Running between Pile Gate and Ploče Gate, through the heart of the pedestrian-only Old Town, Stradun (aka Placa) is Dubrovnik’s main thoroughfare. Some 300m (984 ft.) in length, originally it was a marshy sea channel, dividing Dubrava on the mainland from the tiny island of Laus (today the area south of Stradun). Filled in during the 12th century, it was paved with smooth white limestone and lined with ornate buildings. Most of these were destroyed by the 1667 earthquake, and subsequently replaced with the more sober buildings you see today, most of which now house pricey cafés and small shops at ground level. Stradun is the city’s main public meeting place, and various major outdoor events are staged here.