Ston – Two towers restored on the European «Great wall of China»

Ston – Two towers restored on the European «Great wall of China»
The Ston Wall Tour has recently become even more interesting because of the two towers which have been restored. The restoration of the towers was led by the Association of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiques which has been in charge of the walls for the past 60 years. Tower Barabanata has been converted into a gallery. Restoration of the tower Arcimun has also been completed and it will now be a venue for hosting various events. The second tower has a video wall and will be a multimedia centre with a souvenir shop where one will be able to buy postcards, books about Ston, DVDs about Ston walls and other products.

The walls of Ston, the longest fortified system in Europe and the second longest in the world (the first is the Great Wall of China) were open to the pubic two years ago after many years of restoration. Ston walls were built in the 14th century, after the Dubrovnik Republic took over Pelješac peninsula in 1334. This monumental defence system, the great wall, was built for protection and it was the largest fortified urban construction in Europe in those times.

The defence wall from one to the other side of the peninsula was built first. Two towns were constructed as a result of an urbanistic plan, Ston in the south and Mali Ston in the north. Pelješac was seperated from land by the Great wall, which measured five and a half kilometres in length. Today, there are only five kilometres left because the rest was destroyed in the earthquakes during the 17th and 20th cetruries. The walls were fortified with about 40 towers and 5 forts. According to old Dubrovnik chronicles, the construction of the Great wall took 18 months. It is expected that the walls of Ston, Ston and Mali Ston, and the salt-pan of Ston, will be the candidates for the UNESCO list of world heritage.

The Tourist Board of Dubrovnik-Neretva County
www.visitdubrovnik.hr

The Tourist Board of Ston
www.ston.hr

The Assoctiation of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiques
www.citywallsdubrovnik.hr