Split (/splɪt/;[4][5]Croatian:[splît]ⓘ, seeother names) is thesecond-largest city ofCroatia after the capitalZagreb. It is the largest city inDalmatia, largest city on the Croatian coast, and the seat of theSplit-Dalmatia County. The Split metropolitan area is home to about 330,000 people.[6] It lies on the eastern shore of theAdriatic Sea and is spread over a central peninsula and its surroundings. An intraregional transport hub and popular tourist destination, the city is linked to theAdriatic islands and theApennine Peninsula. More than 1 million tourists visit it each year.[7]
The name Aspálathos or Spálathos may come from the spiny broom (Calicotome spinosa, ἀσπάλαθος in Greek),[8] although it is the related Spanish broom (Spartium junceum, σπάρτος) that is common in the area.
After theRoman conquest, the name becameSpalatum orAspalatum inLatin, which in theMiddle Ages evolved intoAspalathum,Spalathum,Spalatrum andSpalatro in theDalmatian language of the city'sRomance population. TheVenetian name,Spalato, became official underVenetian era, in international usage by theEarly Modern Period and is still the name of the city inItalian.[9] From the 10th century onwards, the local use wasSpaleto, from where, through a stage*Spəlētu- to*Splětъ, came theSouth Slavic forms: the ekavianSplet, ijekavianSpljet and ikavianSplit.[9] In the 19th century, following theIllyrian movement and its official recognition by theHabsburg Monarchy, theCroatian namesSplit andSpljet became increasingly prominent, beforeSplit officially replacedSpljet in 1910, by decision of the city council.[10]
Formerly, the name was thought to be related to Latinpalatium 'palace', a reference toDiocletian's Palace. Various theories were developed, such as the notion that the name derives fromS. Palatium, an abbreviation ofSalonae Palatium. The erroneous "palace" etymologies were notably due to Byzantine EmperorConstantine VII Porphyrogenitus, and were later mentioned byThomas the Archdeacon.[11] The city is several centuries older than the palace.
Although the beginnings of Split are traditionally associated with the construction ofDiocletian's Palace in 305, the city was founded several centuries earlier as theGreek colony ofAspálathos, orSpálathos. It was a colony of thepolis ofIssa, the modern-day town ofVis, itself a colony of theSicilian city ofSyracuse.[12] The exact year the city was founded is not known, but it is estimated to have been in the 3rd or 2nd century BC.[13] The Greek settlement lived off trade with the surroundingIllyrian tribes, mostly theDelmatae.[12]
After theIllyrian Wars of 229 and 219 BC, the city ofSalona, only a short distance from Spálathos, became the capital of the RomanProvince of Dalmatia and one of thelargest cities of the late empire with 60,000 people. The history of Spálathos becomes obscure for a while at this point, being overshadowed by that of nearby Salona, to which it would later become successor. TheRoman EmperorDiocletian (ruled AD 284–305) in 293 began the construction of an opulent and heavily fortified palace fronting the sea, near his home town of Salona, selecting the site of Spálathos (orSpalatum in Latin).[14][15] The Palace was built as a massive structure, much like a Roman military fortress. The palace and the city of Spalatum which formed its surroundings were at times inhabited by a population as large as 8,000 to 10,000 people.[16]
ThePannonian Avarssacked and destroyed Salona in 639; the surviving Romans fled to the nearby islands. The Dalmatian region and its shores were at this time settled by tribes ofCroats, aSouth Slavic people subservient to the Avar khagans.[17] The Salonitans regained the land under Severus the Great in 650 and settled the 300-year-old Palace of Diocletian, which could not be effectively besieged by the Slavic tribes of the mainland.[17] The EmperorConstans II granted them an Imperial mandate to establish themselves in the Palace as the City of Spalatum, which imposed upon the Croatian Slavs – at the time allies of Byzantium against the Avars – a cessation of hostilities.[17] TheTemple of Jupiter was rededicated to the Virgin Mary and the remains of the popularSaint Domnius were recovered from the ruins of Salona, later establishing theCathedral of Saint Domnius as new seat of theArchbishop of Salona.[17]
In 925,Tomislav'sKingdom of Croatia emerged in the hinterland of the city, centered inNin as an ally of Byzantium againstSimeon I of Bulgaria – though without receiving any power from the Emperor over the Dalmatian cities.[18] The rise of the rival Bishopric of Nin, headed byBishop Gregory, which attempted to institute the "Slavonic" or "Slavic language" as the language of religious service, led to the 925 Synod of Split, at which it was decreed that "no one should presume to celebrate the divine mysteries in the Slavonic language, but only in Latin and Greek, and that no one of that tongue should be advanced to the holy orders".
In 1100, thebell tower which became the main symbol of the city was constructed and dedicated to Saint Domnius, by then regarded as thepatron saint of the city.
