Lovrijenac

St. Lawrence Fortress Lovrijenac
Dubrovnik Dalmatia Croatia
Fort Lovrijenac
St. Lawrence Fortress Lovrijenac
Coordinates	42°38′27″N 18°06′16″E / 42.640731°N 18.104412°E / 42.640731; 18.104412
Type	Fort / Fortress
Site information
Owner	City of Dubrovnik, Croatia
Controlled by	Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik)
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Well-preserved or intact
Site history
Built by	Dubrovnik citizens
Materials	Limestone

Fort Lovrijenac or St. Lawrence Fortress, often called "Dubrovnik's Gibraltar", is a fortress and theater outside the western wall of the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia, 37 metres (121 ft) above sea level. Famous for its plays and importance in resisting Venetian rule, it overshadows the two entrances to the city, from the sea and by land. Early in the 11th century the Venetians attempted to build a fort on the same spot where Fort Lovrijenac currently stands. If they had succeeded, they would have kept Dubrovnik under their power, but the people of the city beat them to it. The "Chronicles of Ragusa" reveal how the fort was built within just three months time and from then on constantly reconstructed. When the Venetian ships arrived, full of materials for the construction of the fort, they were told to return to Venice. The Croatian leg of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series takes place in Lovrijenac.

Lovrijenac has a triangular shape with three terraces. The thickness of the walls facing the outside reach 12 metres (39 ft) whereas the section of the walls facing the inside, the actual city, are only 60 centimetres (24 in) thick. Two drawbridges lead to the fort and above the gate there is an inscription Non Bene Pro Toto Libertas Venditur Auro (Freedom is not to be sold for all the treasures in the world). Lovrijenac's use as a stage was a recent addition to the history of the fort, and the performance of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" has become the symbol of Dubrovnik Summer Festival. A production of Midsummer Nights Dream will be performed here as part of Midsummer Scene24th June - 5th July 2017 at 9.30 pm