Split Historic Centre with Diocletian Palace

Split Historic Centre with Diocletian Palace

The historic centre of Split, Croatia, is built within and around the late Roman palace of Emperor Diocletian, creating one of the world's most extraordinary examples of a living ancient monument continuously inhabited for 1,700 years.

History

Emperor Diocletian commissioned the palace around 295 AD as his retirement residence, completing it in 305 AD when he abdicated. The massive fortified complex covered over 30,000 square metres. After the fall of Rome, refugees from the nearby city of Salona settled inside the palace walls during the 7th century, converting the mausoleum into a cathedral and the temple into a baptistery. Over the medieval and Renaissance periods, the palace walls were built into and over, producing the unique layered city that earned UNESCO designation in 1979.

What to See

Diocletian's mausoleum, now the Cathedral of Saint Domnius, retains original Roman interior decoration including ornate friezes and a wooden choir. The intact Vestibule and Peristyle courtyard provide a powerful sense of Roman scale. The basement halls beneath the palace are well preserved and open to visitors. The Golden, Silver, Iron, and Bronze Gates mark the four cardinal entries to the palace. The medieval Romanesque tower and the old town quarter of Varoš complete the layered townscape.

Getting There

Split Airport is 25 km from the city centre, served by European low-cost and national carriers. The palace and old town are a short walk from the main ferry terminal, which connects to Hvar, Brač, Korčula, and Dubrovnik along the Dalmatian coast.

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