Overview of Split Harbor
The Cellar of the Diocletian Complex
Split – Croatia. 17 Feb. 2010
Split is a pleasant city on the Dalmation Coast, and a main hub for transportation by bus, boat, train to other nationals and internationals destinations. The main attractions are the marble-paved promenade (Riva)along the harbor. With many cafés and restaurants, it is a favorite walk and gathering point for the locals and tourists alike. There are also several open-air markets selling fresh home-grown vegetables.
Split’s greatest tourist attraction is the Diocletian’s Palace. Diocletian was born in the nearby town of Salona, then the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. Diocletian eventually became an emperor and ruled from A.D. 284 to 305. He is best remembered for dividing the huge Roman Empire between four emperors, and for his torturing and killing of thousands of Christians, including the Bishop Dominus of Salona. (the Romans were still pagans at the time). It is also thought that the division of the Roman Empire contributed to it’s demise.
In his old age, and in poor health, Diocletian decided to retire in his homeland. The massive palace (over 600 ft long on each of its sides) took only 11 years to built and cost the lives of over 2,000 slaves.
Evntually, over the years, the palace became a public place, the cellars became a perfect detritus receptacle. Other buildings were added on the outside and the inside of the palace by medieval and more recent developers. The city eventually took over and is doing cleaning and restoration work.
The vaulted main cellar hall has a series of massive pillars supporting the floor above them.
The Peristyle was the centerpiece of the Diocletian’s Palace, it includes Jupiter’s Temple, many red granite columns, the Cathedral St. Dominus (formally Diocletian’s mausoleum). Climb the 183 steps of the 200-foot bell tower and you are rewarded with sweeping views of Split and its harbor.
From Split, I took a bus to Trogir, a nearby medieval town. A very nice cathedral and some other medieval churches. The city is entered thru several gates one of which has the statue of St Nicolas of Trogir standing on a pedestal on top of the gate. The statue can be accessed by a staircase behind the gate. I climbed the steps to get a closer look at the writing on the pedestal to find that the writing is upside down?! I took a picture of it asked the local tourist office the reason for the upside-down writing.
They did not believe it until I showed them the picture. They had no clue why, or how it happened.
All together, Split and Trogir are worth visiting.
Next Dubrovnik.
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