Diocletian`s palace

Roman emperor  Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus who voluntarily gave up the throne of the Roman Empire, in the turn of the 4th century CE, ordered the construction of the heavily fortified compound in the Illyrian province of Rome, on the shores of the Adriatic, to settle after his retirement. The location of the palace was chosen because the Emperor spent his childhood in the town of Solin, which was located very close to the current Split. Considered to be one of the most impressive ruins of Roman architecture, Diocletian’s palace is certainly the main attraction of the city of Split. They represent the most valuable surviving buildings of the Roman era on the Adriatic coast. In the ancient palace you can find antiques, including three 3500 years old sphinxes, brought to Split from Egypt for the Emperor. The Roman fortress has become the old town of Split, with numerous shops, cafes and restaurants, located in the old buildings on narrow streets of the palace.

At nightfall, the marble and granite columns, topped by Corinthian capitals, are usually illuminated by colorful garlands, and the interiors of the palace are becoming a magical scene.

If we should describe Split in a sentence, we would choose Diocletians own words to his people:”If you could see where I am settled down, you would never ask me to come back”