Church of St. Blaise Dubrovnik, Croatia

Overview

The Church of St. Blaise (Crkva Sv. Vlaha) is an 18th-century baroque church on Luza Square dedicated to the patron saint and protector of Dubrovnik.

History

St. Blaise Church was originally 14th-century Romanesque, but this was badly damaged in the 1667 earthquake and finally destroyed by a fire in 1706. The church was rebuilt in its present baroque style between 1706 and 1714.

Description

St. Blaise Church is built on the plan of a Greek cross and topped with a grand dome. Its wide staircase is a popular place for weary tourists to take a load off and people-watch for awhile.

Inside the church are numerous art treasures saved from the earlier church, including a gold-plated silver statue of St. Blaise, holding a 15th-century model of the city, on the main altar.