Sponza Palace
Sponza Palace
3.5
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & LandmarksArchitectural Buildings
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


3.5
3.5 of 5 bubbles206 reviews
Excellent
39
Very good
80
Average
56
Poor
20
Terrible
11

CatharineB
Ottawa, Canada1 117 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Couples
Located at the end of the Stradun, towards the sea, the sixteenth-century Sponza Palace is one of the symbols of Dubrovnik. It is one of the few buildings that was left intact after the 1667 earthquake and, with the façade looking like the buildings of Venice along with a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance elements, it is a true icon of the city.

On the facade there is also a sculpture of San Biagio, patron saint of the city. The Sponza Palace was the meeting point of merchants during the heyday of the Republic of Ragusa. It then had various uses, including as a customs house as can be seen under the portico. It now houses the historical archive of Dubrovnik which contains records dating back to the first half of the 11th century.

There is a colonnade along its first floor, under which one can hide from both the sun and the rain. The second floor has carved arched windows with flags hanging from them. Its name is derived from the Latin word "spongia", the spot where rainwater was collected.

There is also a permanent exhibition named the "Memorial of Dubrovnik Defenders" (on the left as one enters), dedicated to those who were killed during the siege of 1991/9. Though English descriptions are slanted to the Croat perspective, understandably unavoidable, I found the exhibition to be compelling and moving.

Over the arch in the palace's atrium is the Latin words, Fallere nostra vetant et falli pondera. Meque pondero cum merces ponderat ipse deus. "Our weights do not permit cheating. When I measure goods, God measures with me."

Entrance was included in our Dubrovnik City Pass.
Written 13 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dese2
Auburn, NY2 687 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
We visited here in late afternoon. It wasn't very crowded, but a school group was in the main area.
The building has a long history of functions for the city and currently holds the State Archives. However, they are not open to the public.
Just enjoy the interior architecture.
There is a gallery that houses photos and mementos from the war. I'm sure it has deep meaning to many local people.
Written 27 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rachel h
London, UK152 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Some interesting things about the war, but those were free I think.
Paid to get into building which was not interesting really. Pictures of archive things. Might need to be a history expert to enjoy
Written 4 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JRMADA
United States3 377 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
We visited and were disappointed. There is some construction being done here and the scaffolding is everywhere. The Palace is going to be gorgeous when finished, but for now there isn’t much to see. Aside from a war memorial (very sad), there is nothing else really. Admission is very affordable, but if you are pressed for time, skip it.
Written 14 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

zuv
Bucharest, Romania27 166 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Disappointing. Only the ground floor can be visited and there is not much to see there. Only two small photo exhibitions, one dedicated to local heroes from the war with Serbia and one with photos of old Dubrovnik. In 20 minutes you saw everything.
Written 22 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Russ Lacuata
Long Beach, CA8 569 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Friends
Centered with Orlando column the monumental Gothic - Renaissance Sponza Palace is considered one of the most beautiful palaces in the city.

A small museum on the ground floor with art collections however majority of the palace is not open to the public so that was a disappointment.

Nowadays the Sponza Palace is the home of the most important cultural institution of Dubrovnik- the archive on the first floor.
Written 21 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Abovetheclouds
2 442 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021 • Solo
Stunning building in the main square. Highly recommend. Historical. Beautiful architecture. Some lovely art inside and a memorial room. Apparently you need to pay to go in but there was noone there and we went in free. This always seemed to be the case when we walked past!
Written 1 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael B
Bellflower, CA25 107 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
Over the years this building since its conception in 1522 by Paskoje Miličević Mihov, has been a mint, armory, treasury, bank, school, customs office bonded warehouse and trading center. Over the arch in the palace's atrium is the Latin words, Fallere nostra vetant et falli pondera. Meque pondero cum merces ponderat ipse deus. "Our weights do not permit cheating. When I measure goods, God measures with me."
Its name is derived from the Latin word "spongia", the spot where rainwater was collected. In the 16th century it became the literary Academia dei Concordi for the Republic of Ragusa, surviving the 1667 earthquake without damage.
Today it is a cultural center, and home to the city archives, which hold 1000s of documents some dating back to the 12th century.

TIP: Sometimes in summer the Palace is used as a performance venue, so check the local tourist office.

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Written 1 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The World is My Oyster
Orlando, FL19 602 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020 • Couples
We really enjoyed just sitting in a restaurant in the town square, and enjoy the views and architectural design!
Written 13 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anonymous
London, UK8 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
The palace looks nice from the outside, but there is nothing to see inside. All there is you can see in the attached picture. Definitely not worth 25kn for a 2 minute visit to the patio.
Written 9 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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SPONZA PALACE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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