You can enjoy the rich legacy of the Roman Empire not only in the area of today’s Italy. As you know, the ancient Romans left their mark on the history of almost all European cities, including the Balkans.

In the scenic heart of the fabulous Adriatic coast in the historic center of the well-known Croatian city of Split, a whole palatial complex of the legendary Roman emperor Diocletian has survived to this day. The location of the construction site for the exuberant ancient palace was no accident because the future emperor was born in a place then called Salona, just a few kilometers from Split. Today, archaeological excavations are still being held within the area of the ancient town of Solin. What reveals itself to the eyes of tourists blows them away.

Despite his love and attachment to his hometown, Diocletian decided to build a palace in the larger Split nearby. Unfortunately, building the monumental palace took too long, and the emperor didn’t live long enough to enjoy the luxurious life within its walls. His successors also didn’t make the magnificent palace their permanent imperial residence, only occasionally visited it, residing primarily in the Dalmatian capital.

Founded in the third century, Diocletian’s Palace is considered the best-preserved landmark of the palatial architecture of the Roman Empire. Three-hectares large and rectangularly shaped, it resembles the military camps of the Roman legions. A mighty rampart up to 20 meters high surrounded it, intermitted with 15 observation towers, three of which have been perfectly preserved.

Inside the fortress walls were the emperor’s chambers, a ceremonial hall, an imperial mausoleum, and three temples dedicated to Jupiter, Venus, and Cybele.

Much of the palace got destroyed, and the former imperial mausoleum was rebuilt into the majestic Saint Domnius Cathedral. Of the three Roman shrines, only the Temple of Jupiter survived.

Today, Diocletian’s Palace is open to the public. The cathedral is the primary Catholic shrine of the city, and the ancient stone church was long rebuilt into a baptistery, where you can see the tombs of the former archbishops of Split. Besides, the Split city and heritage museums house their collections within the premises of the old palace. You should definitely drop in to see the ancient artifacts discovered during the excavations.