Sv. Spas, Dubrovnik

Sv. Spas is the small votive church on Stradun, dedicated to Jesus Christ. Its façade carries an inscription above the main entrance, recording why Dubrovnik commissioned it after the earthquake of 17 May 1520, when about 20 people died and buildings were badly damaged.

Petar Andrijić of Korčula designed the church, and construction ran from 1520 until its completion in 1528. Look at the pointed lateral windows and the ribbed vault within: these are Gothic elements, while the portal, the three-lobed gable, and the rounded apse give the building its Renaissance character. A far more destructive earthquake struck in 1667, killing about 5,000 people across Dubrovnik, yet this church survived with almost no damage and remains in its original form. Today, its interior also hosts classical concerts and art exhibitions.