Throughout the 9th and 10th centuries, Split was raided by theNarentines (a South Slavic confederation recognizing the King of Croatia as their sovereign). Therefore, the city offered its allegiance toVenice and in 998 theVenetian DogePietro II Orseolo, led a large naval expedition which defeated the Narentines the same year. After obtaining permission from EmperorBasil II in Constantinople, Orseolo proclaimed himself Duke of Dalmatia.In 1019, the Byzantine Empire restored direct control over Dalmatia. The title "Duke of Dalmatia" seems to have been dropped at this point by the Venetian doges. In 1069,Peter Krešimir IV,King of Croatia, gained control over Dalmatian islands and cities, including Split, and stretched his rule south toNeretva. The coastal cities retained autonomous administration and were still nominally under Byzantine Empire, but were now subjects of the Croatian king.[19][20][21]
In 1105,Coloman, King of Hungary, having conquered the Kingdom of Croatia, reneged on its alliance with Venice and moved on the coastal towns, besieging and taking Zadar. Split and Trogir decided then to surrender upon guarantee of their ancient privileges.[17]The rights granted to the city (and reaffirmed by new charters) were substantial. Split was to pay no tribute, it was to choose its own count and archbishop whom the king would confirm, it preserved its old Roman laws, and appointed its own judge. Dues from trade (which were substantial in the period), were divided between the count, the archbishop, and the king, and no foreigner was to live within the walls of the city against the will of the citizens. These rights were generally upheld by Hungarian kings, but there were inevitable incidents of violation.
After Coloman's death in 1116, the DogeOrdelafo Faliero returned fromOutremer and retook all the Dalmatian cities, and also, for the first time, the Croatian cities of coast such as Biograd andŠibenik. In 1117, he was defeated and killed in renewed battle with the Hungarians underStephen II of Hungary, and Split again acknowledged Hungarian rule. The new Doge,Domenico Michiel, quickly defeated the Hungarians again and restored Venetian authority by 1118. In 1124, while the Doge was engaged against the Byzantine Empire, now hostile to Venice, Stephen II recovered Split and Trogir without resistance. Upon Michele's return in 1127, the Doge yet again expelled the Hungarians from the two cities and utterly destroyed Biograd, the favored seat of the Croatian Kings that the Hungarians were attempting to establish as a rival to the Venetian Zadar.[17]
The cities remained in Venetian hands without contest during the reign ofBéla II but in 1141, his successor, KingGéza II, having conquered Bosnian lands, marched to Split and Trogir, both voluntarily accepting him as overlord. This turned out to be a definitive conquest, as Venetian rule was not to return to Split for another 186 years.
In that period, Split was to see one brief and final restoration of Imperial power in Dalmatia. The Byzantine EmperorManuel I Komnenos began his campaigns against the Kingdom of Croatia and Hungary in 1151, and by 1164, had secured the submission of the Dalmatian cities back under Imperial rule. Having won a decisive victory against Kingdom of Croatia and Hungary in 1167 at theBattle of Sirmium, consolidating his gains, the Emperor suddenly broke with Venice as well, and sent a fleet of 150 ships to the Adriatic. Split was to remain in Byzantine hands until Manuel's death in 1180, whenBéla III of Hungary moved torestore Hungarian power in Dalmatia. The city remained loyal to the Empire, resisting the re-establishment of Hungarian rule, and consequently, upon its inevitable submission, was punished with the King's refusal to renew its ancient privileges.[17]
The city's seaward walls in 1764 in an engraving by Robert Adam.
By this time, the population was largelyCroatian,[25] while RomanceDalmatian names were not as common,[26] according to the medieval city archives. The common language wasCroatian, but a variety of theVenetian language with someTuscan influences was also widely spoken byDalmatian Italiannotaries, school teachers, merchants, and officials.[27] The city's autonomy was greatly reduced: the highest authority was a prince and captain (conte e capitanio), assigned by Venice.[28]
Split eventually developed into a significant port-city, with important trade routes to theOttoman-held interior through the nearbyKlis pass. Culture flourished as well, Split being the hometown ofMarko Marulić, the Croatiannational poet. Marulić's most acclaimed work,Judita (1501), was an epic poem aboutJudith andHolofernes, widely held to be the first modern work ofCroatian literature. It was written in Split and printed in Venice in 1521.[29]
The advances and achievements were reserved mostly for thearistocracy: theilliteracy rate was extremely high, mostly because Venetian rule showed little interest in educational and medical facilities.[citation needed]
In 1809, after a brief war with France,Austria ceded Carinthia, Carniola, Croatia west of the Sava River, Gorizia and Trieste to France. These territories, along with Dalmatia, formed theIllyrian Provinces. During this period, large investments were undertaken in the city, new streets were built and parts of the ancient fortifications were removed.[32][33]Austria, with help from a British force led by CaptainWilliam Hoste, occupied Split in November 1813.[34] Following theCongress of Vienna in 1815, the city was officially ceded to Austria.[35]
TheRiva of Split in the 19th century, withMarjan hill in the background.City center and theRiva promenade from the slopes of Marjan in 1910.
