Split, Croatia
I love European cities, big and small, famous and the “not so famous”.
European cities have a flair unlike any cities in North America. Not only do they have thousands of years of history, they have a certain class of “having been there” for a very long time, a certain maturity.
What is it about Split, Croatia that caught not only my eyes but my heart? And where is this place anyway?
Last June I spend three weeks traveling throughCroatiaandMontenegro. Everybody was talking about Dubrovnik, which is indeed a magnificent fortress town. Our self made itinerary meant a stop in the coastal town ofSplitlocated at the north end of the peninsula on the Dalmatian Coast.Split is the largest city on the Adriatic Sea and the second largest in Croatia.
Split is also one of the oldest cities in the area, just over 1700 years old. Splitwas initially an ancient Greek town part of the Aspalathos colony. The beginning of Splitis almost always associated with the construction of Diocletian’s palace. Who is Diocletian? A Roman Emperor and a great reformer of the Late Roman Empire. He decided to retire to his hometown ofSplit and built this humongous palace and gardens.
OK, a lot of towns in Europe have Roman ruins, why is this Palace so special?
Because the city of Split has incorporated the palace as part of their downtown and made it not only livable but accessible to all. 1500 people are permanent residents of the palace. These are not city officials or well-to-do jet setters, they are regular citizens who apply and rent a small apartment in the palace itself. The Old Town of Split and its palace is not only an extremely beautiful site, it is filled with small shops selling Croatian goods, no trinkets, it has lovely public plazas and squares filled with music, cafés and restaurants. Nothing in theOldTownis tacky; it thrives with businesses and people. The Palace sets the tone of downtown as well as the ocean.
A beautiful pedestrian promenade was built along the marina to accommodate both visitors and residents to stroll along the turquoise Adriatic, and enjoy both the sites and activities theOldTownhas to offer. Every aspects ofSplit’s downtown are pleasing. The new modern skyscrapers are located above theOldTownup on the mountains overlooking the sea and the OldTown.
The mix of the old and the new has made Split one of my favourite European cities. The site of the town is breathtaking; the ancient buildings are well preserved and are not considered “closed museums”, they are simply part of the history of the town. The modern flair is also appealing and gives you this sense of being able to stroll by the sea, yet enjoy an active life just beyond the walls of the OldTown.Splitis not only pleasing to the eyes but it wants to bring you in and around. Another visit is a “must”.
Split is indeed a fascinating place. One of the most fascinating things about it is that, although the palace fell into disuse, the inhabitants of the city moved into what remained of it and turned into into their homes, workshops, etc. So that picture you took, Nycole, not only shows present-day hotels and cafes; it is also showing the walls of Diocletian’s ancient palace, which have been repurposed! Split is a good example of how cities, particularly those outside of the “New World”, consist in a layering of different eras of development. Sometimes the layering is obvious, like here, and sometimes it is more concealed (like in Belgrade, Serbia, which was destroyed so many times that the only remaining traces of the remote past are in the pattern of the streets in the old city.)
You can find a cool depiction of Diocletian’s palace here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SPLIT-Hebrard_overall_color_restitution.jpg