Church of St Saviour

Why go

The façade is a compact witness to two earthquakes: the church was commissioned after the shock of 1520 and survived the far more destructive one in 1667. Its Renaissance doorway and older Gothic details reward a close look even when interior access is unavailable.

What to look for

• The Renaissance façade stands beside the Franciscan Monastery near the city walls.
• The doorway's inscription recalls the earthquake of 1520.
• Pointed side windows retain Gothic forms.

The full story

After an earthquake struck Dubrovnik in 1520, the city's Senate commissioned St Saviour's as a church of thanksgiving. An inscription above its entrance records that purpose, so the façade explains the building before you step inside. Construction began that year and was completed in 1528 to a design attributed in the older account to Petar Andrijić of Korčula. Its mix of forms makes the date visible: pointed Gothic windows and a ribbed vault sit alongside a Renaissance portal and rounded features of the façade. The church survived the much more destructive earthquake of 1667 in its original form. Nearby buildings changed dramatically after that disaster, which makes this modest structure a useful reference point for imagining the Old Town before its later rebuilding. Its location beside the Franciscan Monastery makes the contrast easy to see on one walk.

Useful to know

• See the exterior while visiting the Franciscan complex at the western end of Stradun.
• Check for a current exhibition or concert if entering the church matters to your visit.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.