Jugoslovenski Rotar

and thus a monument of the first order was lost to us with all its treasures, mosaics and frescoes.

About 1360 Michael from Bari (Antivari) built the Franciscan Monastery with its magnificent cloister, one of the most intimate architectonic monuments of Dubrovnik. The beautiful late Gothic portal was added somewhat later (in the XVth century).

The XVth century marks a period of lively building activity for Dubrovnik. At this time the mighty walls with their massive towers were built, enclosing the city like a heavy belt. On the building of the round, two-storied Minéeta tower worked also the famous architect George of Sibenik. Next to George there was still another talented Gothic architect, Bonino da Milano, who was engaged in the building of palaces. The city gates of Pile and Ploče date from the XVIth century.

About 1430 Dubrovnik was supplied with good drinking-water by means of an aqueduct eight kilometres long. The carrying out of this work was entrusted to the architect and builder Onofrio Giordano della Cava (near Naples). Two public fountains provided a generous watersupply for the city. One of them, which is partly damaged and still bears the name of its architect, was situated near the city gates of Pile, while the other, smaller, was placed near the Guard-house. Both fountains display picturesque features of the South-Italian late Gothic style, which is so characteristic of Onofrio.

Near the gate of Ploée and closely connected with the city ramparts are the monastery and church of the Dominican friars, erected in 14791487. The stately and impressive cloister is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture from the time when this style was at its height. The church already exhibits some traits distinctive of Renaissance architecture, but the whole is, however, still soaked in the Gothic style which at Dubrovnik continued for a surprisingly long time.

From the XVth century dates also the symbol of the freedom and autonomy of Dubrovnik, the so called Roland Column on which the flag of St. Blasius used to flutter.

The Rector’s Palace is, however, the most dignified witness of the pride of Dubrovnik and it best represents the various architectural schools of the 15th century. In 1435 a gunpowder explosion razed to the ground the old »castellum«, mentioned already in the XIIth century and reconstructed several times after that date.

The Council entrusted the building of the new Palace to the architect Onofrio della Cava, who was then busy working on the water-conduit. The facade of the Palace, completed in 1441 received a central building with a portico on the ground floor. Originally this building was flanked by two towers which, however, did not jut out. The whole structure was built in the picturesque style of the South-Italian late Gothic. In this work Onofrio proved to be also an able sculptor. The extant capitals-specially the one representing Aesculapius, the protecting God of Epidaurus — as well as the Gothic fluted capitals at the entrance — gate and the magnificent leaf-pattern ornamnets on the pointed arch of this gate, give evidence of his art. The less successful part of the building seems to have been the work of Onofrio’s assistant

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