Split, Croatia
The year 305 CE marks the completion of Diocletian's Palace, yet Split existed as a Greek colony named Aspálathos centuries before that stone was laid. Archaeologists estimate this settlement arose during the third or second century BCE on the coast inhabited by the Dalmatae people. The polis of Issa, located on modern-day Vis, founded this early trading post. It served as a commercial hub for exchange with surrounding Illyrian tribes, particularly the Delmatae. No exact founding date survives in historical records, but trade routes connected these coastal communities long before Roman emperors arrived. The name itself likely derives from the spiny broom plant known locally as Calicotome spinosa. This botanical origin contrasts sharply with later theories linking the name to Latin words for palace. Ancient settlers lived off maritime commerce and local agriculture while navigating the shifting political landscape of the Adriatic Sea.
Salona fell to Pannonian Avar forces in 639, destroying the ancient capital of Roman Dalmatia. Surviving Romans fled across the water to nearby islands before returning under Severus the Great in 650. These refugees took possession of the three-hundred-year-old Palace of Diocletian, which could not be effectively besieged by Slavic tribes. Emperor Constans II granted them an Imperial mandate to establish themselves within the walls as the City of Spalatum. The Temple of Jupiter was rededicated to the Virgin Mary during this transformation. Saint Domnius's remains were recovered from Salona's ruins and placed inside the mausoleum, creating what is now the Cathedral of Saint Domnius. This shift turned a retired emperor's residence into a fortified medieval settlement that would survive centuries of conflict. The population grew to between eight thousand and ten thousand people living within these massive stone boundaries.
In 1420, the Venetian Republic formally took over Split after Ladislaus of Naples sold his disputed rights for one hundred thousand ducats. The city became a heavily fortified outpost surrounded entirely by Ottoman territory. Its hinterland was won back from the Ottomans during the Morean War of 1699. For much of the High and Late Middle Ages, Split enjoyed autonomy as a free city caught between Venice and Croatia. The common language remained Croatian despite Venetian administration, though Dalmatian Italian was spoken by merchants and officials. Marko Marulić wrote Judita in 1501, widely considered the first modern work of Croatian literature. Illiteracy rates stayed extremely high under Venetian rule because authorities showed little interest in education or medical facilities. Trade routes extended through the nearby Klis pass toward the Ottoman-held interior, making Split a significant port-city despite its isolation.
The Treaty of Campo Formio ceded Split to the Habsburg monarchy in 1797 following Napoleon's dissolution of the Republic of Venice. Austria occupied the city in November 1813 with help from Captain William Hoste's British force before Congress of Vienna granted it officially to the Austrian Empire. Antonio Bajamonti served as Mayor from 1860 until 1880, holding the post for over two decades except for brief interruptions. Two political factions emerged after the revolutions of 1848: pro-Croatian Unionists led by the People's Party and pro-Italian Autonomists. The Unionist faction used Split as headquarters while advocating union with Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. The Autonomist faction sought autonomy within Austro-Hungarian Empire or political union with Italy. Under Austrian rule, the city generally stagnated without major rebellions during European upheavals. The Lika railway connecting Split to the rest of the country completed construction in 1925, linking it to newly formed Yugoslavia.
Italy annexed Split on the 18th of May 1941 when Treaties of Rome were signed, placing it in the province of Spalato. The Italian Governatorate hosted three hundred ninety thousand inhabitants including two hundred eighty thousand Croats and ninety thousand Serbs. The first armed resistance group organized itself on the 7th of May 1941 forming a sixty-three member strong unit called the 1st Strike Detachment. Between September and October 1941 alone, ten officials of the Italian fascist occupation were assassinated by citizens. A fascist mob attacked the city's synagogue on the 12th of June 1942, destroying its library and archive while beating worshipers leaving the building. Eighty percent of ships built at local yards were exported to foreign contractors during this turbulent period. In September 1943, following Italy's capitulation, Marshal Josip Broz Tito's brigades temporarily controlled the city. Thousands volunteered to join Partisans, representing one-third of the total population according to some sources. The Wehrmacht later reoccupied the city after German forces decimated Italian soldiers as traitors.
Over nine hundred thousand visits occurred annually in recent years, making Split one of most visited cities in Croatia and Europe. In 2023 alone, the city recorded 965,405 tourist visits and 3,050,389 overnight stays. Ultra Europe electronic music festival brings more than one hundred fifty thousand people each year to Poljud Stadium or Youth Park since 2013. Game of Thrones filming utilized locations within Diocletian's Palace, Klis Fortress, Žrnovnica quarry, and watermill. The historic center received UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1979, protecting its cultural monuments from modern development pressures. New hotels, apartment buildings, and office structures continue rising across the peninsula. The Spaladium Arena opened in 2009 for World Men's Handball Championship with capacity around twelve thousand spectators. Tourism now drives economy alongside trade, though many old factories remain out of business following market economy transition. The city maintains vibrant nightlife with numerous discotheques and clubs hosting live music throughout summer months.
Common questions
When was Diocletian's Palace completed and what existed before it?
The year 305 CE marks the completion of Diocletian's Palace, yet Split existed as a Greek colony named Aspálathos centuries before that stone was laid. Archaeologists estimate this settlement arose during the third or second century BCE on the coast inhabited by the Dalmatae people.
Who founded the early trading post that became modern-day Split?
The polis of Issa located on modern-day Vis founded this early trading post to serve as a commercial hub for exchange with surrounding Illyrian tribes particularly the Delmatae. No exact founding date survives in historical records but trade routes connected these coastal communities long before Roman emperors arrived.
What happened to Salona when Pannonian Avar forces attacked in 639?
Salona fell to Pannonian Avar forces in 639 destroying the ancient capital of Roman Dalmatia. Surviving Romans fled across the water to nearby islands before returning under Severus the Great in 650 to take possession of the three-hundred-year-old Palace of Diocletian.
When did Italy annex Split and how many inhabitants lived there during occupation?
Italy annexed Split on the 18th of May 1941 when Treaties of Rome were signed placing it in the province of Spalato. The Italian Governatorate hosted three hundred ninety thousand inhabitants including two hundred eighty thousand Croats and ninety thousand Serbs.
How large was Brodosplit's workforce and what vessels did they build during Yugoslavia?
Brodosplit employed around two thousand three hundred people and had built over three hundred fifty vessels including tankers container ships frigates submarines and passenger ships. The shipbuilding industry became particularly successful making Yugoslavia one of the world's top nations in that field.