Split
Visiting historic sites when the temperature is above thirty Celsius has its cons, but the pros outweigh them. The weather maybe glorious, but when entering walled towns, it can feel like an oven, even early in the morning. But viewing Roman Architecture against a brilliant blue sky, is worth the effort. This visit was time constrained so the focus was on the Diocletian’s Palace along with Saint Domnius Cathedral. The palace is a large 4th-century Roman palace that takes up around half the old town and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. Fans of the series Game of Thrones will find this place familiar as it was used as a film location. This is a very busy site, and even though arriving early, I found at times the number of people visiting a little overwhelming. Such is the nature of modern tourism. Money needs to be raised to maintain these buildings for future generations to enjoy and this is a popular destination. A quick exploration of the streets surrounding the old town was welcome. It wasn’t as busy, with some side streets housing cafes, again not too busy, serving excellent coffee. It also gave me a chance to view the massive statue Grgur Ninski by Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic who comes from Split. This is positioned just outside the old town wall and is well worth a look.
The highlight of the Cathedral for me is the Romanesque bell tower situated in front of the entrance. Built in the 12th century, it stands fifty-seven metres tall. The initial steps are a bit narrow to begin with, but then opens out into a modern staircase so getting to the top is a lot easier than other towers I’ve climbed. The view from the top is magnificent.
I appreciate I’ve been falling behind with my posts about the places I’ve visited this summer. I’ve managed to note some of the highlights abroad, but haven’t yet found time to mention the numerous sites I’ve visited nearer to home. I’m hopeful I can make the time to do so, but the list is increasing in length with each passing week. A visit to Split in Croatia is the last of these for this summer.