At Dubrovnik, Croatia, strong bastions and city walls up to 6 m (20 ft) thick for centuries helped the former free maritime Republic of Ragusa repel attackers and keep its independence – but during the early 1990s Croatian War of Independence, they offered little protection against modern artillery. The historic red-roofed Old Town sustained 650 hits from shells as Croatian troops held out for seven months against the Serb-led Yugoslav People’s Army. More than half the buildings were either destroyed or damaged, requiring a four-year restoration programme guided by UNESCO.
Dubrovnik, Croatia: for hundreds of years, strong bastions and city walls up to 6 m (20 ft) thick helped the free maritime Republic of Ragusa to defy attackers and maintain its independence. However, during the Croatian War of Independence in the early 1990s, the fortifications provided scant protection against modern artillery. The historic Old Town with its distinctive red roofs suffered 650 hits from shells as Croatian troops held out for seven months in 1991-2 against the Serb-led Yugoslav People’s Army. More than half of its buildings were either destroyed or damaged, requiring a four-year restoration programme under the guidance of UNESCO experts. On a typical summer’s day, lines of small boats fill much of the Old Harbour and launches ferry tourists from cruise ships to the quayside for tours of the historic city.
Size: 4209px × 2801px
Location: Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik-Neretva county, Croatia.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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