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Position:
a
city and port in Central Dalmatia, situated on a
peninsula between the eastern part of the Gulf of Kaštela
and the Split Channel. A hill Marjan rises in the
western part of the peninsula and the ridges Kozjak
and Mosor protect the city from the east and the
nord-east.
Population:
189.388
General
data: Split
has the Mediterranean climate: hot dry summers and
mild, humid winters. It is one of the sunniest places
in Europe, vegetation is of the evergreen
Mediterranean type, and subtropical flora grows in the
city and its surroundings. Marjan is covered with a
cultivated forest. Split is a bussiness,
administrative and cultural centre of Dalmatia. Split
is an important Croatian port in terms of passenger
and goods traffic. It is the centre of the maritime
connections with the ports on the coast and the
islands and terminal railway station of the rail
connections with the hinterland. Ferries operate
regularly between Split and the central Dalmatian
islands, as well as to Ancona in Italy. Except with
the islands ship connections are established with
Pula, Venice, Dubrovnik and Greece. The airport of
Split is situated in Resnik (Kaštela). Apart from
shipbuilding industry other manufacturers include
processing of plastic masses, cement industry, food
and other products. Split has many cultural and
educational institutions and recently a specialized UN
institution for protection of environment in the
Mediterranean. Split disposes of a variety of sports
facilities, swimming pools and piers for sport boats
and similar. Split has four marinas.
History:
Split
developed probably from an ancient Greek settlement
called Aspalathos. Around AD 300 Emperor Diocletian
constructed here a luxurious palace in which he
resided and where he was buried. Since then the palace
was used as a residence for expelled Roman emperors
and their families. After the fall of Salona its
citizens found shelter within the walls of Diocletians
palace. A new settlement soon developed. In 1069 Split
was annexed to Croatia by King Petar Krešimir IV. In
1420 Split acknowledged the protectorate of Venice. On
the fall of Venice in 1797 it fell together with the
remaining Dalmatia under the power of Austria which
ceded it to France in 1805. The 1882 selections in
Split introduced Croatian administration. At the
beginning of the 20th century Split was the most
important port on this coast of Adriatic.
Highlights:
the
Old Town, the oldest nucleus of Split is located
within the walls of Diocletians Palace, it is the most
valuable example of Roman architecture on the eastern
coast of Adriatic. The mausoleum of Diocletian,
today's cathedral of St. Doimus. The Papalić Palace
(15th c.), the most important example of Gothic
architecture in Split, it houses the Museum of the
City of Split. Its architectonic details bear
distinctive marks of Juraj Dalmatinac's workshop. The
Agubio Palace (Gothic portal), the statue of Grgur
Ninski (a work by Ivan Meštrović). The Cindro
Palace, the most beautiful Baroque palace in Split.
Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments – the
major institution of Croatian culture. The Institute
of Oceanography and Fishery and its aquarium. The
pre-Romanesque church of Holy Trinity, the Renaissance
cloister accomodates tombstones of Split patrician
families. The Bishop's Palace built in neo-Renaissance
style, the chapel of St. Arnir, 1445 by Juraj
Dalmatinac, the church of Our lady of the Belfry
(Baroque altar, Byzantine Icon from 11th c., wall
paintings by Meneghello from 1412), the monastery and
the church of St. Francis (13th c.), the Meštrović
Citadel, the Gripe forttress (17th c.).
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