On the most distinctive meander of the emerald green Krka River, the river beauty, Novo mesto has found its place as the central city of the Dolenjska region. Extremely rich archaeological finds from the area of present-day Novo mesto indicate a settlement history spanning several millennia. The city was founded on April 7, 1365, by the ambitious Habsburg Duke Rudolf IV. During turbulent times of Turkish invasions and until the end of the 18th century, the city was surrounded by walls. Only two entrances allowed access: the northern one, also called the Upper or Ljubljana Gate, and the southern one, also known as the Lower or Karlovac Gate. The latter had its place at the end of today's Pugljeva Street. On the remains of part of the city walls, the famous Breg was built after the 18th century, which represents one of the most charming motifs of the city, even for paintings. The skyline of the old city center has long been shaped by the bell towers of the Church of St. Nicholas and the Church of St. Leonard, which is part of the Franciscan monastery. The central part of the old city center is the beautiful Main Square. The most recognizable architectural feature of this square is the arcade walkways, present on the upper part of the square. On the Main Square, there is the prominent building of the town hall, the seat of the city leadership, which was built in its present-day historicist appearance at the beginning of the 20th century.