Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Historically, the monastery's
Franciscan Church
was the house of worship for
Dubrovnik's poor people, while the Dominican Church (down at the far end of the Stradun,
where our walk ends) was for the wealthy. Services were staggered by 15 minutes to allow
servants to drop off their masters there, then rush up the Stradun for their own service here.
If you peek inside the church, you'll find a Baroque interior—typical of virtually all of the
town's churches, which were rebuilt after the 1667 quake.
Looking up, notice the
bell tower
of the Franciscan Church—with its rounded
top—which is integrated into the structure of the building. If your travels have taken you
beyond Dubrovnik, you'll notice the difference from other Croatian towns, where church
steeples follow Venetian convention: Set apart from the church, and with a pointy top. This
is just the first of many contrasts we'll see between Dubrovnik and Venice—two powerful
maritime republics who were rivals for control of the Adriatic.
Notice the stubby little, shin-high, mustachioed
gargoyle
embedded in the wall, just left
of the Franciscan Church's door. You may see a commotion of tourists trying to balance on
the small, slippery surface of the gargoyle's head. Tour guides enjoy spinning a variety of
tall tales about this creature—if you can balance on one leg for three seconds, your fondest
wish comes true—but these are a recent innovation. This legend began in the 1960s, when
local teens tried to convince female tourists that balancing on the gargoyle and removing
their blouse would grant them three wishes. (Why didn't I think of that in high school?) As
for the gargoyle itself, it's simply a drain for rainwater. Why is it down here instead of up
on the roofline? Perhaps simply to avoid deluging people who are on their way to church.
• When you're finished taking in the sights on this square, continue along...
The Stradun
Dubrovnik's main promenade—officially called the Placa, but better known as the
Stradun—is alive with locals and tourists alike. This is the heartbeat of the city: an Old
Worldshoppingmallbydayandsprawlingcocktailpartyafterdark,wheneverybodyseems
to be doing the traditional evening stroll—flirting, ice-cream-licking, flaunting, and gawk-
ing. A coffee and some of Europe's best people-watching in a prime Stradun café is one of
travel's great $4 bargains.
