Crijević-Pucić villa at Pile in Dubrovnik

Devastations and Restorations (1806-2006)

Abstract

Although the Crijević-Pucić suburban villa at Pile in Dubrovnik has long been highly valued, scholarly analysis has so far mainly focused on questions concerning the origin of its architectural concept, its stylistic and broader cultural interpretation, as well as the dating and attribution of the stone sculpture of the house and garden. However, later interventions, especially the fate of the villa after the fall of the Republic of Dubrovnik, have not attracted much interest from researchers. Therefore, this paper aims to reconstruct, interpret, and evaluate the extensive restoration of the villa undertaken in the 1860s by its owner after it was burned down in 1806. Furthermore, based on archival sources and material traces, an attempt is made to determine the original size of the southern garden, which was reduced under unknown circumstances during the 19th century. All later interventions on the villa have also been considered, as they bear witness to the changing fate of this exceptional monument after it was converted for public use in the mid-20th century.