City Walls

21:56 June 25
Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik's town motto is Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro.

- "Liberty is worth more than gold"

Wednesday morning we met for class in front of the Pile Gate and Professor Wachtel conducted his lecture while walking around the city walls.

Sir Richard Guylford, a Crusader, and member of Henry VIII's court, on his way to Jerusalem, stopped in Dubrovnik, and wrote:

"It is ryche and fayre in suptuous byldynge with marvelyous strengths and beauty togethyr with many fayre churches and glorious houses of relygon....there be also many Relyques, as the hed and arme of seynte Blase. It is the strongest towne of walles, towres, bulwerke, watches and wardes that ever I sawe in all my life."

The Republic of Ragusa hired foreign doctors, and health care was free for every citizen. Dubrovnik also contains Europe's first pharmacy. Still in operation on the same site, in the Franciscan Monastery, where it has been dispensing medicine since 1317.

Here are some pictures from the walls:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39411431@N07/sets/72157620420197411/