Page 153 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

DUBROVNIK  151

statue of St Blaise on the upper
floor. It was the Mint in the
14th century and now houses
the State Archives.
R Church of St Blaise
Crkva sv. Vlaha
Loža. Tel (020) 323 887.
Open 8am–noon, 4:30–7pm daily.
St Blaise was rebuilt in the early
decades of the 18th century
according to a 17th-century
design and contains many
Baroque works of art. Rector’s Palace, built in the 15th century as the administrative seat
On the main altar stands a
statue of the patron saint, Blaise. (Kulturno-povijesni muzej), from the 16th–18th centuries
Produced in the 15th century in which contains 15 collections of decorate the side altars, while
gold-plated silver, it depicts the historic items created in art and an Assumption by Titian (c.1552)
saint holding a model of the city craft workshops throughout dominates the main altar.
in the Middle Ages. Europe between the 16th and Alongside the church is the
20th centuries. On the ground Cathedral Treasury (Riznica
floor an authentic jail space, Katedrale), famous for its
court, notary and archives have collection of about 200
been preserved and presented. reliquaries. It includes the arm
Coins, medals, stamps and of St Blaise which dates from
measures, ancient weapons and the 13th century, and a Holy
numerous other works of art as Cross which contains a
well as an inventory of the state fragment of the cross on which
pharmacy “Domus Christi” are Jesus was said to have been
on display on the mezzanine crucified. The tondo Virgin of
floor. On the first floor, rooms the Chair is thought to have
contain valuable objects from been painted by Raphael
the 16th–18th centuries. himself, and is a copy of the
Also of great interest are masterpiece which is now
the portraits of illustrious in Florence.
personalities who were born The treasury also has an
or lived in Dubrovnik, whose extraordinary collection of
Baroque façade of the church of history is told through their sacred objects in gold, including
St Blaise heraldic coats of arms. During a pitcher and basin in gold and
the Festival of Dubrovnik silver with decoration that
P Rector’s Palace concerts are held in the illustrates the flora and fauna
Knežev dvor atmospheric internal courtyard. of the area around Dubrovnik.
Pred Dvorom 3. Tel (020) 321 422. Next door is the 1863
Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm daily; Neo-Renaissance Town Hall
Nov–Mar: 9am–4pm daily. & = ^ (Vïjećnica), designed by Emilio
The Rector’s Palace was for Vecchietti. It is also the home
centuries the seat of the most of the café Gradska Kavana
important government (see p241) and the Civic Theatre.
institutions of the Dubrovnik
Republic. It housed the Upper R Cathedral and Treasury
and Lower Council, as well as Velika Gospa
the rector’s quarters and rooms Kneza Damjana Jude 1. Open Apr–
for meetings and audiences. The Oct: 8am–5pm Mon–Sat, 11am–5pm
building was constructed in Sun; Nov–Mar: 8am–noon, 3–5pm
the early 15th century on the Mon–Sat, 11am–noon, 3–5pm Sun.
site of a medieval fortress, and Cathedral Treasury: Tel (020) 323 459.
designed by the Italian architect Open same times as the cathedral. &
Onofrio de la Cava. In 1465 the The cathedral was built after
portico by Petar Martinov from the earthquake of 1667 by the
Milan was added. The Gothic Roman architects Andrea
works are by Juraj Dalmatinac. Buffalini and Paolo Andreotti.
The rooms of the palace Inside are three aisles enclosed
house the interesting Cultural by three apses. Paintings by The great dome of Dubrovnik’s Baroque
Historical Museum Italian and Dalmatian artists cathedral

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