Split Walking Tour: A Self-Guided Experience
Self-Guided Walking Tour
Stop 1: The first stop on your walking tour of Split is the Golden Gate. This is the northern gate of the palace and is the largest of the four gates along with being the most extravagant. This indicates that it was the main entrance gate used by the Emperor, also with its proximity to the road. Small churches were built over each gate in the 6th century, with the only remaining one over the Golden Gate.
Stop 2: The Silver Gate is located on the eastern side of Diocletian’s Palace. This gate has less decorative features than the Golden Gate, as it was designed with more defensive features with an inner and outer door. The gate was closed off for a period until the 1950s where it was restored. The story for this gate continues as it was the entrance used by Pope John Paul II when he visited Split in 2000.
Stop 3: The original structure of St Domnius Cathedral was built in the 4th century, originally designed as a mausoleum for Diocletian. In the 7th century it was remodeled into a cathedral and named for the patron saint of Split, Saint Domnius. During Diocletian's persecutions of the Christians, Domnius the local bishop was beheaded just outside of Split in Solana (Now known as Solin), the year before the original structure was built. Talk about irony.
Stop 4: Peristil Square was created as a courtyard where Diocletian could deliver speeches and have his subjects visit and worship him. Throughout the years the courtyard has been utilised for its acoustics, by holding various theatre performances. In the evenings, Peristil Square comes alive hemmed with restaurants and musicians, and the middle of the courtyard becoming a dance floor.
