Added: 09/02/2005 |
Unforgettable holidays in Croatia"What is this life if full of care we have no time to spend and spare?" Indeed, holidays is what everybody is longing for. Let's take a closer look to holidays in Croatia.
Croatia abounds with cultural-historical monuments from all periods, thanks to stormy historical events and the intertweaving influences of different cultures. No relic of the past, the Adriatic coast is where modern western Europeans are flying for summer holidays to escape the madding crowds along the Riviera, now that years of infighting have subsided and the region is once more safe for travelers. If you're coming for your holidays in Croatia for culture rather than sun, November through March is the period when the best deals are to be held. Winters, though colder inland, are mild along the coast, which seldom freezes. Whitewashed, red-roofed fishing villages, walled medieval towns, historic riches, and forested islands will make clear why this region has gained a reputation of 'the Mediterranean as it once was.' Let's spend the holidays in Croatia on the Adriatic coast, Dubrovnik.
DUBROVNIK - one of the best-preserved medieval fortified cities on the Mediterranean; built mainly from the 13th to the 16th century. It completely preserved city walls with towers, Rector's palace (with permanent exhibition of artifacts, furniture and paintings from the time of Dubrovnik Republic. Also the collections of Dubrovnik Republic's coins, medals, decorations, arm, and stamps can be exhibited here), the Cathedral (with the treasury of 138 reliquaries, including the Reliquary of the Skull, in the form of a Byzantine crown of enamel and silver filigree work set with 24 12th C enamels; a 12th C silver-gilt arm reliquary, set with nine Byzantine enamels (originally 18th C); and a 17th C silver filigree leg reliquary with the arms of the Republic in enamel), the Franciscan Monastery (built in the Romanesque-Gothic style, 1337, the location of the third oldest pharmacy in Europe), the Synagogue (the second oldest synagogue in Europe).
The history of Dubrovnik dates back to the first half of the 7th century, when a group of refugees from Epidaurum established their settlement named Laus. Opposite to that location Slavs developed their own settlement, which was called Dubrovnik. Separated by a channel, in the 12th century the two cities were united. At that time the city walls started to be built to protect the inhabitants from various enemies willing to conquer Dubrovnik, such as the Arabs, Venetian, Macedonians, Serbs, etc.
Dubrovnik has a rich history. From century to century the city changed its status, being a town, a province, a part of Hungarian-Croatian Kingdom, Austrian annex, part of Yugoslavia and a self-governed Dubrovnik Republic with good trade relations and a powerful fleet, known all over the world.
Dubrovnik is the cultural center of Croatia. It is often called the city of poets and writers. During the long and rich history of Dubrovnik lots of literature forms flourished in it. Dinko Ranjina, Dominiko Zlatariæ, Ivan Gunduliæ and others created immortal poems about their beloved home city.
Another name for Dubrovnik is the cradle of painters. In spite of war loses and theft lots of works of art beginning with frescoes in churches of the 11th century to the masterpieces by Ivan Ugrinovi, Blaž Jurijev, Lovro and Vicko Dobrièevi, Nikola Božidarevi and Mihailo Hamzi (the 15th and 16th century) are preserved.
Dubrovnik's Libertas Summer Festival is the largest and most celebrated cultural event in Croatia: an irresistible outpouring of music, theatre and dance that attracts an all-star line up of international performers and an ever-increasing number of visitors to the unique setting of the indoor and open-air stages of the Renaissance/Baroque city.
A great number of different museums attract tourists' attention during their holidays in Croatia: Archaeological Museum, Ethnographic Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Maritime Museum and lots of others.
There are lots of aspects and places in Dubrovnik that help to make the holidays in Croatia unforgettable.
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