Split is the largest city of Dalmatia, located in the central part of the eastern Adriatic coast. The city developed on a peninsula, between the mouth of river Žrnovnica in the southeast and the river Jadro in the northwest. The peak of this peninsula is stretched towards the west (Marjan cape), with the island Čiovo just across from it, so that the island and the peninsula’s cape protect and shelter the Kaštela bay spread between Solin and Trogir. With blue skies and many sunny hours every year, Split is among the sunniest cities in the central and northern Mediterranean.
HISTORY OF SPLIT
The city center is composed of the ancient Diocletian's palace, among the first urban settlements to be entered into the UNESCO List of World Heritage, already in 1979. This Palace was constructed by the Roman emperor Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus (236 – 316), who was born in Dalmatia. He was one of the four rulers (so called Tetrarchs) of the Roman Empire. Diocletian retired to his Palace, constructed in the outskirts of the largest Roman city in Dalmatia at that time, Salona, in 305, after abdicating, i.e. official retirement from the throne. This Emperor's palace is among the most significant structures of the late ancient architecture in general, not only based on the state of preservation of the individual, original parts and the unit as such, but also by the original architectural forms and the richness of ornaments. Besides influences from the Western Roman Empire, the Palace is also impacted by influences from the Middle East. The construction of this magnificent object started most probably in 298. The palace has a rectangular layout and has been adjusted partially to the natural configuration of the ground. The Palace originally had four entrances: NORTHERN GATE (GOLDEN) – Porta Aurea, EASTERN GATE (SILVER) – Porta Argentea, WESTERN GATE (IRON) – Porta Ferrea and the SOUTHERN GATE (BRASS) – Porta Aenea.
Two wide, vertically crossing streets (Cardo and Decumanus) enabled easy communication in the Palace and also connected the four large gates.
The northern part of the Palace contained workshops, storage rooms, buildings and apartments for the army and the Emperor's personal guards. The southern part of the Palace contained the Emperor's apartment and halls.
The Palace was sufficiently supplied with fresh water by a 9 km long aqueduct from the spring of river Jadro in Solin. The capacity of this Roman aqueduct is still sufficient to supply modern Split with today’s 180.000 inhabitants with water.
After the death of Diocletian in 316, the Palace remained for a long time in possession of the officials of the families of Roman Emperors. The development of Split into a city happened in three main directions: first the ancient, Roman structures were adapted into residential homes, new objects were constructed within the Palace's walls and subsequently a western suburb developed leaning against the Palace. Several smaller hamlets and individual buildings were constructed and developed in the vicinity of the Palace, all over the Split plane. Significant settlement into Diocletian’s Palace started probably in the 7th century, during the first Slavic and Barbarian attacks. Split was the so called Byzantine Dalmatia for a long period of time, here and then under control of Croatian Dukes and Kings. Then the city was christianized and the Emperor’s mausoleum has been converted into a church, today the cathedral of st. Domnius. This cathedral contains very valuable sculpted pieces, like the romanesque pulpit, late gothic and renaissance altars – made by Bonino from Milan and George the Dalmatian. The romanesque choir stalls from the 13th century are the oldest ones in Croatia. We must also mention the beautiful romanesque main doors to the cathedral, one of the oldest ones of this kind in Europe, with 28 panels of depictions of Christ’s life. The doors were carved by the carpenter Andrija Buvina in 1214.
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In the 10th century Split was host to crucial church summits, deciding upon the destiny of the “Glagoljaši”, with Grgur Ninski (Gregory from Nin), the famous fighter against the supporters of Latin sermons, who tried to suppress the liturgy being held in Glagoljica (the ancient Croatian). The monumental sculpture of Grgur Ninski, by the most famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović, is positioned on top of the stairs outside the northern gate into Diocletian’s Palace.
From the 11th century onwards, the Byzantine rule was succeeded by various rulers (Normans, Hungarian) and the city functions as an independent commune with own Council and Statute from 1312, until the 15th century.
All of Dalmatia was under Venetian rule until the fall of Venice in 1797. This was the time of Marko Marulić, central character of the Split literature renaissance, the author of Judita – the first book printed in Croatian language.
Between 1805 and 1813, Split and all of Dalmatia were under Napoleon’s, French rule. A reminder of this brief French government is the city’s first modern street, today the Marmont street, named on behalf of the French Marshall Auguste Marmont, commander of the French troops in Dalmatia and a great fan of the city Split.
