Diocletian's Palace, Split

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Grisogono - Cipci Palace is one of the most interesting building in whole of Split. It is fine example of incorporeting a new built building in already excisting ancient structure of the Diocletianus palace. This palace is unique and real mixture of a very different architectural styles from different ages. Here you could see late-Antique style - Romanesque - late-Gothic - Renaissance - Baroque, all in one and yet so harmonious.
The palace belonging to the noble Grisogono family, the oldest living family in Dalmatia. In the 14th century the northern part of the palace was acquired by another noble family Cipci (or Cipiko), who restored it in a Gothic style.
It seems that even great builder Jurij Dalmatinac took his part in redesigning this palace, although there excist no written records about it. Another rumour says that the upper floor of the palace was designed by another great builder, Nikola Firentinac.
The ground floor of the palace is occupied by the cafe-bar Luxor and you shouldn't miss to entrance inside of it. There on its floor you can see the remains of an ancient temple.

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The upper side of the palace is... a fabulous mess.

A whole town has grown inside it, with some original remains, as the peristyle and Jupiter's temple, side by side with posterior constructions, some classified, as the cathedral built upon Diocletian's mausoleum.

To complete the scene, the town lives, in bars, shops and crowds wandering all around.

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To my money Cipriano de Ciprianis is the most beautiful palace in whole of Split. This a very simple late-Romanesque styled building from 1394 used to be home of noble family originally from island of Korcula. There is beautiful statue to St. Anthony standing on the corner of the palace, but the building is unique for its six parts windows (heksaforas) which decarating its first floor from the both sides.
The palace stands on the corner of Narodin Trg, right next to the Western Gates.

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The story of the people and the walls last so long, since the very beginning. Most of the historians agree that the civilisation has begun when humans started to built the walls. But let's be ironical did they built the walls for protection of the invasion or it was built to obstruct colonisation of those who aren't welcomed?
Let us see how we stand regarding the city or state walls today? Yeah, nowadays we dont built the walls anymore, but what is visa system if not the walls?

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Vestibul is originally latin word for the entrance, in fact it was entrance hall to the Diocletianus rooms. It used to serve as a foyer in which guests and visitors waited to meet the Emperor. At its time vestibul was richly adorned in a such a way to impress the visitors. Imagine it, as is now, but completely panelled by the marble and adorned by numerous sculptures.
Vestibul was located in the central part of the Diocletianus Palace, right behind the Peristyle. It is spacious round room and no roof on its top.

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Very well preserved the subterranean helps to have an approximated idea of the palace's concept. It evidences the huge size of the original buildings, and shows the techniques of construction, though it's hard to understand the use of most of the rooms.

A reasonably large craft commerce is installed in its entrance.

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The Roman Emperor Diocletian built his palace in preparation for his retirment in May 305 AD by the bay area of Split. The rectangular palace complex consisted of a villa, a military camp, gates and towers and is encircled by fortification walls. The cathedral's belfy was added in the 12th Century.

Today you can wander through the palace and its enclosed mazes and space. In the complex there is a tourist information office and also are markets, shops, cafes and restaurants.

Back in Roman times this temple to Rome's greatest god would have been much grander, with a decorated portico supported by doric columns, and a set of sharp-cornered, stone stairs flanked by ornate statues. Now it's a small, crumbling church shaded by a pinched stone corridor leading from the Peristylium, the main square of the palace and cathedral. A little of the original survives, including partial remains of two lion statues brought from Egypt by Emperor Diocletian himself.