The Split region became part of theKingdom of Dalmatia, a separate administrative unit. After therevolutions of 1848 as a result ofromantic nationalism, two factions appeared. One was the pro-CroatianUnionist faction (later called thePuntari, "Pointers"), led by thePeople's Party and, to a lesser extent, theParty of Rights, both of which advocated the union of Dalmatia with theKingdom of Croatia-Slavonia which was under Hungarian administration. This faction was strongest in Split, and used it as its headquarters. The other faction was the pro-ItalianAutonomist faction (also known as the "Irredentist" faction), whose political goals varied from autonomy within theAustro-Hungarian Empire, to a political union with theKingdom of Italy.
The political alliances in Split shifted over time. At first, the Unionists and Autonomists were allied against thecentralism ofVienna. After a while, when the national question came to prominence, they separated. Under Austria, Split generally stagnated. The great upheavals in Europe in 1848 gained no ground here, and the city did not rebel.
Antonio Bajamonti became Mayor of Split in 1860 and – except for a brief interruption during the period 1864–65 – held the post for over two decades until 1880. Bajamonti was also a member of theDalmatian Sabor (1861–91) and theAustrian Chamber of Deputies (1867–1870 and 1873–1879). In 1882 Bajamonti's party lost the elections andDujam Rendić-Miočević, a prominent city lawyer, was elected to the post.
In April 1941, following theinvasion of Yugoslavia byNazi Germany, Split was occupied by Italy. Although Split formally became part of theIndependent State of Croatia, theUstaše were not able to establish and strengthen their rule in Split, as Italians assumed all power in Dalmatia. One month later, on 18 May 1941, when theTreaties of Rome were signed, Italy formally annexed Split, which was included in theprovince of Spalato, and large parts of Dalmatia down toKotor.[36][37] The ItalianGovernatorate of Dalmatia hosted 390,000 inhabitants, of which 280,000 Croats, 90,000 Serbs and 5,000Dalmatian Italians.[38] Italian rule met heavy opposition from the Croat population as Split became a centre of anti-fascist sentiment in Yugoslavia. The first armed resistance group was organized on 7 May 1941 and the 63 member strong 1st Strike Detachment (Prvi udarni odred) served as the basis for future formations, including the1st Split Partisan Detachment.[39] Between September and October 1941 alone, ten officials of the Italian fascist occupation were assassinated by the citizens.[40] On 12 June 1942, a fascist mob attacked the city's synagogue, and destroyed its library and archive. Worshipers were beaten as they left the synagogue and Jewish-owned shops were targeted the following day.[41] The local football clubs refused to compete in the Italian championship;HNK Hajduk andRNK Split suspended their activities and both joined the Partisans along with their entire staff after the Italian capitulation provided the opportunity. Soon after Hajduk became the official football club of the Partisan movement.
In September 1943, following the capitulation of Italy,[38] the city was temporarily controlled by MarshalJosip Broz Tito's brigades with thousands of people volunteering to join thePartisans of Tito (a third of the total population, according to some sources). Eight thousand Italian soldiers from the15th Infantry Division Bergamo prepared to fight alongside the Yugoslav Partisans against theWaffen-SS "Prinz Eugen". Italian General Becuzzi handed over to the Partisans 11 soldiers which they considered as "war criminals".[citation needed] The Partisans also executed up to 41 members of the Italian Police forces, later found in mass graves.[42][relevant?]
A few weeks later, the Partisans were forced into retreat as theWehrmacht placed the city under the authority of theIndependent State of Croatia. The Germans decimated the Italian soldiers as traitors, including three Generals (Policardi,Pelligra andCigala Fulgosi) and 48 officials (Trelj massacre).[43] In this period the last remaining symbols of Italian heritage in Split, including several VenetianLions of St. Mark, were erased from the town.
In a tragic turn of events, besides being bombed by Axis forces, the city was also bombed by the Allies, causing hundreds of deaths. Partisans finally captured the city on 26 October 1944 and instituted it as the provisional capital of Croatia. On 12 February 1945, theKriegsmarine conducted a daring raid on the Split harbour, damaging the British cruiserDelhi. After the war the remaining members ofDalmatian Italians of Split left Yugoslavia towards Italy (Istrian-Dalmatian exodus).[44]
TheYugoslav-eraCoat of arms of Split. Introduced in 1967, it was based on the Medieval rectangular arms, dating at least from the 14th century (and likely much earlier).
