The Golden Gate, or Porta Aurea, is one of the main entrances on the eastern half of the Split city walls. In front of the door is a huge statue of Grgur Ninski which has become an emblem of the city. Residents touch his toe for good luck. The entire old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and there are four entrances to the palace. But you're not entering a ruin: this is the way into the old city, and what was once an exclusive palace is today lived in by ordinary citizens. A wonderful example of living history.
It is the part that starts next to the peristyle of Diocletian's Palace, in the center of the town of Split.It is very well preserved, with Romanesque arches, and now hosts a market of souvenirs and local products. Diocletian's apartments were just above this structure. They tried to fill this part with cement to cover it, but protection agencies landmarks saved it and now it is a lovely place that combines history with modernity. With the shape of the arches, we realize we were above the flat spaces of the emperor. The rest, you already know. The typical souvenir market with postcards, sunglasses, useless objects, some with white stone from the region itself is beautiful, and that the early morning till late.
The eastern gate of Diocletian's palace, which is called the Silver Gate, was a tribute to Saint Apollinaris, a saint who was around at the beginning of Christianity throughout the Mediterranean region. The imperial palace was converted, during the late antiquity, probably during the 6th Century, into a church where St. Apollinaris supposedly protected, with his fantastic powers, the city from invasions, and people entering the palace grounds. A part of the walls and the door were incorporated into the structures of the different buildings around. This was the case for example of the Church of the Holy Innocents, which was later destroyed during the Second World War. Through the silver door, we enter the heart of the palace, towards the mausoleum, the peristyle and the underground, the ancient public baths of the city. On the other side of the door there was a vegetable market. It is not accessible if you come on public transport or car, when visiting you have to go through the gateway to enter.
The city of Trogir is also the former palace of the governors. Trogir is a city that was very well known for business when it was part of the Venetian empire. Located on the Adriatic coast, it was one of the most important trading ports in the region. Today, as a beautiful medieval city, it is a UNESCO world heritage site. The town hall is located in the same small square as the beautiful church of St Lovro, or San Lorenzo. The old building holds many official ceremonies. The sculptures on the walls represent the ancient rulers of the region and the lion is the symbol of defense for the city. It was built in the fifteenth century. The part you see on the outside is called the loggia, was also the meeting point for the inhabitants of the city to make decisions about events that affected them.
The Gothic-style Old Town Hall is located in Narodni Square outside the walls of Diocletian's Palace. It is the only remaining part of a complex that was destroyed in 1825, which once included the Rector's Palace, the theater and the city jail. The building was renovated in the neo-Gothic style in 1890. Between 1910 and 2005, it housed the ethnographic museum, but today the palace is used for temporary exhibitions of works by the city's painters, as well as events. It's a three-story building and, in the days when it housed the town hall, the highest levels were given over to administration.
At the end of the sixteenth century, trade and political relations between the Venetians and Turks settled down so Split became an important business center for Muslims who had no access to the sea. Daniel Rodrigo, a Spanish-born Jewish businessman, started the project to construct these warehouses, where weapons, spices and products from across the Venetian territory and the world were stored. Marco Polo was born near Split, on the island of Korcula, so you can see how important the city was. Here customs, banks, shops and quarantine buildings were also constructed. Today they have become jewellery and souvenir shops.
The Camerlengo fortress at the end of the tiny island on which houses the medieval part of Trogir, a lovely city named a UNESCO world heritage site. The fort was constructed between the year 1420 and the year 1437 by the Venetians. Its purpose was to protect the city, then named Trau in Italian, it was part of the Venetian Empire, where many forts were constructed, including this one. The Camerlengo, or Chamberlain, is a court official character of the Pope. It is responsible to manage the wealth , to ensure that taxes fall as they should, that the properties of the church are kept and used in an efficient manner. During this time, the Republic of Venice arrived for the entire Adriatic coast, Split. Catholic Christians, this fortress was constructed as the residence of its religious administrator.