The Siege of Dubrovnik
In October 1991, during the first year of the Serb-Croat war, Dubrovnik came under attack by Serb forces, who tried to take control of the city by cutting it off from supplies and services while shelling its UNESCO-protected monuments. For 3 months, the city was cut off from electric, water, and telephone services, which effectively isolated the people but did not leave them helpless.
Rather than surrender, Dubrovnik dug in and survived the Serb blockade without water service largely because of water supplied by the 15th-century Onofrio Fountains, which do not have to rely on outside water pumps. Instead, the Fountains draw drinking water directly from the Dubrovnik River via an ancient hydro system.
When Serb forces realized that taking Dubrovnik was not going to be easy, they shelled the city indiscriminately, causing extensive damage and the loss of more than 100 lives. Churches and monuments marked with UNESCO flags were shelled; private houses were destroyed; the city's airport was reduced to rubble and looted; and many people fled the city for safer ground.
The siege lasted for 10 months, and the city lost more than its buildings: Even after it was declared safe, this vacation destination remained a ghost town as tourists stayed away in droves, a situation that decimated the region's economy.
Dubrovnik's infrastructure and buildings have been restored and tourism has recovered, but not all the people who left during the siege have returned. Some of the issues related to the city's liberation are still open in the World Court.