After World War II, Split became a part of theSocialist Republic of Croatia, itself a constituent sovereign republic of theSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. During the period the city experienced its largest economic and demographic boom. Dozens of new factories and companies were founded with the city population tripling during the period. The city became the economic centre of an area exceeding the borders of Croatia and was flooded by waves of rural migrants from the undeveloped hinterland who found employment in the newly established industry, as part of large-scaleindustrialization and investment by the Yugoslav Federal Government.[citation needed]
The shipbuilding industry was particularly successful and Yugoslavia, with itsCroatian shipyards, became one of the world's top nations in the field. Many recreational facilities were also constructed with federal funding, especially for the1979 Mediterranean Games, such as thePoljud Stadium. The city also became the largest passenger and military port in Yugoslavia, housing the headquarters of theYugoslav Navy (Jugoslavenska ratna mornarica, JRM) and theArmy's Coastal Military District (equivalent of afield army). In the period between 1945 and 1990, the city was transformed and expanded, taking up the vast majority of the Splitpeninsula. In the same period it achieved an as yet unsurpassed GDP and employment level, still above the present day's, growing into a significant Yugoslav city.[citation needed]
When Croatia declared its independence again in 1991, Split had a large garrison ofYugoslav People's Army (JNA) troops (drafted from all over Yugoslavia), as well as the headquarters and facilities of theYugoslav Navy (JRM). This led to a tense months-long stand-off between the JNA and Croatian National Guard and police forces, occasionally flaring up in various incidents. The most tragic incident occurred on 15 November 1991, when theJRM light frigateSplit fired a small number of shells at the city and its surroundings. The damage was insignificant but there were a few casualties. Three general locations were bombarded: the old city center, the city airport, and an uninhabited part of the hills aboveKaštela, between the airport and Split. JRM sailors, most of them Croats themselves, who had refused to attack Croat civilians were left in the vessel's brig. The JNA and JRM evacuated all of its facilities in Split during January 1992. The 1990s economic recession soon followed.
In the years following 2000, Split finally gained momentum and started to develop again, with a focus on tourism. From being just a transport centre, Split is now a major Croatian tourist destination. Many new hotels are being built, as well as new apartment and office buildings. Many large development projects are being revived, and new infrastructure is being built. An example of one of the latest large city projects is theSpaladium Arena, built in 2009.
Split is situated on apeninsula between the eastern part of theGulf of Kaštela and theSplit Channel. TheMarjan hill (178 m; 584 ft), rises in the western part of the peninsula. TheKozjak (779 m; 2,556 ft) andMosor (1,339 m; 4,393 ft) ridges protect the city from the north and northeast, and separate it from the hinterland.
Split is administratively divided into 34 citykotars:[45][46]
January is the coldest month, with an average low temperature around 6 °C (43 °F). July is the hottest month, with an average high temperature around 31 °C (88 °F). Average annualrainfall is around 800 mm (31.50 in). November is the wettest month, with a precipitation total of nearly 120 mm (4.72 in) and 12 rainy days. July is the driest month, with a precipitation total of around 25 mm (0.98 in). Snow is usually rare, though in February 2012, duringcold wave in Europe, Split received a record snowfall of 25 cm (9.84 in), which caused major problems with traffic.[48][49] Split receives more than 2,600 sunshine hours annually.
In July 2017, Croatian firefighters battled to control a forest fire along the Adriatic coast that damaged and destroyed buildings in villages around the city of Split.
Climate data for Split (Marjan Hill, 1991–2020, extremes 1948–2024)
According to the 2021 census, the city of Split had 160,577 inhabitants.[3]Ethnically, Croats make up 96.42% of the population, and 77.53% of the residents of the city areRoman Catholics.[53]
The settlements included in the administrative area of the city (2011) are:[54]
Throughout history, there was a significantItalian-speaking community in Split. According to the Austrian censuses, there were 1,969 residents of the central settlement that usedItalian as theirhabitual language[56] (12.5% of the total population) in 1890, and 2,082 (9.7%) in 1910.[57] The commune as a whole had 1,971 (8.7%) Italian speakers in 1890, and 2,087 (7.5%) in 1910.[57] In 2011, only 83 people declared themselves as Italians, corresponding to 0.05% of the total population.[55]
Although the inhabitants of Split (Splićani) may appear to be a homogeneous body, they traditionally belong to three groups. The old urban families, theFetivi, (short for "Fetivi Splićani", "real Split natives") are generally very proud of their city, its history and its distinctive traditional speech[58] (a variant of theChakavian dialect). TheFetivi, now a distinct minority, are sometimes referred to (semi-derogatorily) as "Mandrili" - and are augmented by the so-calledBoduli, immigrants from the nearbyAdriatic islands who mostly arrived over the course of the 20th century.[59]
The above two groups are distinct, in theMediterranean aspects of their ethnicity and traditional Chakavian speech, from the more numerousShtokavian-speaking immigrants from the ruralZagora hinterland, referred to as theVlaji (a term that sometimes carries negative connotations). The latter joined the Fetivi and Boduli as a third group in the decades since World War II, thronging the high-rise suburbs that stretch away from the centre.[59] By now theVlaji constitute a decided majority of inhabitants, causing a distinct shift in the overall ethnic characteristics of the city. Historically more influenced byOttomanculture, their population merges almost seamlessly at the eastern border with theHerzegovinian Croats and southernBosnia and Herzegovina in general.[58][59] Local jokes have always condemned the Vlaji to playing the role of rural unsophisticates, although it is often conceded that it was their hard work in the industries of the post-WWII era that made modern-day Split what it is now.[59]
Split's economy is still suffering the backlash from therecession caused by the transfer to amarket economy andprivatization.[citation needed] In the Yugoslav era, the city had been a highly significant economic centre with a modern and diverse industrial and economic base, includingshipbuilding,food,chemical,plastics,textile, andpaper industry, in addition to large revenues from tourism.[citation needed] In 1981 Split's GDP per capita was 37% above the Yugoslav average.[60] Today, most of the factories are out of business (or are far below pre-war production and employment capacity)[citation needed] and the city has been trying to concentrate on commerce and services, consequently leaving an alarmingly large number of factory workers unemployed.
