Dalmatian Heritage

Omiš, Croatia

Dalmatian Heritage

Archaeological Sites

Sacral Buildings

Castles and fortifications

Historical urban nuclei (UNESCO heritage)

Museums and galleries

See below...

Archaeological Sites

The most important archaeological site is:

Solin (Salona)

Salona is mentioned for the first time in the year 119 B.C., as the centre of the Illyrian tribe the Delmata. In the year 78 B.C., Salona was the economic and political centre of the Roman possessions in Dalmatia. It made its greatest advances during the time of the Emperor Diocletian. After the fall of the Western Empire, Salona became the centre of the regent of the Eastern Gothic King Theodoric, and in the sixth century became part of the Eastern, or Byzantine, Empire. About 614 it was taken by the Slavs and the Avars, who razed it to the ground. In the area of one-time Salona the following remains have been found: a Roman theatre from the beginning of the second century with a semi-circular auditorium, the foundations of a temple from the first century, a city forum with a series of prestige buildings and temples, an early Christian three nave basilica with an octagonal baptistery, a Roman amphitheatre from the beginning of the second century, a Christian oratory on the walls of which there are still the remains of figures of the saints and writings, the ruins of the city thermae, a Roman cemetery, an early Christian cemetery, and so on.

Sacral buildings

The Cathedral of St Lovro (Lawrence) - Trogir

The Cathedral of St Lawrence of the beginning of the XIII century is one of the most beautiful examples of Romanesque and Gothic in Croatia. Particularly remarkable is the main portal, a masterpiece of world Romanesque sculpting made by Master Radovan (1240). In the remarkably rich interior of the cathedral there is one of the most lovely Renaissance monuments in Croatia - the chapel of the Blessed John of Ursini*, made by Nikola Firentinac, a pulpit from the XIII century, a Gothic sarcophagus, a number of pictures by old masters a rich collection of ecclesiastical vessels and vestments. The belfry of the cathedral is the best example of a mixture of building styles in Dalmatia. Every storey is done in a different style, from the Romanesque via Decorated to late Renaissance.

The Cathedral of St Dujam - Split

The one-time mausoleum of the Emperor Diocletian is today's Cathedral of St Dujam. The original appearance of the mausoleum is preserved almost in its entirety. The exterior is octagonal, and it is surrounded by a series of 24 columns which carried the roof, while inside it is of circular shape with two rows of Corinthian columns and a frieze decorated with medallions with heads of the Emperor Diocletian and his wife Perisca. Among the oldest monuments in the mausoleum-cathedral are the monumental wooden doors (reliefs with scenes of the life of Christ) done by Andrija Buvina and a stone pulpit from the XIII century. The right hand side altar with a late Gothic canopy is the work of Bonino from Milan (1427). The left altar of St Stas is the work of Juraj Dalmatinac (1448). The main altar was done in the XVII century, while above it is a Gothic crucifix of the XIV century. The image of a Croatian national ruler of the X century decorates a X century font. Attached to the cathedral is a building which houses the sacristy, the treasury and the archives of the Split cathedral. In the treasury there are among other things a collection of gold objects and ecclesiastical vestments from the Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque periods. At the foot of the belfry are two Romanesque lions, and to the right on the wall is an Egyptian sphinx of black granite from 1500 B.C.

The Cathedral of St Stephen - Hvar (island Hvar)

On the site of an old Benedictine abbey a Renaissance cathedral was built (XVI -XVII century) with a pseudo-Romanesque belfry of the XVII century. The cathedral has a rich treasury, gothic pews, baroque altars and a number of pictures done by Italian masters. Of particular interest is the Franciscan monastic complex of the XV century.

Castles and fortifications in Dalmatia

Klis

A medieval fortress located at the intersection of the roads Split-Sinj and Split-Drnis. The fortress and the surrounding estates were under various Croatian feudalist as a royal fief. It was taken by the Turkish army in 1537. As the seat of "sanjak", it was fortified and a mosque with a minaret was build as well. During the Candian war, in 1648, it came under the Venetians, who fortified the town according to modern strategic principles and converted the mosque into a church. The present aspects of very well preserved fortress dates back to the times of the last restoration by the Venetians.

Trogir

The fortress Kamerlengo was build after 1420, by enclosing the south-western corner of the city walls, although the polygonal tower is from an earlier date. Nowadays it is used as an open air theatre.

