Diocletian's Palace — The Secret Scroll

Your parchment quest begins at the Peristyle of Diocletian's Palace, a central courtyard built around 305 AD with Corinthian columns imported from Egypt. Facing the 14th-century BC Egyptian sphinx enthroned at the south of this 36m long by 20m wide square, you decipher the first instructions. This UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 (Ref. 97) was the beating heart of the imperial palace, a crossroads of power and symbols where Diocletian's Mausoleum was converted into Saint Domnius Cathedral in the 7th century.

The Vestibule of Diocletian's Palace, an octagonal circular hall 18m high internally, then reveals its secrets. Built around 300 AD as an imperial guardroom, it offered direct access to Diocletian's private apartments. Looking up at its dome, restored in the 19th century after a medieval partial collapse, you admire the best panoramic view of the Peristyle from its arches, a perspective few visitors discover. Clues are hidden there, perhaps in the restored cracks, or under the light filtering from above.

Your journey then leads you to the Cellars of Diocletian's Palace, an underground vaulted chamber built around 295 AD. This 60m by 45m structure, once used as Roman warehouses, is considered one of the best-preserved examples of Roman palatial architecture in the world. Flooded for centuries, these cellars were restored between 2016 and 2020 for €4 million, and even served as the setting for the dungeons of Meereen in Game of Thrones season 4. Shadows conceal messages there that only a keen eye can decipher.

The Golden Gate (Zlatna Vrata), Split's main northern gate, built around 305 AD with its 7.5m height and 4m width, is your next stop. It was the scene of heroic defenses against Avar invasions in 614 AD and Venetian invasions in 1124. In front of the 8.5m high statue of Gregory of Nin, a work by Ivan Meštrović from 1929, you search for an 11th-century Glagolitic inscription on the arch, a clue that brings you closer to your goal. The city of Split is full of such historical details.

Finally, your mission culminates as you cross the Riva of Split, the seaside promenade built between 1859 and 1860, and widened in 2005. This location, a daily šetalište since Austrian times, houses the Governor's Palace from 1808 and the Prokurative Fountain (1796). Your journey has led you through the rich history of Split, from the UNESCO World Heritage Diocletian's Palace to the medieval Old Town Split, offering you a deep understanding of the Dalmatian Coast and its Roman Architecture. You have followed the footsteps of figures like Saint Domnius and Emperor Diocletian, deciphering the secrets of a unique heritage in Dalmatia.