Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Croatia every year, famous for its beautiful resorts. They are attracted by the developed tourist infrastructure, natural beauties and ancient architectural monuments. Everyone who not only loves a relaxing holiday on the beach, but also dreams of wandering around historical places, chooses the beautiful city of Split (Croatia). Its sights deserve the most detailed story.
The second largest city in the state is not in vain called an open-air museum. It harmoniously combines ancient architectural monuments with modern skyscrapers, and tourists who arrive for the first time do not even understand where they are, because the main pearl of Croatia resembles the best Mediterranean resorts.
Birthplace of the legendary Diocletian
The city, founded by the Roman emperor Diocletian in 239, was not chosen by chance. As ancient legends say, it was the birthplace of the great ruler, on which he wanted to build the mostbeautiful palace. The summer residence has survived to this day and is a must-see on the itinerary of tourists.
A small town inhabited by Slavs, was part of Venice, was annexed to Austria, belonged to France and became part of Yugoslavia. An interesting history has left its mark on the architectural monuments that ancient Split is so proud of. The sights of the city made its appearance unique in the eyes of vacationers.
Majestic Palace
So, what should a tourist pay attention to first of all? Of course, the majestic residence of Diocletian, built in military style, is one of the main historical monuments that are incredibly popular. Built during the reign of the emperor, the mausoleum covered about 30 thousand meters, and its walls covered the whole city, which the ruler chose as his place of rest.
A small part that has come down to descendants
From the luxurious residence, which is a true example of ancient culture, there is very little left. Unfortunately, only a part of the majestic building, around which the ancient Split grew up, reached the descendants. The sights included in the UNESCO World Heritage List will delight guests of the city with a special atmosphere. Tourists can see the temple of Jupiter converted into a Christian church, a huge open-air hall surrounded by marble columns (Peristyle), watchtowers and the Cathedral of St. Domnius,built on the site of a residence.
The corridors of the mausoleum, which rather resembled a whole city, turned into colorful narrow streets, and if you walk between them, you can stumble upon the ruins of the balcony of Diocletian himself. It is curious that the underground possessions of the ruler have also been preserved, the entrance to which is guarded by guards dressed in Roman clothes. Walking through the cellars, you can see the stone walls of the mausoleum and buy gifts to remember your stay in the ancient city.
The palace of historical value attracts the close attention of all travelers who come to touch the ancient history that Split carefully preserves. The sights of the city attract the views of hundreds of thousands of tourists, delighted by the fact that architectural monuments have been standing in the same place since the 3rd century.
Cathedral of Saint Domnius
The Cathedral, with a 60-meter bell tower, is a religious building that intertwines a wide variety of art styles. The bright building will amaze not only with its external decoration, but also with its interiors with a huge number of paintings and sculptures. Many visitors to the Cathedral of St. Domnius admit that they were struck by the richly decorated wooden gate with an interesting ornament that tells about the life of Christ and major biblical events.
Many tourists come to the resort town only to see the famous architectural sights with their own eyes. Split (Croatia) remembers its historical past and treats cultural objects with careheritage.
Temple of Jupiter
The temple of Jupiter, originally erected to praise the Roman gods, will also seem no less interesting. In the Middle Ages, it was converted into a baptistery, and the parishioners worshiped not the lord of thunder, but St. John the Baptist.
The entrance to the cathedral is guarded by a statue of a sphinx, which was brought in the 3rd century from Egypt to Split. The sights of the temple - a monument to John the Baptist and sarcophagi with the bodies of city bishops - will not leave indifferent even the most non-religious person.
People's Square
On the square that appeared in the 15th century, which served as the city center, there is a delightful palace of the Kambi family in the Venetian-Gothic style, an ethnographic city museum, and the building of the city hall.
Initially, the heart of the city had a triangular shape, but at the beginning of the 19th century, a whole complex of buildings was demolished, which led to changes in the appearance of the historical center. People's Square is a favorite place for walks of tourists who fell in love with the inimitable Split at first sight. The sights, photos of which are presented in the article, can be called the main reasons for exploring the city with a rich history.
Roman Salona ruins
The heyday of the ancient settlement came at a time when Diocletian ruled. An important center of Christianity was destroyed in the 7th century, after the invasion of the Slavs, and now the ruins of Salona, located about five kilometers from the city, occupy a huge area near Split.
Recently, archaeological expeditions discovered part of the walls with gates and towers, and the main find was the ruins of an ancient amphitheater built in the 2nd century. The architectural monument that stood for 15 centuries was destroyed by the Venetians themselves in fear of the Turks, who could use local sights as fortifications. Split (Croatia) allocates funds for annual research of the territory, because it is not known how many more secrets the mysterious Salona will present to future generations. In the meantime, hundreds of tourists roam the living museum, imbued with the amazing atmosphere of this place, which takes you back several centuries.
All guests are warmly welcomed by the hospitable Split (Croatia). Sights, photos of which adorn all city guides, will reveal the secrets of ancient history and will appeal to even the most demanding travelers.
