Historians believe that Split existed at least 17 centuries ago, and therefore its history is one of the most interesting and exciting in the region. The ancient Romans, who founded the Salona colony on the shores of the Adriatic, made it a prosperous economic center for the whole of Dalmatia. In the III century. Diocletian was born in Salon, famous as a reformer of the state structure of the empire and a cruel persecutor of Christians. Then Split was destroyed by the Avars - a nomadic people from Central Asia, but the Slavs re-populated this area at the end of the 7th century. The city became part of Venice and recognized the power of the Hungarian-Croatian royal family. It was annexed to Austria and passed as an occupied zone to Italy. All these historical twists and turns could not but leave a mark on history, and therefore the answer to the question of what to see in Split will be very extensive and entertaining. By the way, the historical part of the city is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in its entirety.
TOP-10 attractions of Split
Diocletian's palace
Among the palaces that appeared during the existence of the Roman Empire, the one located in Split is the best preserved. It was built by the emperor Diocletian, who was born in this area and lived in Split the last years of his life.
The palace complex occupies most of the old city, and its plan repeats the scheme of the military camp of the Roman legion:
- The palace is surrounded by powerful walls, the height of which in some places reached 20 m.
- Of the fifteen previously existing towers, only three have survived to this day.
- The southern facade, decorated with columns, faces the sea.
- The mausoleum was rebuilt during the Middle Ages into a Catholic cathedral.
- On the site of the temple dedicated to Jupiter, a baptistery was erected at the same time.
- The peristyle or courtyard of the palace is crossed by two main streets.
The palace was built in the period from 295 to 305. The materials were limestone from the island of Brač and marble from quarries on the Turkish island of Marmara. Sphinxes and granite columns brought from Egypt were used to decorate the Palace of Diocletian.
Roman aqueduct
For an uninterrupted supply of water to the Palace of Diocletian, the Romans built an aqueduct that stretches for 9 km from the Yadro River to the city center. The difference in altitude between the beginning and the finishing point of the aqueduct was 33 m. The aqueduct supplied clean water to nearby settlements.
You can see the ruins of the aqueduct at the entrance to Split in the suburb of Salin. The ancient structure is best preserved there. The length of the accessible section is 180 m and the height is over 16 m.
The Split aqueduct was destroyed by the Goths in the 6th century. and did not work for 13 centuries. At the end of the XIX century. the mayor of Split has come up with an initiative to restore the water supply. The system was restored, and it served the city faithfully until the 30s. last century.
Cathedral of St. Domnius
Another record holder among not only preserved, but also active architectural monuments of the past is the Cathedral of St. Domnius. Founded in the 4th century, the temple is the oldest among the active cathedrals in the world.
It is located in the old town and is part of the architectural complex Diocletian's Palace. The main part of the cathedral is the former imperial mausoleum.
Split Cathedral consists of three parts, built in different historical periods:
- Its main part is erected at the end of the 3rd century. mausoleum of Diocletian.
- The bell tower appeared in the XI century. Its height is 60 meters, and the observation deck on the tower offers a magnificent view of the red tiled roofs and the Adriatic.
- The cathedral choir dates back to the 17th century.
Each of the parts of the temple, despite the temporal scatter of construction work, was built from the same local material - tuff and limestone from the island of Brač.
Among the most valuable relics of the temple are the carved wooden doors at the entrance, made in the XII century, the stone pulpit on the left in the Romanesque style, dated to the XIII century, the Gothic altar of the XV century. in the southeastern niche and the altar of the chapel of St. Stanislav, the carved relief of which was created by Juraj Dalmatians and is dedicated to biblical themes.
Church of Saint Franier
The proximity to Italy has always played an important role in the culture and history of Split. Among the inhabitants of the city there were and still are many people from the neighboring country. It was the Italians who built at the beginning of the 18th century. the Church of St. Franje in Split, which today occupies a worthy place in the list of city attractions.
The style in which the temple was erected can be described as a new baroque with empire elements, obtained by him after the last large-scale reconstruction in the 50s of the last century.
Among the priceless rarities preserved in the church are frescoes dating from the end of the 17th century, and icons painted at about the same time by now unknown artists.
