Cathedral of St. Domnius, Split (must see)
It was the year 305. Roman emperor Diocletian had persecuted a lot of Christians and like-minded dissidents in his Imperial tour of duty. Now it was time to retire to his native land of Dalmatia and raise vegetables. As the vegetables were growing, he built a mausoleum. His final resting place was in the center of Split. But he would not rest there forever.
By the seventh century the Cathedral of Saint Domnius was consecrated. The Cathedral was in fact the Mausoleum of Diocletian. Those darn Christians finally got him. The Cathedral is a cluster of ad-ons that have changed little over the years. The former Mausoleum is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The bell tower, added in 1100, is dedicated to Saint Domnius.
Saint Domnius is the patron saint of Split. He was the Bishop of Salona, a Roman city and capital of Dalmatia. He was born in Antioch and he was beheaded, along with seven other Christians, in 304. Ironically, he died one year before Diocletian retired.
Diocletian was a soldier. Naturally his retirement home was a Roman army camp. There was an East-West road (decumanus) and a North-South road (cardo maximus). Those roads remain in Split today. At the intersection of the roads is a great peristyle which grants access from the east to the Cathedral of Saint Domnius.
The Cathedral evolved through three stages. Diocletian's Mausolem, the central part of the cathedral, dates from the end of the third century. It is composed of white marble, limestone, and brick. In the seventh century a choir was added to the mausoleum. Finally the bell tower was erected in 1100. There was further rebuilding in 1908.
Within the Church there are relics and art treasures. Found here is the 13th century panel Painting, Madonna and Child. There are reliquaries, chalices and vestments from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The library includes the Book of gospels (6th century), Kartularium from Sumpetar (11th century) and the Historia Salanitana (13th century).
Why You Should Visit:
To take in the ancient, medieval and modern Split all in one place.
By the seventh century the Cathedral of Saint Domnius was consecrated. The Cathedral was in fact the Mausoleum of Diocletian. Those darn Christians finally got him. The Cathedral is a cluster of ad-ons that have changed little over the years. The former Mausoleum is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The bell tower, added in 1100, is dedicated to Saint Domnius.
Saint Domnius is the patron saint of Split. He was the Bishop of Salona, a Roman city and capital of Dalmatia. He was born in Antioch and he was beheaded, along with seven other Christians, in 304. Ironically, he died one year before Diocletian retired.
Diocletian was a soldier. Naturally his retirement home was a Roman army camp. There was an East-West road (decumanus) and a North-South road (cardo maximus). Those roads remain in Split today. At the intersection of the roads is a great peristyle which grants access from the east to the Cathedral of Saint Domnius.
The Cathedral evolved through three stages. Diocletian's Mausolem, the central part of the cathedral, dates from the end of the third century. It is composed of white marble, limestone, and brick. In the seventh century a choir was added to the mausoleum. Finally the bell tower was erected in 1100. There was further rebuilding in 1908.
Within the Church there are relics and art treasures. Found here is the 13th century panel Painting, Madonna and Child. There are reliquaries, chalices and vestments from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The library includes the Book of gospels (6th century), Kartularium from Sumpetar (11th century) and the Historia Salanitana (13th century).
Why You Should Visit:
To take in the ancient, medieval and modern Split all in one place.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Split. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51±¬ÁÏÍø: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Cathedral of St. Domnius on Map
Sight Name: Cathedral of St. Domnius
Sight Location: Split, Croatia (See walking tours in Split)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Split, Croatia (See walking tours in Split)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Split, Croatia
Create Your Own Walk in Split
Creating your own self-guided walk in Split is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Marjan Hill Walking Tour
Marjan Hill is a picturesque natural wonder – a unique landform – located on the Split peninsula in Croatia. The majestic hill (or the low mountain, if you like) is surrounded by the sea and the city, and represents the green oasis ideal for walks, excursions, and rock climbing. Visitors to the area are greeted with a plethora of sights catering to various interests and equally enjoyed by... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Diocletian Palace Tour
One of the best preserved monuments of the Roman architecture in the world, Diocletian's Palace was built for the Emperor Diocletian, at the turn of the 4th century AD, as his retirement home. Massive and resembling a fortress rather, it represents a combination of a luxury villa and a military garrison, and is divided into four parts by two main streets. Integral of the historic core of... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.6 Km or 0.4 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.6 Km or 0.4 Miles
Split Introduction Walking Tour
Split is the largest city in Dalmatia. It is a regional transport center, a tourist magnet, and the ancient dacha of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Like most other cities of the Mediterranean, it started out as a Greek colony. The original name was Aspalatos.
Supposedly, the city owes its name to the word for "spiny broom." Which spiny broom is not clear, but history has many such... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Supposedly, the city owes its name to the word for "spiny broom." Which spiny broom is not clear, but history has many such... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles