Dubrovnik — The Forgotten Seal of Ragusa

Your journey in Dubrovnik, at the heart of historical Dalmatia, begins in Gundulićeva poljana. This square, named after the poet Ivan Gundulić, saw his equestrian statue, a work by Ivan Rendić, erected in 1893. Since the 17th century, this 3,500 m² area, surrounded by 17th-18th century Baroque buildings, hosts a daily fresh produce market, a testament to the vitality of the Republic of Ragusa. It is here, amidst the stalls and lively discussions, that you will find the first clue leading to the seal.

Proceed to the Katedrala Marijina Uznesenja, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin. Rebuilt between 1713 and 1806 after the 1667 earthquake, it is the third cathedral on this site, the previous ones having been destroyed in 1022 and 1120. Its Baroque interior, dominated by a 32-meter-high central dome, houses a treasure of relics, including those of Saint Blaise, patron of Dubrovnik, and the arm of Saint John the Baptist, dating from the 12th century. One of these artifacts, according to the rector's archives, would contain a crucial enigma.

Ulica od Pustijerne, a paved street typical of medieval Ragusan urban planning, leads you from the market to the Dominican monastery. Its name recalls the old gunpowder warehouses of the 14th century. This alley, with an average width of 3 meters, is lined with 15th-17th century residential buildings with sculpted stone balconies. It was in this labyrinth that many coded messages were exchanged during the Venetian wars, and it is there that you will have to decipher a secret message left by a Ragusa spy.

The Dominikanski samostan, a Dominican monastery founded in 1315 and fortified in the 15th century against Venetian attacks, is your next stop. Its church, whose Neo-Gothic bell tower was rebuilt in 1887 after the 1667 earthquake and culminates at 40 meters, houses a library of 220 medieval manuscripts, including a 14th-century Glagolitic Evangeliary. Its museum contains 12,000 printed works from the 16th century and works by Paolo de Venise. These precious archives hold the key to identifying the true location of the Forgotten Seal, among the treasures of this UNESCO Old Town.

Your quest will finally lead you to the Crkva Svetog Vlaha, the Baroque church of Saint Blaise built between 1705 and 1715 by Marino Gropelli, inspired by Venice's Santa Maria della Salute. Saint Blaise, patron of Dubrovnik since the 7th century and celebrated on February 3rd, is represented by a 2-meter-high Baroque silver statue (1715), a masterpiece of Ragusan goldsmithery. It is at the foot of this statue, or near Vrata od Buže, the Pile Gate, the main southern entrance to the Old Town since 1466, that you will find the last clue. You will then have reconstructed the history of this city, its Croatia World Heritage, and understood why freedom was the most precious treasure of the Republic of Ragusa, in the heart of historical Dalmatia.