A trip along the picturesque Adriatic coast, through the ancient cities of Croatia, reminds modern travelers of fairy-tale stories with luxurious palaces, majestic temples, blooming gardens, and wise wizards. This is the impression made by the magnificent palaces of Dubrovnik, hidden by the strong walls of the Old Town and reached through the high medieval stone gates. One of these magnificent monuments of medieval architecture is the famous Sponza Palace in the Renaissance style.

Built in the early 16th century by the famous local architect Paskoje Milicevic Mihov, the palace adorns the main town square, Luza (Luža), in the historical part of Dubrovnik. It was variously home to the customs office, armory, bank, treasury, mint, and even the legendary group of writers and scientists called the Academy of the Consonants (Academia dei Concordi).

Today, it houses the archive of Dubrovnik, the oldest documents of which date back to the 11th century. All documents and photographs are freely available. You only need to make an appointment in advance to visit the archive.

Having survived numerous fires and a strong earthquake in the middle of the 17th century, the palace still boasts its beautiful arcade, gorgeous baroque stucco, and elements of the Gothic style. There are also sculptural compositions and reliefs, most of which were created by the Andrijic (Andrijić) brothers, the famous stone carvers from the island of Korcula (Korčula) in the Adriatic Sea, at the beginning of the 16th century.

The magnificent facade of the palace allures tourists from the very first minutes, amazes them with its splendor, and invites them to repeatedly return to the picturesque Luza square to drink a cup of aromatic coffee under the ringing of the ancient bells of the Church of St. Blaise. By the way, the Baroque church is also worth visiting as it is home to priceless sacred art.