Diocletian's Palace is the heart of the ancient city of Split, located in Croatia. It survived Rome, was forgotten with the arrival of Christians, and was revived again in the 18th century. Now it is an architectural monument of world significance.
The story of the emperor and his palace
Emperor Diocletian was born and spent his childhood and youth in Dalmatia, one of the provinces in present-day Croatia. His love for this region remained with the ruler of the Roman Empire until the end of his days.
Diocletian did a lot during his reign. He pulled the empire out of the systemic crisis that began after the interruption of the previous imperial dynasty. He stopped the disintegration of the empire and strengthened the position of individual provinces. Repelled the raids of the Sarmatians and Saracens on the border regions.
But besides unambiguously good deeds, Diocletian committed a lot of bad. On his conscience persecution of Christians, which sharply increased during his reign. By harsh measures he strengthened the imperial power. He considered himself the vicar of Jupiter and above all laws. Any, even formal, sharing of power with the Senate was out of the question.
In 293 AD, the emperor divided the Roman Empire into four parts. He himself became ruler of the provinces in the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor. The remaining parts were divided between co-emperors. In this way the efficiency of the administration of the provinces was increased.
Diocletian made his hometown of Salona, modern Split in Croatia, his capital. In 295 the construction of a magnificent imperial palace began, which lasted 10 years.
For the subjects, the emperor's residence was to be the embodiment of divine authority, power and majesty. The construction of the palace was completed in 305 A.D. It coincided with Diocletian's voluntary renunciation of power. According to legend, when his friends came to ask him to return to Rome and become emperor again, the former ruler of the empire replied, "If you had seen what cabbage I had grown, you would not pester me with such nonsense.
After his abdication, Diocletian lived in Salon. He did not participate in the political life of the empire, nor did he visit Rome, but simply grew vegetables and fruit. After Diocletian's death in 311 AD, the palace turned into a fortress. The inhabitants of Salona and the surrounding villages began to move here. The walls of the fortress reliably protected people from barbarian raids. In the face of external threats, the inner chambers were thoroughly rebuilt and adapted for defence.
Over time, the number of people living on the territory of the ensemble increased. The former residence of the emperor became a small town Split. And by the 14th century people could no longer fit within its walls. The city grew and went beyond the fortress.
The Catholic Church, which came to power, frankly did not like pagan history, did not like ancient Rome. And especially did not like such a cruel persecutor of Christians, which was Diocletian. That is why they preferred to forget about the fact that an ancient Roman emperor once lived on the territory of the Catholic city. The ensemble of buildings decrepit and destroyed.
But in the 18th century everything changed. In 1764, English architect Robert Adam published the first images and description of the complex. From this moment begins the story of the revival of the ancient residence of the emperor.
Nowadays the palace ensemble of the emperor occupies a place of honour in the historical centre of Split. It houses residential buildings, shops, cafes, and souvenir shops. In 1979, Diocletian's Palace became a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.
Architecture and interior decoration
Photo: Fred Romero. Source: Wikipedia
Diocletian was a legionary in his youth. Therefore, his palace looks like a Roman military camp. Rectangular in shape, with an area of 3 hectares, this complex contained everything necessary for life: palace buildings, residential buildings, and thermae.
The perimeter of the palace was surrounded by white walls built of crystallised limestone. The fortifications were 18 to 25 metres high. There was a tower at each corner. There were two more towers near each gate.
From the south, the sea served as an additional defence line. A gallery was built at the top of the neighbouring wall. The emperor liked to walk along it on sunny days and breathe the fresh sea air.
Four gates led to the palace: Golden, Silver, Iron and Bronze. The Golden Gate was the main gate and connected the palace with the city of Salona. Only the emperor himself and members of his family could pass through them. They were located on the northern wall of the complex. The Silver Gate led to the central square. Now they are destroyed, and only the remains of towers nearby remind us of the passage to the palace between them.
The Iron Gate has preserved its original appearance better than all the others. They are located on the western wall. They were topped by a statue of the goddess of victory Niki. Now it has been replaced by a Catholic cross. The bronze gate is considered one of the most elegant in all of Croatia and overlooks the Split seafront.
Temples occupied a special place in the life of the ancient Romans. In Diocletian's complex there were three of them: the temple of Jupiter, Venus and Cybele. Only the temple of Jupiter has survived to our days. It is one of the few temples of the Roman Empire on the territory of Croatia. Today it has been converted into a baptistery.
In the centre of the palace there was a peristyle - an open square between the columns arranged on the sides, covered by porticoes. This was the place of solemn processions, festivities.
The two main streets of the complex meet near the Mausoleum of Diocletian. This is the very heart of the palace. The emperor's tombstone was meant to show that a demigod rested here. The mausoleum is built of local bricks. Limestone, the main material for making bricks, was mined from the nearby rivers. Sphinxes and columns were brought from Egypt especially for the mausoleum.
Not far from the peristyle is the vestibule, a special tower with a hall that led to the inner chambers. Crowning the lobby is a huge dome, which until 1960 was considered the highest in the world. The ornamentation decorating the vault still impresses tourists with its unique beauty and scope.
The palace dungeons complete the ensemble. Originally they were intended for the emperor's residence. But because of the constant high humidity it was impossible to live here. Food warehouses and household premises were located here. In one of the halls of the dungeon even preserved an ancient press for the production of wine and oil.
The current state of the palace
Diocletian's Palace in Split is one of the best preserved architectural monuments from Roman times. But for more than 1,500 years it has been subjected to destruction and rebuilding. Most noticeable is the influence of the Christians.
Thus, Diocletian's mausoleum was turned into the Cathedral of St Duim, or Split Cathedral. The temple of Jupiter became a baptistery. Crowds of tourists roam the peristyle courtyard. Souvenir sellers beckon their customers. Various exhibitions are held in the dungeons.
Diocletian's Palace in Split is one of the most famous architectural monuments in Croatia. Tourists from many countries in Europe come to see the wonders of ancient Roman art. There is an active cultural life here - various exhibitions, theatre and film festivals are held. But the former residence of the emperor continues to be used for its intended purpose: people live on its territory and children go to school. Life in the palace continues. And so, the life of the palace itself continues.