Brodosplit is the largest shipyard in Croatia. It employs around 2,300 people, and has built over 350 vessels, including many tankers, both panamax and non-panamax, as well as container ships, bulk carriers, dredgers, off-shore platforms, frigates, submarines, patrol boats and passenger ships. 80% of the ships built are exported to foreign contractors.
The new A1 motorway, integrating Split with the rest of the Croatian freeway network, has helped stimulate economic production and investment, with new businesses being built in the city centre and its wildly sprawling suburbs. The entire route was opened in July 2005. Today, the city's economy relies mostly ontrade andtourism with some old industries undergoing partial revival, such as food (fishing,olive,wine production), paper,concrete and chemicals. Since 1998, Split has been host to the annualCroatia Boat Show.
TheIllyrian Academy was a historical academy established in Split in the early 1700s at the time it was part of the Republic of Venice. TheClassical Gymnasium in Split likewise traced its roots to the same period.
There are 24 primary schools and 23 secondary schools including 11 grammar schools. The secondary schools in the city include:
The University of Split (Croatian:Sveučilište u Splitu) was founded in 1974. In the last few years it has grown to a large extent. Now it has 18,000 students and is organized in 12 faculties and 1 Academy (Arts Academy – Theatre department, Music department, Fine arts department and design). Split has the biggest university campus in Croatia with all the facilities. It houses all of the faculties, a large student centre with a sports hall, sporting grounds and a university library.
Tourism plays a crucial role in Split's and Croatia's economy. With over 900,000 visits each year, Split makes one of the most visited cities in Croatia and in Europe. The largest tourist region ofDalmatia is the part around its largest city. Split is the location of the most valuable cultural monuments. The Split part of Dalmatia shared the same historical fate as other parts of Dalmatia, but because of its central position and protection by the vast hinterland, it was less exposed to devastation than its neighbouring regions. It is for that reason that so many people live in Split. Near Split are the other large all the large Dalmatian islands -Brač,Šolta,Čiovo,Hvar andVis, which are all well connected withPort of Split.[61]
In 2023, Split had a record number of tourists, 965,405 visits and 3,050,389 overnight stays.[62] In addition to that, the impact of tourism in Split had the international events and gatherings such as theUltra Europeelectronic music festival, who every July brings more than 150,000 people each year, which was annually held onPoljud Stadium, until it was moved toPark mladeži ("Youth Park") in 2019.[63] Cultural impact played also a big role in Split's tourism, including filming of international TV seriesGame of Thrones, which used locations ofDiocletian's Palace,Klis Fortress, Žrnovnica quarry andwatermill,[64] as well filming ofBliss, starringOwen Wilson andSalma Hayek.[65]
In 1979, the historic center of Split was included into theUNESCO list ofWorld Heritage Sites. Split is said to be one of the centres of Croatian culture. Its literary tradition can be traced to medieval times and includes names likeMarko Marulić, while in more modern times more authors have a sense of humor.
Among the most notable areMiljenko Smoje, with his TV seriesMalo misto andVelo misto (the latter covering Split's modernization), andIvo Tijardović, who wrote an operetta called "Little Floramye" (Croatian:Mala Floramye). Both represented to some the old traditions slowly dying out due to large numbers of rural migrants from the undeveloped hinterland.
Despite colorful settings and characters, as well as a cinema tradition beginning with early 20th-century works ofJosip Karaman, there were relatively few films shot in or around Split. Its most notable star isBoris Dvornik.
