Why Split is a Roman city
Split exists because a Roman emperor chose to retire here. Diocletian, who was born in the province of Dalmatia, built a fortified palace on the shore at the turn of the 4th century and lived there after abdicating in 305. When the nearby provincial capital of Salona was abandoned in the 7th century, its people took refuge inside the palace walls, and the medieval town grew within and around them.
Most visitors see the palace and stop there. This guide covers the palace's key Roman features briefly and then the sites beyond it that tell the rest of the story.
Inside the palace: the essentials
The Peristyle, the colonnaded central courtyard, was the ceremonial heart of the palace. On its eastern side, Diocletian's octagonal mausoleum became the Cathedral of St Domnius in the Middle Ages, which makes it one of the oldest buildings in the world still in use as a cathedral. Look for the black granite Egyptian sphinx near the cathedral entrance: Diocletian brought several sphinxes from Egypt, and this one has survived in place for some seventeen centuries.
West of the Peristyle, a narrow lane leads to the Temple of Jupiter, a small Roman temple later converted into the Baptistery of St John. Its coffered stone ceiling is remarkably well preserved. A modest ticket is charged, often as part of a combined cathedral ticket.
Under the southern half of the palace are the substructures, or basement halls. Because they were filled with rubbish for centuries, they preserve the layout of the emperor's apartments above almost exactly. Part is a free passage lined with stalls; the larger halls require a ticket.
Salona: the provincial capital
Salona, in today's suburb of Solin about five kilometres north-east of the centre, was the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia and one of the larger cities on the Adriatic. Its archaeological park is spread over open fields and olive groves, which makes it a peaceful contrast to the crowded palace.
Highlights include the amphitheatre on the north-west edge of the city, the remains of the city walls and gates, early Christian basilicas and cemeteries at Manastirine and Marusinac, where martyrs from Diocletian's persecutions were buried. The site museum at Tusculum, a house built by the archaeologist Frane Bulić, is a good place to start. Allow two to three hours and bring water and sun protection, as there is little shade. City buses run from Split to Solin.
Diocletian's aqueduct
The palace was supplied with water from the spring of the Jadro river near Solin by an aqueduct roughly nine kilometres long. Much of it ran underground or along the slopes, but one of the best-preserved sections, a row of arches, can be seen in the Dujmovača area on the edge of the city. Parts of the aqueduct were restored and brought back into use in the late 19th century. It is not a formal attraction, so combine a look with a trip to Salona.
The Archaeological Museum
Split's Archaeological Museum, founded in 1820, is the oldest museum in Croatia. It sits in a quiet street north of the Old Town and holds much of what was excavated at Salona: inscriptions, sculpture, sarcophagi, glass, coins and jewellery. Its covered garden walkway, lined with stone monuments, is one of the most pleasant spots in the city on a hot day, and it is rarely crowded. Check opening hours before visiting, as they are shorter in winter.
Roman details in the Old Town
Once you know what to look for, Roman Split is everywhere. The four palace gates survive: the Golden Gate on the north side, where Ivan Meštrović's huge statue of the 10th-century bishop Gregory of Nin stands (rubbing his big toe is said to bring luck), the Silver Gate to the east, the Iron Gate to the west, and the small Bronze Gate on the waterfront. Walk along the outside of the north and east walls and you can see where medieval houses were built straight into the Roman masonry.
Planning your visit
A practical plan is to spend one morning in the palace, starting early before the cruise crowds, then visit Salona and the aqueduct on another morning, and save the Archaeological Museum for a hot afternoon. Wear comfortable shoes, as the polished limestone in the Old Town is slippery. Summer is busiest; spring and autumn are better for walking the open-air sites at Salona.
