Diocletian Palace in Split Croatia

Diocletian Palace in Split Croatia

Diocletian Palace, known as a huge roman complex in Split, is one of the best preserved roman buildings from the late antiquity.

As a local from Split (Croatia), I walked its streets million times. Diocletian Palace, located in town center was always the most interesting part of it. Starting from my childhood, this wonderful building drew my attention. Therefore, I explored it for a long time. Consequently, this palace made me fall in love in history.

Who built the Diocletian Palace in Split Croatia and why?

Roman emperor Diocletian built this palace between 295 A.D. and 305 A.D. Diocletian was one of the most successful roman rulers. He ascended the throne of Rome in 284 A.D. and ruled the empire for 21 years. 10 years before he abdicated (which was really rare for the Roman Empire), construction works on his palace in Split began. Diocletian selected a very nice location, in a beautiful scenic bay between Marjan and Gripe hills.

How long did the construction work on the palace last and who worked on it? 

Construction work on the palace lasted for 10 years (between 295 A.D. and 305 A.D.). Mostly local craftsmen and workers were building it. However, in the palace we have established that two Greek stone masons carved in their names above the north gate. Their names were Zotikos and Filotas. Right next to their names they carved a symbol of fish. Greek word for fish is Ichthys. Therefore we think these masons were Christians.

Once you get to Croatia, don’t hesitate, come and visit this magnificent place! Also, you can find more information about Diocletian Palace on my blog. As much as this is an intro to the exploration of Split, I still recommend to you to take a guided tour that will reveal some other secrets of this magnificent place. If you have some questions – please feel free to drop them in the comments section.
I hope you have enjoyed this article, until the next time!