The Croatian National Revival Coast,Splitska riva orRiva, is a main pedestrian street in Split dedicated to the Croatian National Revival from the 18th and 19th centuries. It began to take on its current form under the rule of the French Empire, as a result of the 1807 order ofMarshal Marmont. Fearing the takeover of the city from the sea by Britain and Russia, Marmont ordered the demolition of the southern part of the Venetian castle on the coast, the western half-bastion of San Antonio and the cortina between that half-bastion and the Priuli bastion.[66] It was a busy street until the 1990s, when it was converted into a pedestrian zone, today becoming the most popular pedestrian zone in Split. It has been decorated withpalms since early 20th century.[67]
Narodni Trg orPjaca is a public city square created by the urban expansion of the city west of the Iron Gates ofDiocletian's Palace. Previously known as Lovrin Trg, the square often changed its name throughout history; Trg oružja, Gospodski trg so that at the beginning of the 20th century it got the name it still bears today - Narodni trg. The square houses the oldest bookstore in Split, opened since 1861, once owned by the Morpurgo family, after whom it still bears its name today. A lot of historical buildings are on the square including:Old Town Hall,Romanesque tower with bell tower and clock,Ciprian's Palace,Karepić Palace,Cambi Palace,Nakić House.[68][69]
Marjan hill above the city is a hill on peninsula. The park/forest cover an area of approximately 3.5 x 1.5 kilometers, or 347 hectares. The importance of this peninsula for Split is also shown by one of the city's nicknames, which is 'The City under Marjan'. Marjan is a favorite promenade in Split, and is also very popular among runners and popular observation lookout of Split's old town.[70]
Split Cathedral orCathedral of Saint Domnius is a Cathedral located in the mausoleum of the Emperor Diocletian, which was slightly converted for his function and interior was equipped with valuable religious items. In front of its entrance, a magnificent 57m tallRomanesque bell tower was built in the 12th century. The mausoleum became a cathedral in the mid-7th century, whenaltars with relics of two martyrs executed in neighboringSolin (then Salona)—St. Anastasius andSt. Domnius—were placed in it. After the latter, the church is now usually called the Cathedral of St. Duje and he became the patron saint of Split, but the real name of the Split Cathedral is the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.[71]
TheSplit Archaeological Museum (Croatian:Arheološki muzej) main collection is housed at Zrinsko-Frankopanska 25 in Split. There is also a branch building inSolin (Salona and Tusculum Collection) and two regional centres atVid nearMetković (Narona Collection), and on the island ofVis (Issa Collection). The Split Archaeological Museum is the oldest museum institution in Croatia, founded in 1820 by the decree of the Dalmatian government inZadar. Some 150,000 artifacts coverprehistoric times, the period ofGreek colonization of theAdriatic,Roman Provincial and EarlyChristian era to the earlyMiddle Ages and the period of Croatian popular rulers. Of special interest is the collection of stone inscriptions from Salona and the collections of Graeco-Hellenistic ceramic objects, Roman glass, ancient clay lamps, bone and metal articles, as well as the collection of gems. In addition, the museum houses an extensive collection of ancient and medieval coins, a submarine archaeological collection, and a rich archive library.[72]
TheMuseum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments (Croatian:Muzej hrvatskih arheoloških spomenika) is the only museum in Croatia dedicated to researching and presenting cultural artifacts of the Croats in the Middle Ages, between the 7th and 15th centuries, particularly the time of the early medieval Croatian state from 9th to 12th century. The collection of early medieval wicker, clay figurines, and old Croatian Latin epigraphic monuments is the largest collection of its kind in Europe.[73]
The Split City Museum (Croatian:Muzej Grada Splita) at Papalićeva 1, is housed in the former Papalić Palace. The collection presents the urban, cultural, artistic and economic heritage of the city. The museum is also home to theEmanuel Vidović Gallery, dedicated to the most important Split painter of the 20th century.[74][75]
The Ethnographical Museum (Croatian:Etnografski muzej) at Severova 1, has a wide range ofethnographic content mainly fromDalmatia. Founded in 1910, the museum collects original and contemporary applications of traditional heritage. They also track contemporary popular culture living with traces of old foundations and preserve and promote the value of folk heritage, renewing them and presenting exhibitions.[75]
The Croatian Maritime Museum (Croatian:Hrvatski pomorski muzej) at Glagoljaška 18 – Tvrđava Gripe has a collection of marine equipment and supplies, weapons and navigation equipment, medals, ship models, uniforms and equipment, and related artwork. A permanent exhibition is planned to complete the presentation of military maritime and naval history, with a presentation that covers the period from the arrival of the Slavs to the present day.[75]
