rest of the Croatian coast Dubrovnik is refreshed in the summer by the north-westerly breeze maestral. Rains fall mostly in winter and the snow is seldom recorded. The average summer temperature of the sea is over 21°C.
All these features of climate have resulted in typical Mediterranean vegetation, lush and varied in the coastal belt. It is the result of the action of man who has cultivated this land, reforested it and worked it. It is precisely this combination of natural exuberance and centuries-long activity of the population that have made this region exceptionally beautiful and rich in vegetation. In addition to the native Mediterranean plants the region abounds in specimens of subtropical and continental plants cultivated in numerous gardens and arboretums of the villas scattered all over the coast and the islands. The environs of Dubrovnik get their particular charm from numerous orange and lemon groves, palms and agaves. Many tropical and sub-tropical plants and trees have been brought by seamen from their distant voyages. Close to the city in the residential areas which cluster round the old historic city, but also in other areas in the vicinity (Trsteno, Lopud, Lapad, Lokrum, Cavtat), flowers are cultivated in private gardens and other horticultural areas, giving this areas a special atmosphere from early spring until late autumn.
The varied geomorphology of the region – steep rocky coast, deep coves, sandy beaches, small fields, high mountains which in come right to the sea, numerous islands and rocks, together with the rich vegetation and exceptionally clean sea – all this makes the region very attractive. Man has been civilizing the environment for centuries. Man and nature have worked together, combining natural beauty, architecture and horticulture. The result of this happy connection is one of the most beautiful and impressive regions, not only on the Croatian coast and whole of the Adriatic area but also one of the best cultivated oases of the Mediterranean.
With the exception of the area of the Neretva estuary and the island of Korčula, the territory of the present-day county is the same as the territory of the former Republic of Dubrovnik. With an area of 1375 sq. km it was among the smallest but very important merchant republics of the Mediterranean. Its role of linking the commercial routes between eastern and western Adriatic areas, and between the eastern and western parts of the Mediterranean was of great importance, particularly from the 14th to the 17th century. The centre of this republic, a city-state, was Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik arose in a very significant place. Close to the shore and right in front of the city is the island of Lokrum, the last in the series of many islands of the east Adriatic. To the south-east spreads the wide open sea, leading on to the Strait of Otranto and to the vast area of the Mediterranean sea. Towards the north-east, near the coast, island groups form protected channels, suitable for navigation of ships. In immediate vicinity of Dubrovnik, the Dinaric range becomes lower, allowing mountain passes over which caravan roads towards the interior could be organized. A city in such a position had to be predestined for navigation and sea trade, and natural barriers separated and protected it from the neighbouring geographic and geopolitical units...