STON, a town and harbour in southern Dalmatia, on the extreme north-west of the Ston Channel and the isthmus of the same name connecting the Peljesac Peninsula with the mainland, 59 km northwest of Dubrovnik. The saltworks used to be and still are most important for Ston.

The historical small town of Ston, with its famous walls and numerous cultural and historical monuments, is one of the most beautiful examples of a fortified town and Dubrovnik architecture. The restaurants offer domestic specialities, especially oysters, as well as other seafood.

Ston is also known for its saltworks, and the coast along the Channel and in the Prapratna cove provides fine swimming, fishing and underwater fishing opportunities. The beautiful sand beach is ornamented with centuries-old olive trees, and one of the most excellent campsites of the region is situated in this scenery. Apart from water sports, there are many sports grounds designed for tourists' recreation.

Ston - roman settlement Stagnum. The foundations of the Roman castrum can still be seen on Starigrad Hill. The present Ston was founded in 1333, as soon as Dubrovnik got hold of Peljesac. The town was fortified by 980-m long walls, forming an irregular pentagon, with more massive towers on the corners.

From the north-western corner the walls rise to the top of Pozvizd Hill, where they merge with Pozvizd Fortress, and from the north-eastern corner they follow the line of the isthmus to coalesce with the walls of Mali Ston. The most massive fortress of Stone,Veliki Kastio, rises on the south-western corner. The wall east of it was running along the coast which borders with the saltworks of Ston between the coast and the sea.

The huge fortified complex was built by Dubrovnik between 1333 and 1506. The most representative secular buildings within the walls are the Chancery of the Dubrovnik Republic, built in Gothic and Renaissance styles,Sorkocevic Palace and the former bishop's. The former Renaissance Duke's Palace was expanded and reconstructed in the 19th century. The Franciscan monastery with its Gothic-Renaissance style cloister and the Romanesque-Gothic church of St. Nicholas date back to 1347.