1/2/11 Split

Our guide, Domnir, talks about the picture of Diocletian's Palace

This morning we got a formal tour of Diocletian’s Palace—really his retirement home for 10 years after he abdicated to relax. The original building fronted on the sea, which was filled in by the Venetian’s much  later, and actually the front 20% was built out over the water to provide kind of an emergency exit. Once the area was filled in, the underground piece became forgotten til someone accidentally broke thru from an upper level and started using the lower level as a garbage pit – for HUNDREDS of years. It is only in the mid 1900s that this area has started to be excavated and we entered the palace through this ‘basement’ section. 

Cathetral/Mausoleum topped by an elaborate bell tower

We went into a TEENSY cathedral that had started out as Diocletian’s mausoleum and was later converted to a church. Considering that he executed his wife and daughter for converting to Christianity (early 300’s), this is a  highly ironic disposition for his tomb.

View of Split from the hill we walked up. Tower in right center is the same as above.

We walked along the Riva (seaside walk) and headed up a broad stairs to the Church of St. Nickolas which provided a nice high view of the old city. We decided to keep going out toward the end of the point of land and walked there and back in a couple hours. We had a great view of a mostly cloudy sun setting and a bunch of islands as well as the barrier mountain range that marks the western edge of Croatia.

After dinner, we had a youth group come and perform local music and three styles of local dances. The music was very repetitive, but well-performed and the dancers were impressive.