The period after World War I and II can be characterized as the most important in the overall development of modern Split – these were periods of major development and growth of economy, education, culture, health, sports and all other areas of life. At that time the development of the city is more and more managed through spatial planning and monitored urban development. The industry, in particular cement plants in the Solin basin, the shipyard on the northern side of the Split peninsula, the passenger and cargo ports are brought up to date, many streets and roads of local and regional importance have been constructed, as well as the airport in Kaštela…
Cultural life was developed in many of the institutions, like museums, theatres, various festivals, through fine arts and music, literature and publishing activities.
Many newly built hotels and restaurants contributed to the development of tourism and catering. Entertainment and recreation facilities impact and intensify the new social life of Split. After the construction of two large hospitals, Split also becomes medical center of the entire region.
A special impulse and boost of the construction and establishment of sport’s facilities was definitely given by the 8th Mediterranean games, held in 1979 in Split. In the tradition of a true sport’s center Split gave many national, European and international champions, like Toni Kukoč, Dino Rađa, Goran Ivanišević, Blanka Vlašić, Đurđica Bjedov, Veljko Rogošić, Stipe Božić, not to forget to mention the rowers, bowlers and many others. Split, like few other cities of this size in the world (officially 188.694 population) can be proud of 69 Olympic medal winners. The list of medal winners from international and European sports championships would be too long to be published here. Split also hosted the world championship in bowling, sailing, boccia and the European championship in swimming, water-polo, jump diving, mononautics “Trofeo rosa d'oro” and the European championship in Athletics in 1990.
A WALK THROUGH THE CITY
Architectural and cultural heritage of Split
Peristyle – Vestibul – Diocletian’s mausoleum/cathedral of st. Domnius – Jupiter’s temple/baptistery, Cindro and Papalić palace
Southern façade of Diocletian’s palace – substructures . northern façade of Diocletian’s palace – city park Đardin – Pistura – Bosanska street – municipal square Pjaca – Milesi palace – square Voćni trg – waterfront Riva
Open air market – Silver gate – municipal square Narodni trg – Theatre square – Prokurative square – monastery of st. Francis
Varoš – Marjan
Church of st. Francis – Sustipan – Museum of Croatian archaeological monuments – Meštrović gallery and Meštrović Kaštelet
MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES OF SPLIT
CITY MUSEUM SPLIT – rich collection of artifacts from the history of the city Split
ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM – A display of the ethnography of entire Dalmatia
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM – The oldest museum in Croatia and one of the oldest of this type in Eastern Europe
MUSEUM OF CROATIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS – The most valuable part of the historic collection are epigraphic monuments from the 9th – 12th century, carrying the names of Croatian rulers, secular and church officials.
GALLERY MEŠTROVIĆ – In a building that was constructed based on the design of the famous sculptor Ivan Meštrović, you can see some of his most important works.
ART’S GALLERY – Part of the permanent collection are paintings and sculptures from the 14th century until more recent times
COLLECTION OF THE FRANCISCAN MONASTERY IN POLJUD – The collection contains incunabulum from the time of Marko Marulić and many church art artifacts.
TREASURY OF THE SPLIT CATHEDRAL – a very valuable collection of church and religious art is presented here.
SPLIT FESTIVAL
The Split Pop festival symbolizes many of the characteristics of this city: the stubborn devotion to traditions and openness to the many influences of the “new age”.
SPLIT SUMMER FESTIVAL
Along with the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, this Festival has the longest and best tradition of presenting a variety of classics in scene arts.
CITY SQUARES – from the largest one
Prokurative to the Pjaca, the
Marko Marulić square on to Carrara square or the small squares in Varoš – these squares are not only scenes of various plays, but they are also places of different and spontaneous gatherings – from art performers to a capella singers.
SPLIT TODAY
Split today resembles a modern, industrial, university and commercial Mediterranean city, holding the position of a regional center, looking with lots of optimism into the own future. A dynamic and permanently changing and developing city, recognizable and attractive because of the high living quality, well preserved environment, culture and tradition – still offers its tousled and multilayered face to be discovered. And the city continuous to last……. It beats with the quiet rhythm of the past, the living spirit of the youth and the unique charm of the Mediterranean, but most of all the unique Croatian warmth.