The story of Split dates back to the 17th century in the time of Romans, emperors and palaces. The entire Split originated from the Diocletian’s Palace.
The palace progressively populated and spreaded. Today Split has around 180,000 inhabitants. Diocletian’s Palace was listed in 1979. on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Split is the second largest croatian city and the largest one in Dalmatia. It is one of the leading Mediterranean ports. It is also the administrative and economic center of the Split-Dalmatia County.
Split is located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, on the Split’s peninsula (Marjan). Thanks to its location on the peninsula, sea surrounds Split on three sides. Despite that, there are many mountains around Split: Mosor, Kozjak and Marjan hill. They immediately rise above the city. From Split you can see the nearby islands: Hvar, Ciovo, Solta and Brac.
Climatic characteristics of Split
Like the rest of Central Dalmatia, Split has a characteristics of the Mediterranean climate. A convenient climate, allows a longer tourist season and a pleasant stay by the end of March.
Also, thanks to the climate, one of the characteristics of this coastal area is the Indian summer. It is a prolonged period of warm weather without precipitation even after the early fall of Autumn. This allows tourists to enjoy the sea, the sun and the summer evenings by mid-October.
CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL SIGHTS OF SPLIT:
Split is a city full of cultural and historical sights. It is one of the cities where you can experience something interesting in every step of the way.
The main sight of Split is Diocletian’s Palace, which was a house of the famous emperor. It also served as a holiday villa and a military camp (castrum). It is one of the best preserved Roman monuments.
It was built in rectangular shape. Two vertical streets, Cardo and Decumanus, divides Palace into four parts. These two streets merges into the middle of the palace, creating an open space known as Peristil. Peristil served as a venue for major events in the Palace.
The southern part was intended for the emperor and the family. The northern part was for the army and service.
Vestibul was used as an emperior lobby in ancient times. It is famous for its circular interior. At the place where was a dome, today is the opening through which the bell tower of the cathedral of St. Duje can be seen.
Jupiter’s temple was dedicated to God Jupiter, the main Roman deity. Approximately in the 6th century, it was transferred into the baptistery of St. John the Baptist. It is also special because one of the twelve sphinxes that was brought from Egypt found its home there.
The Basement Halls were the storage space of the palace, and they were used to raise up the Imperial apartment. Since 1995. the eastern part of the Basement Halls was open to the public. Today, the Basement Halls can be reached by a stairway from Peristil or Riva. Basement Halls are the venue for cultural events and fairs as well as great souvenir shops.
Throughout the centuries, the inhabitants of Split adapted Palace to their needs. Many buildings changed their form, but the contours of the Palace are visible till today.
St. Domnius Cathedral is located within Diocletian’s Palace. It is one of the oldest European sacral buildings. At first it was used as the mausoleum of Emperor Diocletian, and in the 7th century it became the cathedral.
A rich collection of ecclesiastical art is presented in the cathedral.
Today, the cathedral is a liturgy place. It is in the very center of attention on the feast of St. Domnius when a traditional procession is being held.
The bell tower of the cathedral is 57m high. The bell tower is the most representative medieval Dalmatian building. The construction started in the 13th century and was restored at the end of the 19th century. Visitors can climb to the top of the bell tower by stairs from where they can enjoy a stunning view of Split.
SQUARES:
By definition, the square is an open space where the community gather. But in Split it is more than that. The squares are the place characteristic of Split’s way of life: enjoying the sun, a long drinking of coffee, a chatting,… An integral part of Split’s people life and spirit. The most famous squares in Split are: Pjaca or Folk Square, Fruit Square and Prokurative or Square of Republic, … In every Split square you can see various works of art, sculptures and monuments. And the famous split “susur” – an indispensable item for every square.
RIVA:
Today’s form of Split’s Riva began to take its shape before the 2nd century. Today Riva is the most popular Split’s gathering place. It is an ideal place to chat with friends or having coffee in the sun. It is an important spot for all its citizens.
The coast is the most vivid during Sudamja, the feast of St. Duje. Advent in Split is also getting more popular in the last couple of years with most of the events taking place on Riva.
MATEJUSKA was a fishing port for many years and it is a popular meeting spot for young people of Split. The song, the scent and the sounds of the sea and the roasted fish, are the main items of Matejuska. Today, Matejuska is full of boats and fishing advices can always be heard. Everything oozes of fishing history and tradition. It is also famous for the story of two lovers, Roko and Cicibela, poor fishing couple who lived in a fishing boat feeding by the sea and love.
Among many Split museums, the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments and the Mestrovic Gallery are of great importance.
Among the most significant of Split’s sights is the Marjan hill. Marjan is protected forest park and a favorite destination for day trips.
ACCOMMODATION OFFER IN SPLIT:
As a large city, Split has a large number of accommodation facilities. From private apartments, villas, holiday homes and all the luxury hotels that operate by franchise,…
The offer is versatile and flexible, adjusted to the individual wishes of each guest.
The most important items of accommodation units in Split are hotels.. In a small area you can find several different types of hotels. Among the visitors the most popular are high category hotels. The most famous are: Le Méridien Lav (Podstrana) *, Radisson Blu Resort ****, Hotel Jupiter ****, Hotel Globo **** Hotel Cornaro ****, Atrium Hotel Split *****, Hotel Park ****
For more information and eventual inquiries about individual objects, contact us! We are at your service. 🙂
GASTRONOMY:
Split has also a rich gastronomy Mediterranean cousine. It is difficult to avoid wine, olive oil, fish, …
The gastronomic offer in Split will stimulate your palate.
Split menu starts with an aperitif that is homemade schnapps. After the aperitif you can enjoy dalmatian prsut, salted sardines, fish, lamb, pasticada. The choice is yours. You won’t have to keep your throat dry as there are many high quality red and white wines.
At the end of the meal, typical Dalmatian desserts are at your service. The most famous are fritule (deep-fried pastry), paradizot or rozata (similar to pudding).
The offer is never ending so you can be sure that you won’t be hungry! 🙂
Taking all this into consideration, it is evident that Split is one big love story about culture, top gastronomy and wine. The story that is more than the 17 centuries old, lasts even today.
Split is a city with a soul. It offers something to everyone. From peaceful walks for the lovers to the warm family gatherings and all the crazy outings for the young.
With its cheerful spirit and the famous Split state of mind, Split conquers. It even melts the hearts of the most demanding guests. Provides to everyone little oasis of peace and tranquility. Although it is a tourist destination, everyone feels like home in Split.