Stradun – The famous Dubrovnik Stradun is the favorite walking place of the inhabitants of the city, but also of the city’s many visitors. The name Stradun was given to the street by the Venetians, and the archaic word translates as “big street“, which the people of Dubrovnik don’t look too fondly upon. The Stradun that we can see today was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1667 in a simple, stone style. Before the earthquake the city was adorned with many luxurious palaces. The architecture of the street after the earthquake changed drastically, as the builders not only had to think about the street’s beauty, but also of the city’s defence and the new, thick walls that would serve as defensive forts.
All the buildings on the Stradun today are of the same dimensions and appearance, and all of them house several shops on the ground floor. The first floor of the buildings serve a residential purpose, mostly filled by living rooms and bedrooms, the second floor held additional bedrooms, while the top floor is usually reserved for kitchens and dining rooms. The reason why the kitchens are at the top floor is actually a decree that was introduced after a large fire broke out as a consequence of the 1667 earthquake. The decree protected the Republic from potential damage by fire.
The Stradun is located between two city gates, the doors of Pila and the doors of Ploče. on the two parts of the streets, there are two fountains, a large and small Onofrio’s Fountain, as well as two bell-towers, the great city bell-tower, and a Franciscan church bell-tower. The Stradun ends with the Luža Square, which runs just next to the city bell-tower, and the square is very popular among tourists thanks to the many cultural monuments that are located within its bounds.
Interestingly, the area where the Stradun is located used to be a swamp, which some sources and historians say used to divide Ragusa from Dubrava, which is where Dubrovnik is located today.
