SPLIT AND ITS MONUMENTS

Split is the economic and traffic center of Dalmatia. as well as a University seat with numerous cultural and scientific institutions. With its 189 388 inhabitants (1991), Split is the largest city of the Croatian pan of the East Adriatic Coast. The Diocletian's Palace with the historic center, has been established by the U.N.E.S.C.C.O. as part of the World cultural patrimony. The site of present-day Split was settled from times immemorial. Between 295 and 305 the emperor Diocletian built a magnificent palace here, in which he ended his days. With the passage of time, the palace became the core of a new city. Its growth was particularly rapid in the 7C, when the inhabitants of the destroyed Roman metropolis Salonae (present-day Solin), took refuged inside its walls. In the Middle Ages Split had the status of autonomous commune while its archbishop held the position of the parnas of Dalmatia' and Croatia. Only the walls, gates and tower of the ancient palace survived. Its cellars of various forms repeat the arrangement of imperial premisses built above. The central area inside the palace, the Peristyle, became the Cathedral square, while the Emperor's Mausoleum was converted into the Cathedral devoted to St. Domnius' (Sv. Duje) and St. Anastasius, two saints martyred at Diocletian's time, whose tombs it still contains. Outside the Cathedal the visitor may admire an authentic Egyptian Sphinx. Towering high above the stone staircase that accesses the Cathedral, is a belfry built in the Romanesque style of the 13/14C. The 12C carved Cathedral doors, with scenes from Christ's life, were decorated by Master Bmrina. Inside, of outstanding interest are two chapels with tombs: the early Christian tomb in the form of sarcophagus, belonging to St. Domnius and vaulted by stone canopylike structure with the statues made in 1427 by Bonino from Milan: the tomb of St. Anastasius, ornamented with reliefs and statues, carved in 1448 by Juraj Dalmatinac. The pulpit with its decorated capitals goes down to the 13C. From the same century are also the wooden choir stalls. The Sacristy contains many valuable works of art. The most outstanding attraction of the collection is a Gospel from the 7C. It is supposed that it was brought here by the fugitives from the destroyed Salonae. The Roman Temple located west of the Peristyle was later converted into the Baptistery whose baptismal font is made of large decrated slabs. It is considered that one of them features a Croatian king. In early Christian period parts of the corridors topping the city walls were converted into churches. One of them is St. Martin, nesting above the northern city gate (the so called Golden Gate) and the other is St. Theodore (Our Lady of the Companile), recessed into a passage in the vicinity of the western gate (Iron Gate).

Many of the town's historical buildings now accommodate museums and galleries. The 15C Papalic Palace, whose masonry, like that of many other palacces in the town, reveals Roman, pre-Romanesque and Romanesque layers, houses the City Museum. The Etnographic Museum is in the former Prince's Palace in the main square, in the new part of the city which spread beyond the palace walls. The Archeological Museum, the oldest of that kind in Croatia, contains many valuable ancient relics and monuments, mainly antiquities from Salonae. The paintings and sculptures exhibited at the An Gallery of Split illustrate the history of modern art in Dalmatia. The Museum of Croatian Archeological Monuments is placed on the southern slopes of Mount Marjan, celebrated in song. Standing nearby is Mestrovic Gallery with the works of the great Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic (1883-1962).

Owing to its very geographical position, astride the important traffic routes leading inland and along the coast, Split is a busy port, with train connections, an international airport and regular ferry services with the nearby islands, the north and south Adriatic, Italy and Greece. The merchant and passenger ships of the Split shipowner may be encountered in almost all the seas of the world. Renown for its shipbuilding industry and metallurgy, the city also has large chemical works and, recently, workshops for the production of solar cells. The local construction firms work on building-sites all around the world. The fertile fields in the city surroundings represent a good base for agriculture, while cultural monuments, superb landscapes and seascapes make it an ideal tourist center. The scientific institutions seated in the town have achieved remarkable results in the research and protection of cultural patrimony and natural environment, particularly oceanography. Studied are also Mediterranean field crops. The construction industry is closely connected with scientific-design activity. Split is a festival center. Staged every summer in the historical settings of the city are music and drama performances of the Split Summer Festival.

The most popular sports are football, water-polo, basketball, tennis and all water-sports. Split was the host of three great international sports events: The Mediterranean Sport Games (MIS 79) in 1979. the European Swimming Championships (PEP 81) and the European Athletics Cahmpionships (PEA 90).

Split is the seat of the Split-Dalmatian county, which includes 10 towns (Hvar, Kastela, rmotski, Makarska. Omis, Sinj, Solin, Split. Trogir, Vis) and 36 districts.