Diocletian's Palace, Split

In 7th century people from a nearby town Solona escaped from invading Avars and Slavs and found their shelter in the palace. They adapted the palace to their needs and in centuries the palace became town. The most intact remains of the palace are so cellars that are still being excavated. People used them as a waste mater deposit. In their new built homes in palace they just dug a hole in the floor and threw all the garbage into cellars. Centuries long it piled up and only in 1950's it was decided get rid of the garbage. Now you can take a guided tour to wisit a part of the cellar that was cleand up and to get the rough picture of the ancient palace.

There are 4 gates to Diocletian's Palace.

1) The main entrance and most impressive gate was the Golden Gate on the north side.

2) The best preserved gate was the Iron Gate, which is on the west side and contains the church of Our Lady of the Belfry (Gospa od Zvonika).

3) The easiest gate to see and study is the Silver Gate, or east gate. It is located next to a market and allows you to see how generations after Diocletian built into the palace.

4) The simplest gate, the Brass Gate, was on the south side facing the harbour. It was a service entrance.

In the photo you will see the Silver Gate. Pay attention to the fusion of the palace with future structures.

The Peristyle is a courtyard within Diocletian's Palace. It provided access to Diocletian's private quarters. In the picture, in the area to the left is the Mausoleum (now the Cathedral of St. Domnius). To the right is the Temple of Jupiter (now the Baptistry of St. John).

The Baptistry was closed during my visit for restoration. It was consecrated in the 6th century and contains statues and tombs.

Roman Emperor Diocletian commissioned a palace for his retirement where present day Split is located. He moved in in 305 and lived there until his death in 313.

The palace is one of the best preserved Roman ruins. It was built by the architects Filotas and Zotikos out of limestone from the nearby island of Brac, and is 215 m from east to west and 181 m wide. After Diocletian's death, the palace was used for government offices and the governor's residence. Refugees from Salona settled within the palace walls after their city was destroyed in 615.

Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus (245-313) was born in Dalmatia near Salona and Split. His father, a scribe of a Senator, was probably a former slave. Diocletian was in the army and moved up the ranks of the military and eventually became commander of the imperial bodyguard, in charge of guarding the life of the emperor, under Carus and Numerian. After the emperors died, which Diocletian may have had a hand in, he was hailed emperor on November 20, 284.

Diocletian was responsible for splitting the Roman Empire into quads - each half would have 2 rulers with the title Augustus, and each Augustus would adopt a son as a Caesar, or junior emperor, to help rule his half of the empire. He also provided tax reform, by taxing richer areas harder than poorer areas, and tried to fix prices throughout the empire to curb inflation, which backfired and sent trade into decline.

Diocletian was probably best remembered for his persecution of Christians. He ordered all churches within the empire to be destroyed, all clergy to be jailed, and all Christians to worship Roman gods. Anyone resisting would be executed - the most famous being St. George, an officer in the Roman army.

After he fell ill, in 305 Diocletian became the first emperor to abdicate his throne. He retired to his palace in Split.

WT1: Diocletian's Palace Walking Tour

Although it was much transformed during the centuries of urban development, we know almost everything about the organization of the Emperor’s part of the Palace thanks to the fact that the Palace wasn’t built on flat surface. There’s one-storey difference in level of the terrain between the southern and northern part of the Palace, and that is the reason why the southern part (Emperor’s flat) was built on substructures that had an equal plan as was the plan of the upper floor where Diocletian lived. So, no matter what happened later on the upper floor, by exploring the substructures we know how the original Roman floor was organized.
As you enter to the substructures from the south you’ll find yourself in the central hall, that was (on the upper floor) running from Vestibul to the southern facade. The main hall in the Eastern part of the Palace was Triclinium – the dining room. God knows how many baccanalias happened here during Diocletian’s life. North from the dining room were Thermae – baths that in Roman times were also a center of social life.
In the western part of the Palace the main room was Central Hall, with a half-round space where probably the Emperor himself was sitting during receptions.

Today Eastern and Western part of the substructures are used for various exhibitions – from the annual Floral Festival to numerous art exhibitions during the summer. Sometimes even theatre plays are staged here.
The central hall that connects Riva with Peristyle is the real place for souvenir-seekers since here you’ll find many stalls with art objects and crafts – jewelery, small replicas of the Palace or the Cathedral as well as some unique (and more expensive) art objects, paintings and sculptures made by local artists.

WT1: Diocletian's Palace Walking Tour

South-Eastern corner tower is the only preserved tower on the southern façade of the Palace – the South-Western was demolished. It is original only up untill the second floor, with the flat terrace on top of it. The interior was greatly modified at the time the tower belonged to the complex of Archbishop’s palace. The windows are closed today, but their shape is still wisible on the walls.

Originally, the southern façade was the sea side of the Palace – the area was land-filled later in order to create a wide promenade – today popular Riva, with many cafes and terraces. There was a corridor running along this façade on the first floor, connecting all the Emperor’s rooms and providing the walkway with nice views to the sea and the nearby islands. On the ground floor there were small gates that provided direct access to the boats.
Today this façade is quite modified, but if you look above the sunshields of the café terraces you’ll see that the buildings that were built during the history of the transformation of the palace were built between the original columns and collonades.
People still live here, enjoying the views old Diocletian once reserved for himself.
(Mediterranean) Life goes on…..

WT1: Diocletian's Palace Walking Tour

Eastern Gates (known as the Silver Gates) are similar to Northern (Golden) Gates, but somewhat less representative. They were reconstructed and even closed during the centuries – that’s why there’s a smaller passage on their northern side that was opened in 18th Century. The defense courtyard and inner doors aren’t there any more, and Silver Gates today show the transparency of the original openings of the walls.
If you pass through you can see the eastern walls that are also well preserved. The only thing is, you’ll have to try harder because the view is usually blocked by kiosks of the open air market.

WT1: Diocletian's Palace Walking Tour

Carrarina poljana is quite a big square in north-eastern quadrant of the former Palace. It is not surrounded by rich palaces but offers a quick view into a typical group of old houses. There are some nice cafes on the ground floor, and in the summer evenings it is one of the places where plays are played during the Split Summer Festival. The area provides the original scenography of the typical mediterranean groups of houses.