When walking the wall and admiring all there is to see, it is difficult to be mindful that amid the historic sights, there are daily lives being lived within these walls.
Records indicate that prior to the 1667 earthquake there were more than 5,000 residents in Old Town.
This must have been how air was conditioned in days gone by.
Out of 42,615 residents of wider Dubrovnik, only 1,557 are registered as living in the Old Town, 25 per cent fewer than in 2011. A third of them are older than 65. Some 22 per cent are considering moving, according to a recent survey by the Institute for the Restoration of Dubrovnik. Source
Along the wall, partial scenes are revealed through gaps either intentional or by decay. It is easy to imagine diners sitting at the tables below for lunch or dinner.
There are apartments and individual homes beyond this gate.
There was plenty of evidence of daily life as viewed from our elevated perch…
as well as reminders of the old days and what might have been.
In contrast, more contemporary neighborhoods have developed outside the Old Town. The picture below shows Mt. Srd which looms over this section of Dubrovnik
More modern neighborhood in the background at the base of Mt. Srd
There are reminders of the wall’s intended purpose.
Every once in a while, dramatic scenes add a punctuation mark to the walk and give reason to stop and catch a breath.
The beauty of Old Town from above is often breathtaking.
Bell Tower of the Dominican Monastery
Looking back toward the end of the walk, it is easy to imagine the beauty of what was and to appreciate what still remains.
View the first post in the series, Dubrovnik – Croatia – Pearl of the Adriatic
See the next installment of the travelog – Old Town Dubrovnik – The Low Down