Statues of historic individuals such as Marin Držić's bronze are rare in Dubrovnik. More common are religious or mythical statues such as the Gothic column by Bonino of Milan. It honors Roland, Charlemagne's nephew and epic warrior. From 1418 to the early 1800s, the staff that rose from here flew the flag of the Republic. A storm blew it over in 1825 but it was re-erected 50 years later -- this time facing north. In medieval times, many trading towns had their own system of measurement. For Dubrovnik, the standard was Roland's forearm, called an "ell" (for elbow as it extended from that joint to the end of his fingers somewhat like the cubit used since Egyptian times.)
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