Showing 1-12 of 12 results
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Arheološki Muzej
Although it's north of the town centre, the Archaeological Museum is worth the walk. The emphasis is on the Roman and early Christian period, with exhibits devoted to burial sculpture and excavations at Salona. The quality of the sculpture is high, and there are interesting reliefs based on Illyrian mythical figures. There's also jewellery, ceramics and coins on display.
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Cathedral of St Domnius Belfry
This Romanesque belfry was constructed between the 12th and 16th centuries and reconstructed in 1908 after it collapsed. Notice the two lion figures at the foot of the belfry and the Egyptian black-granite sphinx dating from the 15th century BC on the right wall.
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Diocletian's Palace
Facing onto the harbour, Diocletian's Palace is one of the most imposing Roman ruins in existence. Although the original structure was modified in the Middle Ages, the alterations have only served to increase the allure of this fascinating site. Far from being a museum, the 220 buildings within the palace boundaries are home to about 3000 people.
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Ethnographic Museum
In the centre of town is the mildly interesting Ethnographic Museum, which has a collection of photos of old Split, traditional costumes and memorabilia of important citizens. Captions are in Croatian.
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Gregorius of Nin Statue
An imposing statue of the 10th-century Croatian bishop who fought for the right to use old Croatian in liturgical services. Sculpted by Ivan Meštrović, this powerful work is one of the defining images of Split. Notice that his left big toe has been polished to a shine. It's said that touching it brings good luck. To the west of the statue is the well-preserved corner tower of the palace.
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Meštrović Gallery
Split's finest art museum is the Meštrović Gallery. You'll see a comprehensive, well-arranged collection of works by Ivan Meštrović, Croatia's premier modern sculptor, who built the gallery as a personal residence in 1931-39. Although Meštrović intended to retire here, he emigrated to the USA soon after WWII.
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Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments
The Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments concentrates on medieval Croatian rulers, with inscribed stone fragments, parts of altars and furniture, late medieval tombstones, swords and jewellery. Captions are in Croatian, however, which makes it difficult to identify the exhibits.
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Papalić Palace
The Papalić Palace comes complete with a courtyard, loggia and external staircase. Built by Dalmatinac for one of the many noblemen who lived within the palace in the Middle Ages, it is considered a fine example of late-Gothic style with an elaborately carved entrance gate that proclaimed the importance of its original inhabitants. The exterior of the palace is closer to its original state than the interior, which has been thoroughly restored to house the Town Museum.
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Peristyle
Peristyle is the ceremonial entrance court to the imperial quarters, measuring 35m by 13m and three steps below the level of the surrounding streets. The longer side is lined by six granite columns, linked by arches and decorated with a stone frieze. The southern side of the Peristyle is enclosed by the Protiron, which is the entrance into the imperial quarters. The square has an outdoor café and the ancient stones provide handy seats to relax and people-watch in this popular meeting place.
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St Benedict Church
Here are the remains of the pre-Romanesque church of St Benedict with the 15th-century Chapel of Arnir. Peer through the protective glass and you'll see the altar slab and altar sarcophagus carved by the early Renaissance master Juraj Dalmatinac.
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Temple of Jupiter
At the end of the street Kraj Sveti Ivana is the Temple of Jupiter, later converted into a baptistry. The temple once had a porch supported by columns, but the one column you see dates from the 5th century. The headless sphinx in black granite guarding the entrance was imported from Egypt at the time of the temple's construction in the 5th century. The walls of the temple support a barrel-vaulted ceiling and there's a decorative frieze around the other three walls. Below the temple is a crypt, which was once used as a church.
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Town Museum
Town Museum. Captions are in Croatian, but wall panels in a variety of languages provide a historical framework for the exhibits. The museum has three floors, with drawings, heraldic coats of arms, 17th-century weaponry, fine furniture, coins and documents from as far back as the 14th century.
Showing 1-12 of 12 results