Omiš

"Starigrad/Fortica" is a fortress build in XVI and XVII century. It offers an unforgettable view over Omiš, the Dalmatian islands and inland region, known in the past as, the Poljica Principality/Poljička Republika.

Historical urban nuclei in Dalmatia

Trogir

Trogir - was in the III century B.C. a Greek settlement "Tragurion" which developed into a major port in the Roman period. The old core on the small island, inscribed in 1997 in the UNESCO World Heritage.

Split

Split - was probably an ancient Greek settlement called "Aspalathos". Emperior Diocletian constructed there around 300 A.D. a luxurious palace in which he resided until his dead. The only one living Roman palace in the world, inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage.

Museums and galleries in Central Dalmatia

Baška Voda
Archaeological Museum - Blato 2
Ethnological Museum - Vladimira Nazora 9
Malacological Museum - "Morski Konjic", Srida 2
Environmental Science Museum - Obala Sv. Nikole 73, Tel 620 353
Island of Brač
Museum of Island of Brač, Škrip (information) - Tel 630 551, 356 706
Blaca - Mobile 091 51 29 312
Gradac
Collection of the Franciscan Monastery- Tel 821 374, 824 300
Museum Of Cetina Border Region - Tel 821 949, Tel/Fax 821 569
Knights Society "Alka" - Tel 821 113
Hvar
Art Collection of the Franciscan Monastery - Tel 741 123
Art Collection "Hanibal Lucić" - Tel 741 052
Hydro-archaeological Collection "Fortica" - Tel 741 816
Gallery Of The "Matica Hrvatska", Palace Dojmi
Gallery "Arsenal" - Tel 741 009
Treasures Of The Hvar's Cathedral - Tel 741 152
Collection Of Amphoras Of Ing. Juraj Toto Menghello - Tel 744 955
Makarska
City Museum - Tel 612 302 (7.00-15.00)
Malacological Museum - Tel 611 256 (11.00-12.00)
Gallery "A. Gojak" - Tel 612 198 (9.00-12.00, 18.00-20.00)
Art Gallery - Tel 612 068 (8.00-12.00, 17.00-20.00)
Omiš
City Museum - Tel 861 847
Poljica Museum-Gata - Tel 868 210
Collection of the Franciscan Monastery - Tel 861 063
Split
Archaeological Museum - Zrinjsko-Frankopanska 25, Tel 318 720, 318 721 E-mail: arheoloski-muzej-st@st.tel.hr
Art Gallery - Lovretska ul. 2, Tel 480 149, 480 150, 489 151 e-mail: galerija-umjetnina@st.tel.hr
City Museum - Papalićeva 1, Tel 341 240, 360 171, 360 172 www.mdc.hr/splitgr E-mail: muzej-grada-st@st.tel.hr
Collection of the Franciscan Monastery - Tel 342 254
Marine History Museum - Glagoljaška 18 Tel 347 788, 347 346
Meštrovic Galery - Šetalište Ivana Meštrovića 46, Tel 358 450, 358 719
Milesi Palace - Tel 341 599
Museum Of Croatian Archeological Monuments - Gunjačina bb, Tel 358 420, 358 455 www.mhas-split.hr E-mail: muzej-has@st.tel.hr
Ethnological Museum - Narodni Trg 1, Tel 343 108, 344 164, e-mail: etnografski-muzej-st@st.tel.hr
Natural History Museum & Zoo - Getaldićeva, Tel 460 989, e-mail: primust@st.tel.hr
Trogir
City Museum - Tel 881 406
Art Collection - Tel 881 960
Collection "Kairos" - Tel 881 631
Gallery "Cata Dujišin - Ribar" - Tel 881 406
Cathedral Treasures - Tel 881 426, 884 777
Vis
Archaeological Museum - Tel 711 729

Important information while dialing the above telephone numbers:

International telephone access code for Croatia is +385. The area codes for the largest cities and their surroundings areas are as follows: Zagreb 01, Split 021, Rijeka 051, Osijek 034. Omit the "0" when dialing from abroad. To place an outgoing international call from Croatia, dial "00" plus the relevant country code and number. (Example: Archaeological Museum in Vis - 011-385-21-711-729 if dialing from North America)

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