Split is the largest city in Dalmatia, Croatia, located on the Adriatic coast. It is known for Diocletian's Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, whose ruins are preserved throughout the city. The palace was built in the 3rd-4th century AD and was once a luxurious retirement home for the Roman emperor Diocletian. Other notable landmarks include the Riva waterfront promenade and the Cathedral of Saint Domnius. The city and surrounding region offer beautiful beaches, islands, and historic towns dating back to ancient Roman times.
2. Dalmatia is more than you can imagine. An outstanding combination of natural
beauty, mild climate, beautiful Dalmatian song, friendly people and much more.
That is what makes this part of the globe and sky an irresistible piece of paradise.
Virual tour – Split – Diokletian place
SPLIT VIRTUAL TOURE
3. Welcome to Split!
Split is the largest city in Dalmatia, the second largest city in Croatia, Croatia's second
largest port and third port on the Mediterranean by the number of passengers. It is the
administrative center of Split-Dalmatia County.
Split is situated on the Adriatic coast in central Dalmatia on Split (Marjan) peninsula. Split
is surrounded by hills: Mosor (north), Kozjak (north-south) and Perun (east). The oldest
town is situated at the foot of Marjan hill, located west of the old town. Split peninsula is
surrounded by the islands of Brac, Hvar, Solta and Ciovo.
The first inhabitant of Split was the Roman emperor Diocletian who started to build his
palace in this friendly bay around 293 AD. After his abdication he withdrew to this luxurious
palace of about 30 thousand square meters.
The following turbulent centuries made the palace into a town first populated by the citizens
of the nearby Salona, fleeing before The Avars and The Slavs. The town overgrew the walls of
the palace and its authorities kept changing - from Croatian kings in 10th century AD,
Hungarian and Venetian administration, to French rulers and Austro-Hungarian monarchy.
Such past left its traces combined in the town everyday life. The city, however, went on
remaining the centre of this part of the coast till our day. This mixture of historic layers
brought some clumsiness and some things have been done too fast but today all that makes
a part of its originality. The big city today lives by the silent beats of history, lively spirit of
the young and its particular Mediterranean charm.
4. Split is an old town and has many historic and cultural sites such as:
Diocletian’s Palace built in 3– 4th century, ruins of which can still be seen all over town and
still make a social center. The palace is a combination of imperial villa, Hellenistic city and
fortified military camp. It is the only existing example of a Roman palace today, a witness to
the culture and traditions through the long history of civilization. Diocletian's Palace is
included in the UNESCO heritage list of protected monuments. The palace still keeps a great
number of monuments and treasures of centuries-old history of Split.
In the middle of the palace there are: the cathedral of St. Duje, Diocletian's mausoleum,
vestibules, Jupiter's Temple, the Peristyle, which once was the main palace square, and
numerous museums and medieval buildings.
Riva (Waterfront) is well known meeting place over 1700 years old situated immediately in
front of the palace. Split waterfront is a major public square and central place where all the
social, sporting, church and other events in Split take place. In addition it is a favorite
meeting point for young and old, and an attractive promenade 250 meters long.
Iron Gate; above this gate it used to be a pagan statue of goddess of Victory, on whose site a
cross was set up later on. The church of Madonna of the bell tower was built above the door.
Garden for a defense is the best preserved, and today the remains of defensive towers and
guard houses are still visible.
The Statue of Grgur Ninski is a monumental statue next to the Golden Gate of Diocletian's
palace built in 1929.
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5. Diocletian palace - exterior wall / Diocletian palace is 1700 years old palace
- The remains of the palace are now part of the historic center of Split, which is inscribed on the
UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in Europe 1979. year.
18. Island of Korčula
The island of Korcula is the sixth largest mid-Dalmatian island in the Adriatic that
covers an area of 276 square km. Korcula is separated from the Peljesac peninsula by
a narrow channel that is "bridged" over a smallest distance between the island and
peninsula (only 1.2 km) by a ferry line.
25. Dubrovnik itself stands as a major cultural
and historical monument. The biggest
attraction of this town is its architecture, that
is, the walls and towers, which surround
Dubrovnik. The walls were built, reinforced
and reconstructed from the mid 12th century
to 17th century. Among the many towers, the
most impressive one is a huge, round tower
Minčeta, work of Juraj Dalmatinac (15th
century), which became a symbol of
Dubrovnik. Two more interesting sites are two
independent fortresses that were built to
improve the city defense: Lovrijenac on the
west side and Revelin on the east side. The
city has four gates. The city walls have a great
value, because they are unique example of this
kind of architecture in the world. The center
of old town was situated in the eastern part of
city and includes a lengthy square framed by
monumental buildings and beautiful
examples of Dubrovnik architecture such as
the Rector's Palace, Palace Sponza, Orlando’s
column, the church of St. Vlaho, Cathedral
with treasury, a Dominican monastery and
church. The main city street - Placa (Stradun)
is a unique example of an open air hall.
Town of Dubravnik