Fort Lovrijenac (St Lawrence Fortress), Dubrovnik

Where is Fort Lovrijenac and how to get there

Fort Lovrijenac stands on a separate rock just outside the western edge of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, overlooking Pile gate and the small bay used today for kayak tours. From the Old Town, you’ll see it clearly across the water, opposite the sea-facing walls.

Walking directions from Pile Gate

• Start at Pile Gate, the main western entrance to the Old Town.
• Walk a short distance outside the gate towards the bus stops and taxi rank.
• Follow the signs for Fort Lovrijenac and climb the steep stone staircase up the hill.
• Allow around 10-15 minutes for the walk, depending on your fitness and how often you stop for photos.

If you’re coming from the small Pile beach or doing a sea-kayaking tour, you can also reach the fortress via a staircase leading up directly from the bay.

Combining with other nearby sights

Because of its location, Fort Lovrijenac fits naturally into a sightseeing loop with the main Old Town highlights such as Stradun, Onofrio’s Fountain and the sea promenade at Porporela.

If you’re staying outside the Old Town, it’s easy to reach Pile Gate by local bus or taxi. For arrival and departure logistics, see the guide to Dubrovnik City Bus Map and Timetables.

Tickets, opening hours and how to visit

Fort Lovrijenac is usually included in the Dubrovnik City Walls ticket. That means if you’ve already walked the walls within the last few days, you can often show the same ticket at the fort and enter without paying again. There may also be a smaller standalone ticket if you only want to visit the fort, check at the ticket booth at the entrance.

Opening hours vary by season. In general, the fort opens in the morning (often around 8:00) and closes in the late afternoon or early evening, with shorter hours in winter. Hours can change for special events, especially during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, so always confirm the current schedule on the official Dubrovnik tourist board or City Walls website before you go.

City Walls tickets are among the more expensive attractions in Dubrovnik. Recent prices have been around the mid-30s euros for adults, with reduced prices for youths and free or discounted entry with certain city passes. Because prices change regularly, add a small note and link to the official price list:

History and architecture of Fort Lovrijenac

Lovrijenac’s story is tightly linked with Dubrovnik’s independence. Early chronicles suggest there were fortifications here as early as the 11th century, but the first written record of the fortress dates from 1301. According to legend, the people of Dubrovnik built the fort in just three months to pre-empt a Venetian plan to construct their own stronghold on the same rock.

Above the entrance you’ll see the famous Latin inscription “Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro” - “Freedom is not to be sold for all the gold in the world” - encapsulating the spirit of the old Republic of Ragusa.

The fortress itself has a triangular layout adapted to the rock, with three main terraces. The outer walls facing the open sea are extremely thick - up to about 12 meters - while the wall facing the city is only around 60 cm thick. The idea was simple: if the fort was ever taken by an enemy, the city could more easily fire upon and destroy it from within.

Standing on the upper terrace of Lovrijenac, even as someone who lives in Dubrovnik, I still pause every time I walk past the old cannons and run my hand over the worn stone walls and arches. I like the quiet little church tucked inside the fort, but what always gets me is turning around and seeing the City Walls from this angle, the view makes my own town look like a film set, and for a moment I feel like a visitor again.

Culture, theatre and Game of Thrones connections

In modern times, Fort Lovrijenac has become one of Dubrovnik’s most atmospheric open-air stages. It is a key venue of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, particularly famous as a setting for productions of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and other plays staged against the backdrop of the sea and city walls.

TV and film fans will recognize the fort and its terraces as one of the main stand-ins for the Red Keep and King’s Landing in Game of Thrones. If you’re following a full filming-locations trail, combine your visit with the spots described in the dedicated Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik guide.

Best time to visit & crowd tips

Mornings and late afternoons are usually the most pleasant times to climb up to Fort Lovrijenac, especially in July and August when midday heat can make the stairs feel much tougher. On clear days, sunset can be spectacular, with warm light on the Old Town and the sea below.

• Beat the crowds: Try to arrive as soon as the fort opens or in the last hour before closing to avoid both heat and larger tour groups.
• Combine smartly: If you have a City Walls ticket, consider visiting Fort Lovrijenac at a different time of day than your wall walk, so you don’t do two long stair-filled visits back to back.
• Weather: Strong winds and rain can make the terraces less comfortable; bring an extra layer outside peak summer.

I usually go up to Lovrijenac in the late afternoon, when most of the cruise groups are already gone and it’s much quieter. The light is softer then, with the sun dropping behind the hills, so the sea turns deep blue and the Old Town walls look perfect for photos without harsh shadows.

Views, photography and nearby spots

The main reason many visitors climb to Fort Lovrijenac is the view. From the upper terrace you look straight across to the Old Town, with the City Walls running along the cliffs and the main buildings clustered around Sponza Palace, the cathedral and Dubrovnik Cathedral.

• Best angles: Look for compositions that include the fortress walls in the foreground and the Old Town behind, or vice versa from the lower terrace looking back towards Pile Gate.
• Lens suggestions: A wide-angle lens (or phone ultra-wide) is useful to capture both the fort walls and city, while a standard lens works well for picking out details like rooftops and bell towers.
• Nearby viewpoints: After visiting the fort, walk back towards the Old Town and continue to the sea-front walk around Sveti Jakov beach or towards Lapad Bay later in the day for sunset over the islands.

Practical tips: facilities, safety and accessibility

• Stairs and surfaces: Access involves steep, sometimes uneven stone staircases. Wear supportive footwear and take your time on the way down, especially if the steps are wet.
• Children: Kids usually enjoy exploring the terraces and cannons, but you’ll need to keep a close eye near walls and edges, especially on the upper levels.
• Toilets and water: Facilities in and around the fort are limited, so it’s sensible to use restrooms and refill your water bottle around Pile Gate or on Stradun before climbing up.
• Shade: There is some shade, but large parts of the terraces are fully exposed. A hat and sunscreen are highly recommended in summer.
• Accessibility: Because of the number of stairs and lack of step-free access, Fort Lovrijenac is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs and can be challenging for visitors with mobility issues.
• Parking: If you’re coming by car, Old Town parking is limited and expensive. Instead of driving to Pile Gate, consider using one of the dedicated car parks such as the Public Garage Dubrovnik or Gradac Parking and walking from there.

How long do you need at Fort Lovrijenac - and how to fit it into your day

Most visitors spend between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours at Fort Lovrijenac. That gives enough time to climb up, explore the different terraces, read the information boards and take plenty of photos.

Easy ways to include the fort in your Dubrovnik plan:

• Classic Old Town day: Walk the City Walls in the morning, break for lunch on Stradun, then visit Fort Lovrijenac in the late afternoon for softer light.
• Short city break: If you only have one full day, pair Fort Lovrijenac with your must-see Old Town highlights and a late swim at one of the beaches close to the centre, such as Sveti Jakov.
• Game of Thrones themed day: Start at Fort Lovrijenac, then follow the filming locations described in the Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik guide and finish at one of the sea-view spots around Lapad Bay.

Being from Dubrovnik means I get to visit all the beautiful sights as often as I want. One time a friend and I started around 16:00 with a slow walk along the Pile Gate entrance and a short coffee stop by the Kolorina bay, then climbed up to Fort Lovrijenac for the views around 17:00-17:30. After exploring the fortress and taking photos, we headed straight onto the City Walls at about 18:00, walking the full circuit just in time to watch the sunset over Island Lokrum and the red rooftops, it turned into an easy half-day route that felt packed but not rushed.