TheGallery of Fine Arts (Croatian:Galerija umjetnina), located at Kralja Tomislava 15, is anart museum that contains works from the 14th century to the present day providing an overview of the artistic developments in the local art scene. The gallery was founded in 1931, and has a permanent exhibition ofpaintings andsculptures that includes works by major Croatian artists such asVlaho Bukovac,Mato Celestin Medović,Branislav Dešković,Ivan Meštrović,Emanuel Vidović andIgnjat Job. The gallery also has an extensive collection oficons, and holds special exhibits of works by contemporary artists. In May 2009, the gallery opened its new premises in the old Split Hospital building behindDiocletian's Palace.[77]
TheIvan Meštrović Gallery (Croatian:Galerija Meštrović), on theMarjan peninsula is anart museum dedicated to the work of the 20th-centurysculptor,Ivan Meštrović. The gallery displays some of his most significant work, and the building itself is an art monument.[78] The permanent collection includes works ofsculpture,drawings,design,furniture andarchitecture. The gallery building and grounds were based on original plans by Meštrović himself, and included living and working areas, as well as exhibition spaces.[79] Not far from the Gallery lies Kaštelet-Crikvine, a restored chapel that houses a set of wooden wall panels carved by Ivan Meštrović.[80]
Sportsmen are traditionally held in high regard in Split, which has produced many champions. The most popular sports in Split areassociation football,tennis,basketball,swimming,rowing,sailing,waterpolo,athletics, andhandball. Residents of Split prefer to call their city as "the sportiest city in the world". The first sports club in Split was founded in 1877 under the name "Societa Bersaglio" (Shooting Society). Shooting was revived in theKingdom of Yugoslavia in 1925. The Falcon Society "Hrvatski sokol" was founded in 1893 and played a major role in the affirmation of Split sports. The Croatian football club "Hajduk" was also founded in 1911, as the first Croatian football club inDalmatia.[81]
The main footballclub isHNK Hajduk Split, one of the most popular clubs in Croatia supported by a large fan association known asTorcida Split, whileRNK Split is the city's second club. Torcida Split is the oldest fan group in Europe estimated 1950. The largest football stadium is thePoljud Stadium (Hajduk's ground), with around 35,000 capacity (55,000 prior to the renovation to an all-seater).Slaven Bilić,Aljoša Asanović,Igor Tudor,Robert Jarni, andStipe Pletikosa are some of the natives who started their careers at Hajduk.Basketball is also popular, and the city basketball club,KK Split, holds the record of winning theEuroLeague three consecutive times (1989–1991), with notable players likeToni Kukoč andDino Rađa, both of whom are Split natives.[82]
Picigin is a traditional local sport (originating in 1908), played on the sandy Bačvice beach. It is played in very shallow water (just ankle-deep) with a small ball. Picigin is played by five players. The ball is the peeled tennis ball. There is a tradition of playing picigin in Split on New Year's Day, regardless of the weather conditions, in spite of the sea temperature rarely exceeding 15 °C (59 °F).[85][86]
Split used to be the home to three top-level water polo clubs, the winners of many domestic and international titles:Jadran (twiceLEN Champions League winner),Mornar (LEN Cup Winners' Cup winner) and now defunctPOŠK (one LEN Champions League, oneLEN Super Cup and two times LEN Cup Winners' Cup winner). Many players from Split have participated at the Olympic Games,World, andEuropean Championships, both for Croatia and Yugoslavia, having won several medals. Several water polo players from Split have been considered the best in the world during their careers:Ratko Rudić, Damir Polić,Milivoj Bebić, andDeni Lušić.
RK Nada were the pioneers ofrugby union in this part of the world. They were by far the strongest club in the former Yugoslavia and they are also by far the most successful club in modern-day Croatia.
Baseball in Split is one of the city's longest sporting traditions. Although the sport began semi-officially in December 1918 when a group of US sailors from a ship in port introduced the game to some young Croats, it was not until 1972 when a pair of teachers at a local school formed the Salona Baseball Club, named after the ancient Roman city ofSalona. The first actual game played in Split was on 9 September 1978 between Split (the new team moved here and was called Nada) and Jezice from Ljubljana, a 20–1 romp for the locals. A schedule of games began in earnest and by 1980 there were regular league games. The next major milestone was in 1983 when the World Baseball Federation (IBAF) accepted Yugoslavia as an official member. The Croatian National Baseball Federation was established in 1989.[85]
Today, the Croatian national baseball team (with 10 or more members coming from Split's Nada team) is ranked 25th in the world. Split's team, Nada, plays its home games at the old Hajduk stadium, where the rugby club also plays. Without a mound, it is not a regulation field. The team's main rival is Zagreb and there are teams from half a dozen other cities around the country. In addition to playing other Croatian teams, inter-league games are played and the team travels to Belgrade and other cities to play. Although not a professional team or league, some player/coaches are paid. Several have pro experience and the new coach of the national team was a former major league pitcher with the LA Dodgers. The source material here is from Mladen Cukrov's bookThere's No Ball Like Baseball (Nima baluna do bejzbola) and from the writer's experience as an assistant coach of the team for several years.
