See also Republic of Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik was founded by joining two small towns: Laus, a town on a small island off the southern Dalmatian coast, which provided shelter for the Italic refugees from the nearby city of Epidaurum (today Cavtat); and Dubrava, a settlement of Slavic immigrants at the foot of the forested Srđ hill.
The strip of wetland between the two parts of the town, was reclaimed as a landfill in 12th century, unifying the city around the newly made plaza (today Placa or StradunSee also:
