St. John's Fortress

The Saint John fort

The Dubrovnik audio-guided tour presents you with the Saint John fort, a solid building crowned with a flag, one of the most important defence points of the old port.

The guardian of the old port

Built between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Saint John fort protected the west entrance of the port of Dubrovnik against maritime assaults, and this for centuries. It is said that a chain was drawn there each evening to close the quay and bar access to unwanted ships. Today, the building is known for its fine views over the Adriatic and houses, since 1949, the maritime museum of the city. More than eleven thousand objects, divided into fifteen collections, tell there the rich naval past of the region, from shipbuilding to the great trade routes of the former Republic of Ragusa.

What there is to see

The Saint John fort impresses with its defensive mass at the entrance of the old port and offers superb panoramas over the Adriatic. Its maritime museum, rich in more than eleven thousand objects, plunges the visitor into the naval history of Dubrovnik. It is a fascinating stage to understand the role of the sea in the prosperity of the former city.

Practical information

The Saint John fort is at the entrance of the old port of Dubrovnik. It houses the maritime museum, which can be visited according to hours to be checked on site; access to the collections is generally subject to a charge.

What was the role of the Saint John fort?

To protect the west entrance of the port of Dubrovnik against maritime assaults; a chain closed the quay each evening.

What does the Saint John fort house today?

The maritime museum of Dubrovnik, since 1949, rich in more than eleven thousand objects in fifteen collections.