Hrvatski

Sponza Palace Atrium

Date created: 21.02.2014.
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All the trading voyages of the Dubrovnik Republic entered in and flowed in through this palace, one of the most beautiful in the city. The trading spirit of Dubrovnik was known to delegate such fitting buildings to itself, thereby confirming its wealth and culture by constructing such a luxurious palace with its impressive facade. It was constructed in a combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles, according to the project by the talented head engineer of the Dubrovnik Republic, Paskoje Milicevic. Its exuberant beauty confirms the originality and its distinctive construction, what could be called the Dubrovnik way -the successfully realization of the expressive possibilities of various styles in the exceptionally harmonic architecture of this palace resembling lace cast in stone. Its construction began in 1516. The Andrijic brothers, from the well known Korcula family of builders and sculptors did all the carving and stone works. The palace was originally intended to be a custom's house where traded goods brought here from all corners of the world by the traders were to be taxed. The palace courtyard, entirely in arcades, was the liveliest trading centre and the meeting place for the business people of the Republic. One of the wings was home to the mint, founded in the 14th century, where coins were printed for the Republic and which operated out of this palace right up until the fall of the Republic. Near the end of the 16th century, the Sponza Palace became the cultural centre of the Republic. Here is where the most educated citizens of Dubrovnik met in their association "Academy of the Learned", which had its seat in this palace, to discuss literature, art and all the scientific achievements of the time. The first school in Dubrovnik was also organized at the Sponza Palace.

Today the Sponza Palace, peaceful and dignified, guards the most precious historical documentation of Dubrovnik: the Dubrovnik archive which contains materials from the oldest history of Dubrovnik and the surrounding areas, from all the centuries past to the present day. The palace itself became, in its own way, one of the precious documents of that archive. Undamaged in the earthquake, it steadfastly awaited out time, to prove to us all what lavish palaces Dubrovnik had, powerful and wealthy, in the time before its catastrophes. The square before Sponza Palace is the site of the opening ceremonies of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. From the terrace above the veranda before the Sponza Palace, actors dressed in the costumes of the Rector and the Dubrovnik aristocrats evoke the past of the cultural manifestations and the freedom of the Dubrovnik Republic. 

Exhibition Opening | Josip Ivanović: From Car to Chaos

13. August 2024./ Tuesday / 21:00

Picture Book Presentation | | Luko Paljetak: Luka Sorkočević

10. August 2024./ Saturday / 20:00

Exhibition Opening | Toni Franović: Dubrovnik from a Stranger's Eye and Paintbrush

31. July 2024./ Wednesday / 21:00

Exhibition Opening | Mara Bratoš: Lopud Portraits

12. July 2024./ Friday / 21:00

Exhibition Opening | Romana Milutin Fabris: Dubrovnik Rhapsody

01. August 2023./ Tuesday / 21:00

Exhibition Opening | Fadil Vejzović: Lightness of Youth

11. July 2023./ Tuesday / 21:00

Arnab Bhattacharya, sarod

14. August 2022./ Sunday / 21:30

Behind the Stage | Public Presentation: NINA PEROVIĆ

20. July 2022./ Wednesday / 20:30

Public Event: ARDIAN HALIMI

15. July 2022./ Friday / 20:30

Exhibition Opening | Izvor Pende: Response

12. July 2022./ Tuesday / 21:00

Ivana Lovrić Jović: Novel presentation "Look How Lokrum Washes Its Teeth"

14. August 2021./ Saturday / 21:00

72nd Festival | The book promotion - M. Demović: GREAT HISTORY OF DUBROVNIK MUSIC V.

10. August 2021./ Tuesday / 20:00

72nd Festival | Unrevalle Exhibition Opening

11. July 2021./ Sunday / 21:00

Exhibition Opening in Sponza: Viktor Daldon | Time out

11. August 2020./ Tuesday / 21:00

Exhibition: Ivana Dražić Selmani | The Horizon of Reminiscence

12. July 2020./ Sunday / 21:00

Exhibition Opening | Marko Ercegović: Festival backstage

17. August 2019./ Saturday / 21:00

The book promotion: "ANAMNESIS: Dialogues of Art in Public Spaces"

28. July 2019./ Sunday / 21:00

IN MEMORIAM: GEORGIJ PARO

19. July 2019./ Friday / 21:30

Exhibition Opening: LAUBA IN SPONZA PALACE - Fascinations

12. July 2019./ Friday / 21:00

Exhibition | Horrors of the Homeland: Contemporary Dubrovnik Artists

07. August 2018./ Tuesday / 21:00

Exhibition opening | JOSIP PINO TROSTMANN

13. July 2018./ Friday / 21:00

Monograph Presentation | 40th Anniversary of Orlando Award

24. August 2017./ Thursday / 20:30

Photography Exhibition Opening | Aljoša Rebolj: SCULPTURED TIME

22. August 2017./ Tuesday / 20:00

Festival Features Writers & Poets | ELENA FERRANTE: My Brilliant Friend

16. August 2017./ Wednesday / 21:30

FESTIVAL FEATURES WRITERS & POETS | Drago Glamuzina: EVEREST

05. August 2017./ Saturday / 22:00

BOOK PRESENTATION | Father Stanko Lasić – Writings and Memories of a Parish Priest

04. August 2017./ Friday / 21:00

Exhibition | ANTUN MASLE

01. August 2017./ Tuesday / 21:00

BOOK PRESENTATION | DARKO LUKIĆ: Introduction to Applied Theatre: Who Owns the Theatre?

19. July 2017./ Wednesday / 21:00

Exhibition Opening | NIKOLINA ŠIMUNOVIĆ: A SUMMER IN THE CITY

12. July 2017./ Wednesday / 21:00

Book promotion | War Diary of Pavo Urban

13. August 2016./ Saturday / 21:30

ORLANDO GAMES

11. August 2016./ Thursday / 21:00

'IVO DULČIĆ' Monograph Presentation

08. August 2016./ Monday / 21:30

Exhibition Opening | In the Memory of Pređo

01. August 2016./ Monday / 19:30

Exhibition Opening | TIHOMIR LONČAR

21. July 2016./ Thursday / 21:00

Exhibition Opening | ESPONTÁNEAS by José Cura

13. July 2016./ Wednesday / 21:00

Festival Features Writers | Dražen Katunarić: Kronos

31. July 2015./ Friday / 21:30

Festival Features Writers | Conversation with Pascal Bruckner

30. July 2015./ Thursday / 21:30

Exhibition Opening | MARC RIBOUD

25. July 2015./ Saturday / 21:00

Exhibition Opening | MATKO TREBOTIĆ

12. July 2015./ Sunday / 21:00

I. Brešan: Without Reflection

19. August 2014./ Tuesday / 21:30

I. Vidić: At the Pearly Gates

17. August 2014./ Sunday / 21:30

Alessandro Baricco: Literary Evening with the Author

31. July 2014./ Thursday / 21:30

Memory Creators - Dubrovnik Summer Festival's Photographers and Designers

11. July 2014./ Friday / 21:00