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Diocletian palace – the symbol of Split!

Diocletian palace tour

Diocletian Palace in Split is one of Croatia's top sights and one of the most magnificent monuments of the Roman period. It’s the heart of Split town. Split like a tourist destination continues to boom and many people are excited to visit this Palace – home of Emperor Diocletian build 1700 years ago.

Short history:
Some time in the closing years of the third century A.D., the ancient little fishing village of Aspalathos, not far from Salona, became one huge building site. An enormous amount of manpower and excellent building enterprise must have been needed to construct, in the relatively short period of ten years, such a spacious and glorious palace as that into which the Emperor Diocletian, after voluntarily vacating the throne of the Roman Empire, moved in 305 A.D in order to pass the last years of his life.

The palace model

There are several reasons why Caius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, known to history as one of the most outstanding individuals of the Roman Empire, chose just this place to spend his last days. The natural conditions are excellent, for Aspalathos was a secluded, sun-drenched bay on an attractive peninsula, in the center of the Adriatic coast, protected from the sea by the islands of central Dalmatia, from the land by the Dinaric massif, and very near quarries yielding excellent building stone. From these aspects alone it was an ideal place to build a Diocletian palace.

Click the images to enlarge!

If Salona, or some place just near, was really the birthplace of Diocletian , than this choice of a site only a few miles from the main town of the Province of Dalmatia, was understandable desire to spend the rest of his life near his birthplace.

The view from Mont.Marjan

Palace Walking tour stops
1. Southern part of Diocletian's palace, Bronze Gate
2. Diocletian palace cellars
3. Peristyle
4. The Vestibul of the Emperor's Palace
5. The Mausoleum / St. Dujam's cathedral, Cathedral Treasury
6. Temple of Jupiter / Baptister
7. The Silver Gate
8. Papalic Palace/City Museum of split
9. Golden gate, St. Martin's church
10. Chapel od st. Amir
11. People's Square / Pjaca, The Town hall, Karepiæ house
12. Iron Gate, Chapel of Our Lady of Belfry
13. Fruit square, Venetian castle, Milesi Palace, Monument of Marko Marulic

Here you can learn more about museums and galleries in the City of Split and in vicinity of Diocletian Palace .

City Museum of Split
Address: Papliceva 1, 21 000 Split
Tel.: 385 021 360-171, Fax.: 360-172
Opening Hours: Tuesday's - Friday's from 9 am to 9 pm
Saturday's and Sunday's from 10 am to 1 pm. Closed on Monday's and holidays
Entrance Fee: Adults: 10.00 HRK, Children, undergraduates and pensioners: 5.00 HRK
Guided group visits: Guided group visits are organized daily during the Museum's office hours. Please call 360-171 for group visit announcements and reservations. Guided visits are charged 100.00 HRK
Cameras: are not allowed without prior arrangement. The use of artificial illumination is prohibited.

Ethnographic Museum
Address: Iza Vestibula 4, 21 000 Split
Tel.: 385 021 344-164
Type of museum: sacral and art complex
Opening Hours: Monday - Friday: from 9 am to 9 pm. Saturday: from 9 am to 1 pm. Sunday: closed
Entrance Fee: Adults: 10.00 HRK, Groups: 5.00 HRK, Children, students and senior citizens: 5.00 HRK

The Cathedral treasury
Address: Near St. Duje 5, 21 000 Split
Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday: from 9 am to 8 pm
Entrance Fee: 10.00 HRK

Croatia top tourist attraction: Grgur Ninski!