Split

We toured the palace of Split today.  It is the Roman palace of Diocletian from the 4th century - many city blocks wide and many blocks long.  Inside the palace is another palace, (a Venetian one) that has been continuously occupied.  Now the lower squares are filled with restaurants, coffee shops and lots of boutiques, selling everything from shoes to neckties.  Did you know the term "cravat" comes from the word "Croat," the people who made this article of clothing popular?  The cravat has now evolved into the necktie.  So any of you who object to the idea of wearing a necktie have the Croats to blame!

Next to the Roman palace is a medieval town, also Venetian.  One can spend hours strolling these streets, having coffee, ice cream etc.  Then, when you leave the city walls there are many blocks of vendors in the green market, selling fruits, vegetables, nuts, souvenirs etc.

I see Tom continues to post pictures of me drinking beer.  It's true I've been sampling brews from different countries.  Mostly they've been pretty good.  I didn't care for the one from Herzegivina, however.  It reminded me of some of the beer kids were drinking back when I was a kid (or more accurately, a youth), and therefore the reason I never developed a liking for beer.

We have remarked on more than one occasion that our energy level since our last extended sojourn to Europe 7 years ago is markedly diminished.  What's that all about??  What will we be doing on our next sabbatical 7 years from now??!!  Oh well, regardless of the energy level, there is much to see and discover all around the world.

This is a picture of what the palace of Diocletian looked like.  Today there is a walkway along the ocean side of the palace.  Three of the walls still are standing as are many of the interior structures.  Diocletian was the first Roman emperor to retire (rather than die).  He was also the worst persecutor of the Christians in the empire.  As a result, when the Romans made Christianity their official state religion most references to him were destroyed.

We walked along the old sea side wall of the palace.  The wall is intact, but there are shops and restaurants along it now.

The Roman temple to Jupiter was converted to St. John's bapistry during the 7th century.

This was the main gate into the palace.  Diocletian built it in ten years starting in 305 AD.  During the 7th century the city of Selona was destroyed in a battle with the invading Serbs and the residents of that city moved into the palace and adapted it to their needs, preserving the walls and many of the buildings.

By the 15th century the Venetians had captured the city and had built a new area of the city next to the palace   thereby doubling it and giving it the name "Split."

This was the Roman emperor's mausoleum.  His body was entombed here until the 7th century when the bishop John of Ravenna had it rebuilt into the town's cathedral.  (The emperor's body is believed to have been burned and the ashes scattered.)

We left through the town's east gate.  A large goods market and "green market" starts right at the edge of the palace walls.