Those clever Romans

The lowest level of Diocletian's original Roman palace is very well-preserved, largely due to the fact that over the centuries people threw their rubbish into it! It has been carefully excavated in parts so that the original brickwork with its soaring vaults and arches can be explored and wondered at. I thought it was really stunning. You can easily join a guided tour through these areas and venture into the various temples and the Cathedral, which was originally Diocletian's mausoleum and is now a glorious mixture of orthodox Catholicism and Roman splendour.

The Palace was built of locally made bricks, white limestone and marble from the nearby island of Brac. It was also decorated with items plundered from other historic sites, such as 3500 year old sphinxes from Egypt, of which just three have survived.

Split

Split, in northern Croatia, is an astonishing place and quite rightly designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old part of the city clusters in and around the Roman Emperor Diocletian's Palace, built in 305BC. After Diocletian's death, the palace lay empty but, being heavily fortified, it was later occupied by the area's local inhabitants as a place of refuge. Over the years the main structures within the walls have been adapted and many more buildings constructed within the fortress.

Compare the photo above with the drawing below. The photo is of the facade which now faces Split's harbour with its wide promenade of pavement cafés, perfect for sipping cappucino and watching the world go by. Originally this was the outer sea wall of the palace. Look closely and you can see how the original Roman arches and columns have gradually been infilled.

I would have loved to spend more time in this city. It's a fascinating mixture of ancient, awe-inspiring architecture (that inspired the architect Robert Adam) and historic sites (like the Peristyle, the Cathedral of St Domnius) coupled with a really vibrant, modern atmosphere - markets, shops, cafés, tourists and locals all mingling delightfully.