Dubrovnik Old City Harbor

1996 World Monuments Watch

More than two thousand missiles struck Dubrovnik during the siege in 1991 and 1992. The Old City Harbor, part of the 15th-century fortress wall that protected the city from military attacks over the centuries, sustained numerous direct hits. Even before this, the wall's stability had been weakened by earthquakes in 1979 and 1995. Any delay in attention to the state of the harbor may result in the collapse of these walls into the sea, placing the foundations of the surrounding historic buildings in jeopardy. While the government allocated funds to support reconstruction after the 1979 earthquake, only 25 percent of the work had been finished when war erupted. Today, available funding falls short of what is needed to preserve the city fabric properly. Sponsorship of a conservation plan for the harbor, including a detailed conditions assessment, is a high priority for international assistance.