Dubrovnik Cathedral

Dubrovnik Cathedral tickets: which one to buy

Saint Blaise stands at the eastern end of the main street of Dubrovnik, facing the column and the rector's palace, and it is free to enter. There is nothing to book, and the church is open through the day, which makes it the easiest of the old town's buildings to fit in. Walking tours of the walled city pass the front constantly and explain the saint's place in the republic's history, which is the key to understanding the town's iconography: his figure appears on gates, walls, fountains and flags throughout.

The city walls walk is the major ticket here and takes about two hours in full sun; the cathedral and the Franciscan pharmacy are the other paid stops nearby. If a cruise ship is in port, do the walls at opening and keep the churches for the middle of the day, when the streets are worst and the interiors are cool.

Visiting Dubrovnik Cathedral: what to see

Blaise has been the patron of Dubrovnik since the tenth century, when he is said to have warned the city of a Venetian attack, and the republic used him as its emblem for eight hundred years. An earlier church on this site survived the earthquake of 1667 only to burn in 1706, and the present building was raised between 1707 and 1715 by the Venetian architect Marino Gropelli, who modelled it on a church in his own city.

It is compact and square, with a broad flight of steps, a balustraded terrace and a dome, and it sits at an angle to the street that makes it the focus of the whole space. Inside, above the high altar, stands a silver gilt statue of the saint made in the fifteenth century, holding a model of Dubrovnik as it looked before the earthquake; it is the only surviving representation of the medieval city and is used by historians as evidence. Stained glass in the side windows was made in the 1970s and is the only modern element in the building.

Dubrovnik Cathedral opening hours and the best time to go

The third of February is the feast of Saint Blaise and the city's great day, with a procession of banners from the surrounding parishes, the release of doves and celebrations that fill the main street; it is listed by UNESCO as intangible heritage and is the one time of year the old town belongs entirely to residents. Summer brings cruise passengers in enormous numbers between ten and four, and the summer festival of music and theatre uses the squares and the fort in July and August.

May, June, September and October are the pleasant months. The church closes during services. Evening is lovely here, with the limestone street polished by centuries of feet and lit from the walls. Twenty minutes inside is enough, and the terrace steps are the best place in the old town to sit. The main street floods in heavy autumn rain, which is worth knowing if you are carrying a camera.