we know that at the time of Renaissance they took place between the houses and in the streets of Dubrovnik, most often at the spacious area in front of Rectors Palace.

The old Orsan arsenal was the first Dubrovnik indoor theatre hall from the late 17th century to 1808. After the fall of the Dubrovnik Republic, when the Major Council lost its function, a theatre was organised in its premises. Named the Rectors Theatre, it was active from 1809 to 1817, when it was destroyed by fire.

During the Austro-Hungarian rule, the hall of the Gozze (Gučetić) house was used as a theatre from 1823 - 1864. The present day building of the Marin Držić Theatre was built in 1865, and the construction was financed by Luko Bonda (Bundić). Under the name Bonda Theatre it was active till World War II.

It began to function as a professional theatre since 1944, when the Dubrovnik National Theatre was founded. On the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the death of the great Dubrovnik playwright Marin Držić, the theatre got its present-day name. Marin Držić (Dubrovnik, 1508 -1567, Venice) is the most famed Croatian renaissance writer of comedies.

The painted ceiling of the Dubrovnik Theatre is the work by Vlaho Bukovac (Cavtat, 1855 - 1922, Prague), who laid the foundations of the Croatian modern painting. The theme of the work, painted in 1901 is Heavenly and Earthly Coronation. The festive Theatre curtain with the motifs of the Dubrovnik city life is the work by the contemporary painter Matko Trebotić from 2008. Nowadays, the Marin Držić Theatre has 50 employees, 15 of which are actors. 

Address: Kovačka 1, 20000 Dubrovnik
Phone: +385 20 321-420