During the 14th and 15th centuries, Dubrovnik was, along with Venice and Ancona, already the most important maritime and trade center on the Adriatic. The golden age of the Dubrovnik Republic began in the 16th century when the splendor and power of the Venetian Republic waned. The general maritime crisis in the Mediterranean in the 17th century also affected Dubrovnik's maritime trade.The catastrophic earthquake of 1667 brought the Republic of Dubrovnik into a critical period of struggle for survival and political preservation of independence. The 18th century brought Dubrovnik an opportunity for economic renewal in maritime trade under a neutral flag and thus welcomed Napoleon's abolition of the Dubrovnik Republic in 1808. With the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Dubrovnik region was annexed to the rest of Dalmatia and Croatia.Today it is called the 'Pearl of the Adriatic. With such a nickname, it's hard not to remain indifferent when visiting the city of Dubrovnik.Dubrovnik can be described as an elite destination and one of the most beautiful cities in the Mediterranean. - Prone to that, the famous Irish writer and Nobel laureate George Bernard Shaw once said that "" those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik and find it. "Contemporary Dubrovnik consists of a fairytale Old Town and densely populated suburbs, spectacular beaches and the Elaphite Islands. Dubrovnik is full of stunning architecture and sculptural details, and boasts picturesque old churches, monasteries, museums and fountains that are etched in the memory of every visitor and become part of it forever.
№1 in Cities of Croatia