War in Croatia – thematic guided tour
War in Croatia (1991 – 1995) – a scar that remains
The war in Croatia marked the last decade of the 20th century. It is called the Croatian war for independence as well. Until the year 1991, Croatia was one of six federal republics of the Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia. By the end of the 1980ies, it became obvious that something needed to change. The things did not work in that country. Unfortunately, the breakup did not go peacefully. The year 1991 marked the beginning of a war that lasted four years.
The warfare affected the city of Dubrovnik as well as its surroundings. The most troublesome period was between the fall of 1991 and the fall of 1992. The outskirts of Dubrovnik were occupied and the city was surrounded. Thus the town lived under siege for eight months. The living conditions were very difficult.
Most of us remember this war very well. A thousand questions come up. Who was attacking you? Where were you hiding? Where were you at the time? How old were you?
I admit that this is not one of my favorite subjects. Nevertheless, many tourists that visit Dubrovnik are interested in it because it is recent and most people remember it. For that reason, it is important to clearly explain the historical context that preceded the war, the very course of it, and, lastly, its consequences.
Itinerary of the thematic tour
This route will take us outside the Dubrovnik city walls. We will climb to the hill Srđ (Serge) above the city. If one looks at it from below, one can see a cable car that takes the passengers to the top of the hill (412 m high). The fortress Imperijal stands next to the cable car station. That’s the fortress that played a very important role in the defense of Dubrovnik during the war.
We take the cable car and it takes us less than five minutes to reach the top of the hill. It offers astonishing views of the city and its surroundings. After a short photo stop, we walk towards the entrance of the fortress. The central part of the tour is the visit to the Museum of Croatian War of Independence.
The tour finishes after the visit to the museum. If you choose to go back to the city right away, we take the cable car together. In case you want to stay some more, you can have a drink in the bar or simply enjoy the view a bit longer and come back later by cable car as well.
Some things you need to keep in mind about this tour:
- The cable car ticket and the entrance ticket to the Museum of the Croatian War of Independence are not included in the price of the tour.
- The maximum number of persons is 8 per tour.
- The meeting point: Ploče gate
