Split stands as Croatia's second-largest city with a population of approximately 178,000 within city limits and 350,000 in the greater metropolitan area as of 2021 census data. The city occupies a central position on the eastern Adriatic coast of the Dalmatian region, situated on the Marjan Peninsula between the Kaštela Bay to the northwest and the town of Omiš to the southeast. Split functions as the administrative center of Split-Dalmatia County and serves as the primary ferry hub for connections to the central Dalmatian islands including Brač, Hvar, Vis, and Šolta. The city's port handled 4.3 million passengers in 2019, establishing it as one of the busiest ferry terminals on the eastern Adriatic. Split Airport, located 24 kilometers west in Kaštela, processed 3.3 million passengers in 2019, ranking second nationally after Zagreb. The city extends along approximately 10 kilometers of coastline and reaches inland to the lower slopes of the coastal mountain range. Split maintains year-round ferry services to Ancona, Italy across the Adriatic, with crossing times of 9 to 11 hours depending on vessel type.
The defining feature of Split is Diocletian's Palace, constructed between 295 and 305 CE as a retirement residence for the Roman Emperor Diocletian. The palace complex measures approximately 215 meters east to west and 180 meters north to south, covering 38,700 square meters within its walls. UNESCO inscribed the palace and the historic core of Split as a World Heritage Site in 1979, recognizing it as the most complete remains of a Roman palace in existence. Unlike archaeological ruins, the palace functions as a living quarter where approximately 3,000 people reside within the ancient walls. The basement levels, which Diocletian used for storage and service functions, remain largely intact and opened to public visitation in the 1950s after centuries of accumulated debris removal. These subterranean halls replicate the floor plan of the imperial apartments above and extend across approximately 50 percent of the palace footprint. The peristyle, the palace's central courtyard, measures 13.4 meters by 35.5 meters and served as the formal entrance to Diocletian's private quarters. The Cathedral of St. Domnius occupies what was originally Diocletian's octagonal mausoleum, converted to Christian use in the 7th century and representing one of the oldest Catholic cathedrals in continuous use. The cathedral's Romanesque bell tower, completed in 1100 CE, rises 57 meters and provides views across the city and harbor from its summit.
The palace walls incorporated Egyptian granite columns, which Diocletian transported from quarries near Aswan. Fifteen of the original sphinx sculptures that decorated the palace remain in situ or in Split museums, with the best-preserved example positioned at the peristyle's southern end dating to the reign of Thutmose III, approximately 1450 BCE. The Golden Gate, the palace's northern entrance, features a 4th-century arch through which the main Roman road led to the provincial capital of Salona, 5 kilometers north. A 1929 bronze statue of Grgur Ninski by Ivan Meštrović stands outside the Golden Gate, depicting the 10th-century bishop who advocated for liturgy in Croatian rather than Latin. The Iron Gate on the western side opens directly onto the Riva, Split's waterfront promenade. The Riva extends for approximately 500 meters along the harbor and underwent major reconstruction between 2005 and 2007, widening the pedestrian area to accommodate the city's cafe culture. The Bronze Gate on the southern seaward side originally allowed direct access from the harbor into the palace basements, a route that visitors can still follow today.
Split's population grew substantially during the 20th century, from approximately 35,000 in 1900 to its current size. The city experienced significant expansion during the Yugoslav period when heavy industry including shipbuilding and chemical production established operations in the surrounding bay area. The Brodosplit shipyard, founded in 1922, became one of the largest employers in the region and continues operations today primarily building commercial vessels and offshore platforms. The city's economic focus shifted toward tourism and services following Croatian independence in 1991. Tourism arrivals to Split reached 1.15 million overnight stays in 2019, with approximately 70 percent of visitors arriving during June through September. The palace area and surrounding old town contain over 1,800 hotel beds, while private accommodation through apartments accounts for the majority of tourist lodging capacity.
The Marjan Hill forms a 3.5-kilometer-long forested peninsula projecting westward from the city center, rising to a maximum elevation of 178 meters. The hill has been protected as a nature reserve since 1964 and contains 13 kilometers of walking and running paths through Mediterranean pine forest. Archaeological evidence indicates hermit occupation of Marjan's caves from the 13th century, with several small churches constructed between the 15th and 17th centuries still standing on the slopes. The Jewish Cemetery on Marjan's northern slope dates from 1573, making it one of the oldest preserved Sephardic cemeteries in southeastern Europe. Swimming beaches line Marjan's southern coast, with Bene and Kašjuni beaches offering the closest Mediterranean shoreline access to the city center at distances of 2 to 3 kilometers from the palace.
The Green Market (Pazar) operates daily on the palace's eastern edge, occupying a space that has served as Split's main produce market since at least the 14th century. The current market hall structure dates from 1926. Vendors sell produce primarily from Dalmatian hinterland farms, Neretva Delta growers, and island suppliers who arrive by early morning ferries. The Fish Market functions in a separate 1930s hall directly south of the produce market, with catches brought primarily from small-boat fishermen operating between Kaštela Bay and the Brač Channel. The Diocletian Aqueduct, constructed simultaneously with the palace, originally carried water from springs on the Jadro River near Salona through a 9-kilometer conduit. Portions of the aqueduct remained functional until the 19th century, with visible above-ground sections still standing north of the city near the suburb of Solin.
Salona, the Roman provincial capital of Dalmatia, lies 5 kilometers north of Split's center near the modern town of Solin. Archaeological excavations beginning in 1821 have revealed a city that covered approximately 120 hectares at its peak in the 4th century CE, with a population estimated between 40,000 and 60,000. The amphitheater seated approximately 15,000 spectators and measured 125 meters by 105 meters, similar in size to the arenas at Pula and Verona. Early Christian complexes at Salona include the Manastirine basilica and cemetery where Christian martyrs killed during Diocletian's persecutions were buried. The Salona site remains partially excavated, with ongoing archaeological work conducted by the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments and the Archaeological Museum in Split. Entry to the Salona archaeological park is free of charge, with interpretive signage in Croatian and English installed at major structures.
The Klis Fortress occupies a strategic mountain pass 11 kilometers northeast of Split at an elevation of 385 meters, controlling the historic route from the coast to the interior Dalmatian hinterland. The fortress site shows continuous fortification use from the Illyrian period through Ottoman and Venetian occupations. The current walls largely date from Venetian reconstruction after 1648, following Ottoman control of Klis from 1537 to 1596. The fortress extends approximately 350 meters along the ridgeline and contains multiple defensive levels adapted to the narrow terrain. The Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments maintains a small exhibition within the fortress displaying medieval stone carvings and weapons. Klis gained international recognition as a filming location for the fictional city of Meereen in the HBO series Game of Thrones, filmed in Croatia between 2011 and 2016. Public buses from Split's main station reach Klis village in approximately 30 minutes, with a 500-meter uphill walk to the fortress entrance.