The Siege of Dubrovnik & The Homeland War

Shelling of Dubrovnik

While in Dubrovnik, we hiked to the top of Mount Srđ, arriving around lunchtime at an abandoned fort next to a restaurant. The restaurant was across from a cable car, that Dad had promptly refused to use. So we had hiked the long and switchback-filled way up the mountain to Fort Imperial. As we walked around the fort, we saw what appeared to be shelling damage on the walls. We then went into the museum inside the fort, and began to learn about the Homeland War, and the siege of Dubrovnik.

Shelling damage of the fort on Mount Srd

The Homeland War began as a form of power- and land-grab by Serbia and Montenegro, after the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991. Serbian troops moved into the Croatian area from the south, advancing toward Dubrovnik along the coast. The Serbian troops camped on a ridge not far from Mount Srđ, clearly visible from our vantage point at the fort. From here they began the siege of Dubrovnik, whose citizens were not prepared for what lay in wait for them.

In October of 1991, the troops of Serbia began the siege by shelling the fort, as the majority of the trained Croatian defenders and weaponry were stationed there. This attack motivated Croatian peace talks, which were dismissed by the president of Montenegro. Serbia then went further and began to shell the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the shelling of Lokrum (an island off the coast of the city).

Shelling of a fort on Lokrum island

Serbia attacked hotels, believing them to be holding refugees who had lost their houses and Croatian defensive positions. They used wire-guided missiles to attack boats in the old town’s harbor, laying waste to both ships and the harbor.

Boats in Dubrovnik’s Harbor burning after a wire-guided missile attack

On December 6th, 1991, at 5:48 AM, the hardest shelling of Dubrovnik’s old town began, lasting six hours, and using about 600 shells and 70 missiles.

Total shelling damage to old town withstood during the siege

Dubrovnik survived many further attacks, and the Croatian armies were able to counter attack, forcing the Serbians back and away, and thus Dubrovnik outlasted the siege. Today, Dubrovnik stands tall and wonderful next to the beach, within sight of beautiful Lokrum island, and is part of the EU.