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must-visit in DubrovnikSquare & Landmark

Stradun

📍 Stradun (Placa), 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia
Stradun
1 photos
4.7/ 5.0
★★★★★

Quick Facts

Location
Croatia, Dubrovnik
Category
Square & Landmark
Duration
30-45 minutes to walk through; 1-2 hours with the side streets
Address
Stradun (Placa), 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia
Coordinates
42.6414, 18.1105

Introduction

Stradun (officially Placa) is the east-west spine of Dubrovnik's Old Town, running about 300 metres from the Pile Gate in the west to the Ploce Gate in the east; its name comes from the Venetian for a wide street. It was once a marshy channel separating Ragusa from the forest hamlet of Dubrava, filled in during the 13th century when the two merged. Almost everything you see today dates from one disaster: after the 1667 earthquake and the great fire that followed, the Republic of Ragusa legislated a uniform rebuilding code - the same heights and facade rhythm, ground-floor shops with door and window sharing a single arched frame (closed by day, goods handed over the sill as a counter), living quarters above, and the kitchen invariably in the attic to stop fire spreading down. The pavement is limestone polished mirror-smooth by centuries of feet, often mistaken for marble, reflecting light by day and glowing warm under lamps at night. At the western end stands the 1438 Large Onofrio's Fountain, sixteen-sided with sixteen spouts still supplying drinking water drawn from 12 kilometres away; just off the street, the Franciscan monastery cloister holds a pharmacy open since 1317, one of the oldest in Europe. At the eastern end Luza Square gathers Orlando's Column, the Church of St Blaise, Sponza Palace (now the state archive) and the clock tower. The street is free, quietest for photographs between 6 and 8am, and busiest after dark with the local korzo stroll.

✨ Highlights

1
300 Metres of Spine
From the Pile Gate to the Ploce Gate, about 300 metres as the old town's east-west spine; the name means 'wide street' in Venetian.
2
The 1667 Rebuilding Code
After the earthquake and fire, the Republic legislated uniform heights, facade rhythm, ground-floor shops in a shared arch, and kitchens in the attic against fire - hence the street's evenness.
3
Mirror-Smooth Limestone
Limestone polished mirror-bright by centuries of feet and often mistaken for marble, reflecting light by day and glowing warm at night.
4
The Large Onofrio Fountain
At the western end, the 1438 sixteen-sided fountain with sixteen spouts still supplies drinking water drawn from 12 kilometres away, free to fill up.
5
Luza Square's Four
The eastern square gathers Orlando's Column, the Church of St Blaise, Sponza Palace (now the state archive) and the clock tower - the old town's social and ceremonial centre.
6
The Franciscan Pharmacy
Off the street, the monastery cloister holds a pharmacy open since 1317, among Europe's oldest; the owl-headed maskeron on its wall is best left unstepped on - tradition says it spoils your love life.

🛈 Practical Info

→Duration：15 minutes to walk the length; 1-2 hours with the side streets, the Franciscan monastery and Luza Square
→Best time：6-8am gives an empty street with angled light; after dinner the lighting warms the limestone; May and September are calmer than July and August
→Worth it?：Yes - less a 'sight' than the skeleton of the old town that every route crosses; but if you want an empty frame, you must be there before 8am
→Watch out：In July-August midday it is barely passable and wholly shadeless; watch for service vehicles emerging from doorways; the fountain water is free to drink, so skip the bottled water
→Combine with：The Pile Gate and walls entrance at the west end, Luza Square with Sponza Palace and the Franciscan monastery at the east; Gundulic Square's morning market to the north, the harbour and Maritime Museum to the south
→Opening Hours：Free and open at all hours as a pedestrian zone with no vehicles; emptiest from 6 to 8am and best lit at night
→Transportation：Dubrovnik old town

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
AdultFree

Entirely free with no ticket; the street is a pedestrian zone

💡 Tips

• 6-8am is the empty-photo window; tour groups arrive after 8.
• The paving is limestone, not marble, whatever the guidebooks say.
• The Large Onofrio fountain's water is free and safe to drink.
• The Franciscan cloister holds a pharmacy open since 1317.
• Do not step on the owl-headed maskeron - tradition says it spoils your love life.
• The Feast of St Blaise on 3 February and New Year's Eve bring parades worth braving the crowds for.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Stradun?

Free and open at all hours as a pedestrian zone with no vehicles; emptiest from 6 to 8am and best lit at night

How much is the admission for Stradun?

Adult: Free; Entirely free with no ticket; the street is a pedestrian zone

Any practical tips for visiting Stradun?

6-8am is the empty-photo window; tour groups arrive after 8. The paving is limestone, not marble, whatever the guidebooks say.

How long should I spend at Stradun?

A typical visit takes 30-45 minutes to walk through; 1-2 hours with the side streets.

Stradun is entirely pedestrian with no vehicles or bicycles; the Feast of St Blaise on 3 February and New Year's Eve bring parades and celebrations with heavy crowds. Compiled October 2026.