Poljud (area and stadium), Split

Opposite the Poljud football stadium you will find lots of giant blocks of flats that date back to socialist Yugoslavia. There are hardly any shops there and the buildings are pretty depressing. We walked through them on our way back from the stadium to the old town. In these building lots and lots of Torcida people live. They are the original fans and supporters of the Hajduk football club.

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Seeing a photo of a tiny 8th century church, one of just two remaining in Split from that time, set us off on something of a quest - first to find out its name and then to locate it in the city. The name was relatively easy - it was the Church of the Trinity - Sveto Trojstvo - but no-one we asked had much idea of where it was. Never one to give up where a Byzantine-era church is concerned (he's a passionate student of that period of history) MrL persevered until we had a reasonable idea of where to start looking.

The church stands on a bit of rough ground between the football stadium and the hill known as Glavicine. The nearest main road is Zrinsko-Frankpanska - I've marked it 1 on the map (photo 3 - Sv Mikule, the city's other ancient church is marked as 2, we'l get there next time).

Newly restored, the church was closed when we got there - it does open intermittently apparently - so we had to content ourselves with photographing it and peering through a tiny
crack in the door.

STADIUM 'POLJUD BEAUTY':Split is a city of sports, arts, rich history and heritage. But Split is a city of youth, too, a city of great heart, splendour and beauty. One of its beauties, actually called a 'beauty' by the temperament people of Split, is the Poljud Beauty: the city stadium, built in 1979, in the beautiful part of the city, Poljud. Appearing splendid, designed like a sea shell, as if it were there since ancient times it fits the Mediterranean views, almost reached by the sea waves. Architecturally, it is a structure that makes part of the world's highest standards by its functionality and technical qualities, equalling stadiums world-wide. Here took place numerous events, gatherings of Mediterranean sportsmen, athletic records, here Hajduk hosted great European and world football teams. Here fans supported, rejoiced, but also resented, since Split has temperament supporters, open and defiant in the Mediterranean way. Here is the famous Torcida, the Hajduk's devoted follower in victory and defeat alike. It is a magic stadium, illuminated by 630 lights, at night appearing like a space ship that has just landed. It is said to be one of the best illuminated stadiums in the world. So, 'from shell to ship', the stadium was built in 1979, as a venue of the 8th Mediterranean Sports Games. It was a demanding sports event that won repute of a sports event of the top category. The Games are also recorded by new sport venues, especially by the stadium that was described as a 'miracle' then. Indeed, it attracted looks of both curious passers by and experts. Its author, Prof. Boris Magaš. Ph.D., has created a magnificent concrete structure that fascinates by the span of the semi-domes that cover its eastern and western grandstands. There are 27,982 seats in the stadium (excluding the north standing grandstand). When the north part of the grandstand seats are furnished with seats, the seating capacity of the Poljud Beauty will be about 35000. It is hard to describe the feeling of the boiling Poljud, it is to be experienced, with the immortal Hajduk, of course.

Hajduk Split. Famous football team with an impressive stadium. Sadly no game while we were there but the ground is worth a look! A 10 minute walk along Zrinjsko Frankospanska, I saw bus no 3 travelling that way too. Hajduk Split website should give more info.

Split soccer stadium has an interesting cantilevered roof with sun-burnished plastic translucent panels

Split soccer stadium...that's modern