Luza Square & Orlando's Column (Orlandov stup)
Luza Square & Orlando's Column (Orlandov stup) features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Dubrovnik. Give it roughly ~20 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type square
- Suggested visit ~20 min
- Dubrovnik Dubrovnik guide
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About Luza Square & Orlando's Column (Orlandov stup)
The Republic's ceremonial heart, where a stone knight named Orlando has stood since about 1418, his carved forearm the official measuring stick of old Dubrovnik.
Luza square is the ceremonial plaza at the eastern end of the Stradun, ringed by Sponza Palace, the Church of St Blaise, the city Bell Tower, the Main Guard building and the Small Onofrio Fountain. At its centre stands Orlando's Column, a stone pillar bearing a carved figure of the knight Roland in armour with his sword. Usually dated to about 1418, it is attributed to the sculptor Bonino of Milan working with a local carver.
Across Europe, Roland columns symbolised a town's autonomy and free-trade rights; in Dubrovnik the column represented the freedom, or Libertas, of the Ragusan Republic, and the state standard flew from its mast. The length of the statue's forearm defined the Dubrovnik cubit, or lakat, the Republic's official unit of length, generally given as roughly 51.2 centimetres. The square hosts the annual Feast of St Blaise, the city's patron.
Did you know? Orlando's carved stone forearm set Dubrovnik's official unit of length, the lakat, at roughly 51.2 centimetres, an approximate standard, since a medieval sculpture is no precision instrument.
How long is a visit to Luza Square & Orlando's Column (Orlandov stup)?
Set aside roughly ~20 min for Luza Square & Orlando's Column (Orlandov stup). That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Luza Square & Orlando's Column (Orlandov stup) worth your time?
Luza Square & Orlando's Column (Orlandov stup) is among the 18 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Dubrovnik, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Dubrovnik
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Hear the story of Luza Square & Orlando's Column (Orlandov stup)
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