1 / 81
810 likes | 841 Views
Split is the second-largest city of Croatia with just over 200,000 inhabitants, and the largest city of the region of Dalmatia. It lies on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, centered on the Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian
E N D
CROATIA 3 Split 1
Split is the second-largest city of Croatia with just over 200,000 inhabitants, and the largest city of the region of Dalmatia. It lies on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, centred on the Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian
The history of Split in its early days revolves around a Greek settlement founded in the area between the 3rd and 4th centuries. Its most famous historical development, however, came in 295 AD when Roman emperor Diocletian ordered a residence to be built there for his retirement.
It took ten years to build this magnificent palace and Diocletian lived there until he died in 313 AD. After his death, many Roman rulers continued to use it as a retreat although by the later part of the 6th century it had fallen into disrepair
The Dominican medieval convent complex with the church of St Catherine of Alexandria in front of the Porta Argentea (Silver Gate)
On the eastern side of the palace lies the Porta Argentea (Silver Gate)
The Roman Emperor Diocletian spent his declining years in an enormous palace that he had built near his birthplace, Aspalthos, in Dalmatia
The palace represents the most valuable example of Roman architecture on the eastern coast of the Adriatic
Diocletian’s Palace and the entire historical core of Split have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list ever since 1979
The Silver Gate gives access to the Plain of King Tomislav and thence to the Peristil (peristyle), the central open-air area of the palace .
The Peristyle, is surrounded by a colonnade of six columns to the eastern and western sides and an arch, decorated with garlands, in the centre
The Cipci Palace Originally the palace of the commune constructed in the 13th century alongside the western colonnade of the Perystile, on the site of the ancient Temple of Venus
3500 year old Egyptian granite Sphinx inside Diocletian's Palace
Diocletian's palace on the reverse of the Croatian 500 kunabanknote, issued in 1993
Mosaic tiles undergoing restoration work ©www.triciaannemitchell.com
The Cathedral of St Domnius (Katedrala Sveti Duje) is on the eastern side of the Peristyle. Originally built – at the same time as the palace – as a mausoleum for Emperor Diocletion (who died in 313 AD), his remains vanished a few centuries later
In the 7th century, those who had fled to nearby Salona (Solin) after it was attacked turned the mausoleum into a cathedral – and placed in it the bones of their Bishop, Domnius, whose execution had been ordered by Diocletian himself ©www.triciaannemitchell.com
Cathedral of Saint Domnius is the Catholic cathedral in Split, Croatia. It is paradoxical that the structure itself that was built in AD 305 as the Mausoleum of Diocletian, tomb for a pagan ruler who fiercely persecuted Christians became a temple of Christianity
Detail of the choir stalls in Saint Domnius Cathedral ©www.triciaannemitchell.com
The wooden portal on the Cathedral of Sv. Dujam (5.3 m high) carved by Andrija Buvina in c. 1214 is ranked among the most beautiful pieces of art in the medieval Europe and consists of 28 scenes from the life of Jesus Christ
Split Lions on Bell tower. Originally it was adorned with Romanesque statues, but most of these were removed during renovations in the early 20th century
The Split Bell Tower, or campanile, stands 60m high next to Split Cathedral in the heart of the remains of Diocletian's Palace. While the cathedral, built as a mausoleum for Emperor Diocletian, dates from the early 4th century, the bell tower was built in 1100
Today, the bell tower is a popular tourist attraction in Split, with great views over the surrounding city, harbour and countryside from the top through eight portals.
The climb up is on foot. On the way up visitors pass the bells that still chime regularly.
The headless sphinx in black granite guarding the entrance to the temple was imported from Egypt at the time of the temple’s construction
The Temple of Jupiter was built around the 3rd century, about the same time is the palace itself
When Diocletian's mausoleum became a cathedral, the temple was converted into a baptistery, housing a huge 12th-century baptismal font
The sculpture of St John the Baptist, whose name the temple carried after the transformation, is the work of Ivan Meštrović
The Temple of Jupiter is considered to be one of the best-preserved Roman temples in the world
Baptismal font details Ceiling inside Temple of Jupiter
Huge 12th-century baptismal font large enough to immerse someone (as was the tradition in those days). One of the posts shows a figure of a Croatian king (Petar Krešimir IV or Zvonimir), making it the earliest presentation of a European king on a Medieval stone sculpture.
Split Clocktower with medieval sundial Iron Gate
Split Clocktower with medieval sundial Iron Gate Narodni trg
The Ciprianis palace leans to the walls of the Iron gates. On its façade is a statue of St. Anthony
The Ciprianis palace one of the most important gothic palaces of the old town