The Split SeaWolves club is the onlyAmerican football team in Dalmatia. Active from 2008, they are currently still developing and the main focus is on a flag football team.[85]
In mountaineering, the local chapter of theHPS isHPD "Mosor", founded in 1926, had 283 members in 1936 under theUmberto Girometta [hr] presidency, being one of the largest in the society at the time.[87] Membership rose to 344 in 1937,[88]: 250 but fell to 301 in 1938.[89]: 224
Split has a vibrant music scene with various venues and events, including the renownedSplit Festival and numerous clubs and bars with live music, particularly during the summer.
Riva promenade at night
British Travel vlog and magazine "Gap360" named Split 6th best party destination inEurope, among sideBerlin,Mykonos,Amsterdam,Ibiza.[90] Since 2013, Split was a host city for American electronic festivalUltra Music Festival and its division for Europe -Ultra Europe. In addition to its main stage and event - which was held onPoljud Stadium (until 2019), the Ultra Europe also holds party events on Croatian islands ofBrač,Hvar andVis. Ever since its opening, the city of Split welcomed more than 200,000 people annually. The Ultra Europe Festival in Split has been visited by 1,3 million visitors over the past ten years, including people from around forty countries around the world, including the countries of the European Neighborhood, likePoland,Germany,Slovakia,Russia andCzech Republic.[91]
In addition to its main music festival, the Split offers numerousdiscotheques andnight clubs amongst the City Center or on the beaches. In 2023, Split opened its firstLGBTQ+ club.[92] A more traditional Croatian nightlife experience, accompanied by traditional Croatian traditional, pop music,klape and recentlyrap,dance andtrap music.[93]
Split is an important transport center forDalmatia and the wider region. In addition to theZagreb-Split freeway (A1), the traffic along the Adriatic coast on theAdriatic Highway fromRijeka toDubrovnik flows through the city. The local public transport companyPromet Split runs bus lines in the city and into the surroundings. There is notram since the city is unsuitable for it due to its hilly geography.
TheSplit Airport inKaštela, located about 20 km outside of Split, is the second largest in Croatia in terms of passenger numbers (3.62 million in 2024).[94] It has services to national and some European destinations year-round and sees lots of additional seasonal connections in the summer.
ThePort of Split, which serves 4 million passengers every year,[95] is the third busiest port in theMediterranean. It connects Split to the nearby central Dalmatian islandsBrač,Hvar andŠolta, as well as the more distantVis,Korčula,Mljet andLastovo. There are also routes toRijeka,Dubrovnik, andAncona in Italy and additional seasonal routes to further destinations in Italy. Split is also becoming a majorcruise ship destination, with over 260 ship visits, carrying 130,000 passengers.
^Wilkes, J.,Diocletian's Palace, Split : Residence of a Retired Roman Emperor, 17. The nameAspálathos had referred to a white thorn common in the area. Thus, contrary to popular belief, the name Spalatum has nothing to do with the Latin word for palace,palatium. According to Wilkes, the erroneous etymology was notably due to Byzantine EmperorConstantine VII Porphyrogenitus.
^Map, The Megalithic Portal and Megalith."Diocletian's Palace".The Megalithic Portal.Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved16 November 2007.
^David Luscombe, Jonathan Riley-Smith.The New Cambridge Medieval History. Volume IV: c.1024 – c. 1198. Part II, p. 272
^"History of Dalmatia, 614–802".World History at KLMA. Zentrale für Unterrichtsmedien im Internet. Archived fromthe original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved10 November 2007.
^"History of Dalmatia, 1797–1815".World History at KLMA. Zentrale für Unterrichtsmedien im Internet.Archived from the original on 19 December 2007. Retrieved10 November 2007.
^1941. – Prva ratna godina [1941 – The first war year]. Udruga antifašističkih boraca i antifašista grada Splita. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved14 September 2014.
^Spector, Shmuel (2001).The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust. New York City: New York University Press. p. 1228.ISBN978-0-8147-9378-7.
^ab"Split Marjan Climate Normals"(PDF). Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service.Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved16 July 2017.
^"Mostar Gradovi prijatelji" [Mostar Twin Towns].Grad Mostar [Mostar Official City Website] (in Macedonian). Archived fromthe original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved19 December 2013.
Andrew A. Paton (1849)."(Spalato)".Highlands and Islands of the Adriatic: Including Dalmatia, Croatia, and the Southern Provinces of the Austrian Empire. Vol. 1. Chapman and Hall. p. 232+.
Emily Anne Beaufort Smythe Strangford (1864)."Dalmatia (Spalato)".The eastern shores of the Adriatic in 1863. London: R. Bentley.OCLC1475159.
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