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There have been abundant changes to Diocletian’s Palace
over the centuries resulting in historic lanes filled with shops,
restaurants and residences. Yet, the original quadrant layout
still exists with its gates — the Brass Gate, Iron Gate, Golden
Gate and Silver Gate — leading to the center Peristil (courtyard).
Fifty years ago, archaeologists began excavating the basement
of the palace and, finding it to be impressively intact, have
been able to put together more pieces of the past — both
of the palace and of the people who have lived in it. In 1979,
Diocletian’s Palace was designated as an UNESCO Heritage site.
However, even with the historic status, the inside of
Diocletian’s Palace has a fantastic mix of locals and tourists.
In the mornings, a duo sings traditional songs for the tourists,
but locals passing by will join in on their favorites and the
sounds of their voices float down the alleys. The afternoons
are quieter, but kids play soccer in open courtyards and I can’t
help but wonder how many other kids have played in the
same space over the centuries. At night, locals and tourists
can both be found at the cafes sipping coffee and in restaurants
dining on local fare.
DIOCLETIAN’S PALACE SIGHTS
And yet, even with all of the changes to the Split Old Town,
many pieces of the Croatia ruins remain. Most of the palace
is open to the public — as what once were hallways are now
alleys and centuries ago, new housing structures were built in
place of the grand palace rooms.
Therefore, there is no Diocletian’s Palace entrance fee into
the Split Peristyle, Diocletian’s Palace Vestibule or palace
gates. Nor are there Diocletian’s Palace opening hours (and
we can confirm that the wee hours of the day and dawn is the
best time to walk through the palace without fighting crowds!).
That being said, some of the sights do require a ticket, like the
Diocletian’s Palace Underground, Cathedral of Saint Domnius
Treasury, Split Bell Tower and Split Jupiter Temple.
CATHEDRAL OF SAINT DOMNIUS
For us, the most prominent of the Diocletian’s Palace sights
is the Cathedral of St. Domnius. Originally built as Diocletian’s
mausoleum, it sits in the center of the Palace on the main
square, Peristil Split (also spelled Peristle or Peristyle Split).
The Split Cathedral was converted to a church after the fall
of Rome and the bell tower was added in the 13th century
(and took 300 years to build).
We got our first peek inside the Split, Croatia Cathedral at
Sunday Mass, which was one of the more beautiful masses
we’ve attended. We stood in the back (arriving just as mass
CATHEDRAL OF SAINT DOMNIUS
is starting isn’t advised if you want a seat in the tiny interior)
and took in the magnificent scene and incredible choir.
We revisited the Catherdal in Split a few days later to see inside
the church and focus more on the details of the architecture.
The elaborate main altar is in the center of the room, where
Diocletian’s Tomb once was. A few original columns are all that
is left from the original interior. There are altars on both sides of
the main altar – one is dedicated to St. Domnius and the other
to St. Anastasius.
BELL TOWER SPLIT
The Bell Tower in Split, Croatia can be seen from afar, rising
high above the Diocletian Palace walls. The best view of the
bell tower is from the Peristle of Diocletian’s Palace. However,
climbing to the top of the Split, Croatia Bell Tower offers
360-degree panoramic views of the Split Old Town, coastline
and nearby islands.
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