Split, Croatia

Friday, May 9

Split is unlike any city we've ever visited.  The main attraction, Diocletian's Palace, is neither museum nor ruin, but rather the core of the city.  People live within the walls of the ancient palace, the Emperor's hallways are the streets of today's city, and shops and hotels occupy the structures of the city built by the Romans, "modernized" in the Middle Ages, embellished by the Venetians in the 17th century, and alive and real in the 21st.

The Roman Emperor Diocletian retired here to his homeland in the early 4th century and built himself a massive seaside palace.  It may have been his idea of downsizing, but surely no one else's .  Today, it's a sprawling warren of narrow lanes, open squares, and buildings from every era from 305 to the present -- home sweet home!  We took a walking tour with a local guide this morning, and she truly made the history of her city come alive.  With her guidance, we were able to see how the current old city took shape over the millennia, beginning with the quarrying of the limestone that formed the Romans' building blocks on Brac Island, which we could clearly see offshore, and carrying on to its current status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and membership in the EU.  We were fascinated to see how the "modern" palaces of the Middle Ages and Renaissance encroached on the original wide Roman roads within the palace walls.  An informed peek into modern bank and retail shop windows revealed the original paving stones, sewer drains, and pillars of the Roman roads of 305 A.D. preserved among the tellers' windows and racks of fashionable clothing.  Our tour was a perfect introduction to the many layers of this city.

Two years ago, a referendum was held and Croatians voted to join the EU, an outcome not universally endorsed.  Higher prices for many goods and services have ensued, and the increased value of real estate within the palace walls has meant that many, whose families have lived in the old city for centuries, are selling their homes for high prices, rather than bear the unaffordable costs of renovation.  Interestingly, according to the EU, any who do remain are permitted to use archeological remnants -- columns, sculpture, decorative motifs, fragments of reliefs, etc.-- as furniture or for exterior or interior decoration for their homes; the items may not be sold or moved beyond the palace walls.  We saw a fenced-in area  that I can only describe as an open-air lending library of local antiquities!

After the tour, we visited Diocletian's mausoleum, seized by the Christians a century after his death and converted into a cathedral, the crypt, and the  Romans' former Temple of Jupiter, later the Christians' baptistry, all perfectly preserved, before heading for the Riva and a seaside lunch.  

Thus fortified, we headed up to the Marjan, Split's "green lungs", a forested hill overlooking the city.  We climbed up through the narrow streets of an old, seaside part of the city to reach wonderful vistas of the city, coast, ferries, white sailboats on navy blue waters, and offshore islands.  We continued even farther, until we reached the first of a series of tiny stone churches and hermits' caves built into the Marjan hillside.  

That was far enough for us and, after Mel rang the church bell, we headed back down to sea level, where Tom took photos from a pier and Mel waited in the shade, along with the local men enjoying their afternoon pivo (beer) which, by the way, can be purchased in 2-liter plastic bottles-- just like soft drinks!  

We capped off the afternoon with an old town wander, a climb to St. Martin's chapel, Europe's narrowest church, built in the 5th century in the Praetorian guards' passageway above the main gate of the palace, a look at the outdoor market stalls, and a gelato treat on the Riva.

Dinner tonight was excellent seafood on the terrace of a restaurant about just down the block on our little street.  Thank you, Trip Advisor!