Dubrovnik Cathedral

Cathedral and Treasury (Dubrovnik)

Dubrovnik’s goldsmithing had a high reputation from the 11th to the 18th century, as evidenced by the richness of the Cathedral Treasury. The people of Dubrovnik were very suspicious, cautious and wise and guarded their wealth with three keys. One of them was kept by the prince, the second by the bishop, and the third one was kept by the secretary of the Republic of Dubrovnik. The Treasury was opened to visitors after the simultaneous rotation of all three keys. The Dubrovnik Cathedral was built in 1713, on the foundations of an old Romanesque cathedral, which was being built from the 12th to the 14th century. Richard the Lionheart is credited with the construction of the church – he vowed to build a large church because he survived a shipwreck near Dubrovnik. The old cathedral was demolished in 1667. Thanks to Stephen Gradić who gathered the most famous Italian architects, in 1672 Andrea Buffalini started constructing the cathedral. Ilija Katičić, a local master completed the construction of the cathedral. In the cathedral you can see a poliphit of the Assumption of St. Virgin Mary from the 16th century, Madonna della Seggiola, The Flight into Egypt and alike. After the earthquake in 1979, archaeologists found the remains of yet another cathedral older than the Romanesque cathedral. Relics of hands, head and legs of St. Blasius, which date from the 11th and 12th centuries, are considered the most valuable items held in the cathedral.

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