Fort Revelin

Fort Revelin is a detached fortress on the eastern side of Dubrovnik's Old City, at Svetog Dominika 1 beside Ploce Gate, in Croatia. The Republic of Ragusa started it in 1462-1463 in response to the advancing Ottoman Empire and rebuilt it in 1538-1549 in a more advanced artillery form after the dangers of the new gunpowder warfare became clear. The fort stands on a rocky promontory outside Ploce Gate, connected to the main walls by a drawbridge and a stone bridge, and was designed to cover the weakest approach to the city from the east. Its thick walls surround a large central terrace and interior halls with long barrel vaults. After the 1667 earthquake, the vaults were used as a place for the Republic's treasury, and the rooms later also served for meetings of the government. In the 19th and 20th centuries the structure was used for military and practical purposes, and in recent decades it has been restored for cultural use. Today the interior hosts the Archaeological Museum's exhibitions of finds from early medieval Dubrovnik and is used for concerts and summer events, notably the open terrace stage of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. Visitors experience the fort as a mix of architecture and exhibition: bare stone vaults, a monumental ramp, and viewing points over the Old Port, Fort St John and the eastern sea walls. It is operated by the Dubrovnik Museums and is included in the 10 Museums ticket. The structure is in good condition after restoration.