Franciscan monastery, Dubrovnik

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A pharmacy, founded in 1317, is integral part of the Franciscam monastery and is considered as the third oldest in the whole world, continuously functioning until the present day.
The monastery also owes one of the richest old libraries in the Croatia, famous all over the world. The collection has over twenty thousand books, over 1.200 of which are old manuscripts.

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Since the 14th Century this working monastery became the oldest working pharmacy in Europe. The monastery is access via St. Saviour's church's narrow passage. The building is designed in a Romansque combined Renaissance style following the building alterations over the centuries because of earthquakes. The monastery complex consists of a Romansque cloister, bell tower, a 15th century well, a museum, an important library where ancient writings and music manuscripts are kept, a baroque church, and bell tower.

The monastery opens between 9.00am to 6.00pm

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This is the Franciscan Monastery of Dubrovnik. This is also dated almost 700 years old it is also one of the buildings that damaged badly from the earthquake in 17th century and so had to be almost total renovated. It has very nice bell tower as seen in my images here.

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Some of the most pleasant architectural work in the city can be found on the Domincan Friary, a short walk up the hill from the harbour. A statue of St. Dominic welcomes you from above the arch of the monastery door set between two slender balustrades and above a semi-circle of stairs. Inside you'll find a shady cloister and a cool garden watered by a 14th century well.

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The Franciscan monastery is situated at the very beginning of the Stradun to the left of the Pile Gate. The earliest monastery was built in the 13th century in the Pile area. Within the monastery is the world's oldest pharmacy founded in 1317. There is also a rich collection of more than 20,000 valuable books including old manuscripts.

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It is located at the end of the Placa Sradun, near Pile gate. The first construction started in the 13th century, and outside the walls. With war and attacks, they moved inside the walls and started a new monastery in 1317. The church complex was destroyed in an earthquake in 1667, and the Romanesque cloister was the theme for the rebuilding of the center. The little church called St. Spas, or Saint Savior and is next to the larger more ornate church, and the museum is to the right of the large church. The main church was reconstructed in baroque style. The small church was built 1520-28 in Dalmatian architectural style with the round ornate window in the middle. Inside there is renovation of frescoes going on for the arch walls in the cloister currently, and it surely will take time to renew. The cloister is form the 14th century-renewed-and it has 8 sided columns depicting human heads, animals and grotesques. The monastery also has a nice museum inside that displays some iconic statues, religious church relics and artifacts, and paintings; a nice visit for 20 kuna-$4.

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The friars started the pharmacy in 1317 to serve the needs of its own friars, but eventually they served all of Dubrovnik people for maladies and hurts. It is the 3rd oldest pharmacy in the world, and intact like it is still said to be used today, and it is, but not in the museum. They sell some pharmacy items-not prescription and local creams made from local products also. Entry is 20 kuna-$4.

The library of the monastery is one of the most complete in Europe, and is used by many for resource of the 20,000 books. There are 7,000 volumes and many form Europe/globe come here to read the books for research.

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The Franciscan Monastery was founded in 1317, and dates mostly from the 15th century. A combination of Romanesque and Gothic styles, it escaped serious damage in the 1667 quake. One of its most interesting historical features is the medieval pharmacy, said to be the oldest one still operating in Europe. It contains a number of artifacts from the early part of the city's history.

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Although construction on the Franciscan Monastery began in 1317, it is actually the second oldest monastery in Dubrovnik being pre-dated by the Dominican Monastery by two years. Built during the 14th and 15th centuries, it was largely destroyed in the great earthquake of 1667 and rebuilt during the 18th century and beyond in the baroque style you see today.

A few elements remain, most notably the lunette or tympanum carved by the Petrovic brothers above the main portal which is off the Stradun near the Pile Gate. Also surviving the earthquake is the spectacular cloister.

Within the monastery is the famous pharmacy which has been in continuous service since 1317. The museum containing thousands of priceless artworks and artifacts is also worth visiting. One artifact they most likely could do without is a hole in the wall created by a mortar round during the 1990's shelling.

Intro Photo: The Pietà was created in 1499, the same year as Michelangelo's more famous version at the Vatican. In the monastery sculpture you should note the profound sadness on the Virgin Mother's face as opposed to the solemn but serene expression on Michelangelo's Madonna. The Pietà is flanked by the plainly dressed John the Baptist on the right and St. Jerome with his de-thorned lion at his feet. God, of course hovers above them all.

Photo 2: This photo is my current computer desktop image (at least for now). The pattern of light and shadow on this beautiful September day is one of my favorite images and instantly takes me back to Dubrovnik.

Photo 3: The double column colonnade which surrounds the cloister features column capitals each of which is unique.

Photo 4: Be sure to look up along the gallery walls for the beautiful, albeit faded, frescoes.

Photo 5: Here Carol rests within the cloister in front of the 14th century fountain with the stature of St Francis atop.

Franciscan monastery is one of the numerous things to see on the Milicevic Square and the other of the two monasteries in Dubrovnik old town. It stands at the northeast corner of the square, right next to Church of St. Savior.

The monastery was built during the 14th and 15th century. Inside the monastery is the tomb of the famous Ragusan poet Ivan Gundulic, the Romanesque-Gothic cloister and the third oldest pharmacy in Europe, founded in 1317.