The Church of St. Stephen was, according to local tradition, the first Church built in Dubrovnik. This would date its construction to the 8th century.
It was first mentioned by Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus's (reigned 913-959) 'De administrando imperio' in 949, indicating that the Church is situated in the center of the city housing the remains of St. Pancras.
It is a single-nave edifice with an apse semicircular inside and rectangular on the outside. It was built probably in the 8th and 10th century, and later in the so-called Romanesque period, 11th and 13th century, the Church was extended on its Eastern and Western part. On the inner side of the north and south walls a clear division between these two construction phases can be seen.
Fragments of stone sculpture has been found and is dated widely - from the 8th to the beginning of the 12th century.
Extensions continued in the late medieval and early modern period changing the overall appearance of the Church.
After a massive earthquake in 1667 the Church was severely damaged and was never restored.