Gate of Ploče, Dubrovnik

The Gate of Ploče is arguably one of the most dramatic ways to arrive in Dubrovnik’s Old Town. Built in the Romanesque style, this gate is not just a single doorway but a small defensive sequence. First comes the outer gate, then a wooden drawbridge, followed by a graceful double-arched stone bridge crossing what was once a protective ditch.

Beyond that rises the imposing Revelin Fortress, standing guard like a stone bodyguard for the city. In short, entering here was never meant to be a casual stroll.

The outer section of the gate was completed in 1628. But the elegant bridges you cross today date even further back, to the 15th century, when master builder Paskoje Miličević designed them. If they look familiar, that’s no coincidence—Miličević also created the bridges at the city’s western entrance, Pile Gate. Think of it as Dubrovnik’s medieval version of brand consistency: two entrances, same architectural signature, both designed to impress visitors and discourage invaders.

And just like at Pile Gate, there’s an important figure keeping watch above the entrance. Look up, and you’ll see a statue of Saint Blaise, the city’s patron saint. For centuries, locals believed Saint Blaise protected Dubrovnik from danger, and placing his statue above the gate was a symbolic way of welcoming friends—and quietly warning enemies that the city had divine backup.

Now jump ahead a few centuries, because this gate also found its way into the fantasy world of Game of Thrones. The Ploče Gate appeared in several episodes, including “The Ghost of Harrenhal” and “Mother’s Mercy.” In one of the show’s most memorable moments, the character Cersei Lannister enters the Red Keep through this very gateway after her infamous Walk of Shame—turning Dubrovnik’s historic entrance into a dramatic piece of television history.

So, whenever you walk through Ploče Gate today, you’re crossing a threshold shaped by centuries of Dubrovnik’s history—while also stepping onto a spot that briefly doubled as the streets of King’s Landing...