Temple of Jupiter
Sanctuaries dedicated to one of the most revered gods among the ancient Romans could be found in every corner of the empire. Split was no exception, and the Jupiter temple was built here under Diocletian and on the territory of his palace complex. The emperor personally supervised the progress of construction, and in 306 the sanctuary was completed.
When Diocletian left this world, the Christians persecuted by him earlier sighed calmly. Soon they rebuilt part of Diocletian's Palace in accordance with their religious preferences, and the Jupiter temple turned into a baptistery, where they began to baptize babies. The crypt was renamed in honor of St. Thomas, and in the 11th century the inhabitants of Split even added a bell tower to it.
Today, inside the former temple of Jupiter, you can see the burials of local archbishops and the sculpture of St. John.
Peristyle of the palace and "Split summer"
Many ancient sights have survived in Europe since Roman times, but most of them have come down to us in the form of ruins. The more valuable is the historical core of Split, where you can look at ancient buildings and even take part in events held on ancient stages.
In the Diocletian's Palace, in the courtyard, the Split Summer festival is held annually, the participants of which present the best examples of theatrical and musical art to the general public. Dancing and singing groups from different countries of the world gather on the square in the Palace of Diocletian. Ballet and rock music stars, opera singers and the best drama troupes perform on the improvised stage.
The peristyle or courtyard is surrounded by antique marble columns. The ancient Romans held solemn ceremonies on the palace square, and it is considered one of the few that have survived to this day.
Croatian National Theater
The National Theater in Split was founded at the end of the 19th century. A building designed by local architects Ante Bezic and Emile Vecietti was built especially for the troupes who came on tour. The performance could be seen by 1000 people at a time, and the Split theater was considered the largest at that time in South-Eastern Europe.
The first professional troupe appeared in Split in 1920. At the same time, the building was renovated and partially rebuilt. A fire in 1970 severely damaged the building, but a few years later the restored theater was able to receive up to 120,000 spectators annually. Every season about 300 performances are staged on its stage, and in summer the theater becomes a stage for performances of guests within the framework of the Split Summer and Marulich Days festivals.
City Museum
In the northeastern part of the old center of Split, you will find a small museum based on the private collection of the Papalik family, which for several centuries was one of the most respected in the city. For many years, members of the Papalik family have collected art objects, archaeological rarities and fragments of antique statues and monuments that have survived on the territory of Dalmatia since the time of the Roman Empire.
The museum is located in a small mansion where the Papalik family lived. Among the exhibits you will find ancient coins and sculptures that once adorned the bell tower, which was added to the Temple of Jupiter in the Middle Ages. The stands display ancient maps, city government documents, seals, and manuscripts. Several rooms are dedicated to painting, and in them you can look at the canvases of artists who lived in Split and other cities in Croatia.
Maritime museum
One of the most visited museums in Split was created in 1925. Its main theme is the sea and everything connected with it. In Split, located on the Adriatic coast, navigation and fishing have been the main occupations of local residents since time immemorial, and a museum exhibition helps to trace the history of maritime affairs.
The Maritime Museum is located on the territory of the Gripe fortress, which was built in the middle of the 17th century. An entire floor has been allocated for the collection, divided into two halls. The first contains exhibits dedicated to civilian maritime navigation, and the second introduces visitors to the development of the Croatian naval forces.
The highlight of the exhibition is a collection of torpedoes, which includes the world's oldest specimens. At the stands you will also see ancient nautical charts, navigational instruments, sea form and anchors.
Ethnographical museum
The exposition of the Ethnographic Museum of Split, founded in 1910, is located today in the building of the old Town Hall on People's Square. Built in the XIV century. in the Gothic style, the mansion is called one of the most beautiful buildings in Dalmatia.
The collection, gathered in different parts of the region, tells visitors about the crafts and folk crafts of Dalmatia, the culture of Croatia and the history of South-Eastern Europe. Among other things, the exhibition stands showcase the folk costumes and adornments of the inhabitants of Dalmatia, their tools, with the help of which the masters created their masterpieces. You will see looms, jewelry tools, pottery wheels, joinery and carpentry tools.
Part of the exposition, which presents options for the interiors of the houses of residents of the city, is worthy of special attention. The atmosphere is typical for the second half of the 19th century. and the beginning of the twentieth century, recreated from genuine furniture, household items, textiles and tableware of those years.
