Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian


World Heritage Identification Number: 97

World Heritage since: 1979

Category: Cultural Heritage

WHE Type: Buildings & Architectural Ensembles

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇭🇷 Croatia

Continent: Europe

UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America

Map

The Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian: A Blend of Ancient and Medieval Architecture

The Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, offers a unique blend of ancient Roman architecture and medieval structures that have evolved over time. Situated in the heart of Split, Croatia, this complex serves as a testament to the city's rich history and cultural diversity.

More to come…

UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The ruins of Diocletian's Palace, built between the late 3rd and the early 4th centuries A.D., can be found throughout the city. The cathedral was built in the Middle Ages, reusing materials from the ancient mausoleum. Twelfth- and 13th-century Romanesque churches, medieval fortifications, 15th-century Gothic palaces and other palaces in Renaissance and Baroque style make up the rest of the protected area.

Encyclopedia Record: Split, Croatia

Split is the second-largest city in Croatia, after the capital Zagreb, situated on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. As the administrative seat of Split-Dalmatia County and the largest city on the Croatian coast, it serves as a key economic, cultural, and transportation hub for the region. Developed around the historic core of Diocletian's Palace and extending across a central peninsula toward its surrounding suburbs and hinterland, Split combines a continuous urban tradition spanning more than seventeen centuries with a contemporary role as one of Croatia's leading tourist destinations. The city itself has a population of over 160,000, while the metropolitan area encompasses approximately 310,000 inhabitants.

Read more on Wikipedia

Additional Site Details

Area: 20.8 hectares

Number of Components: 1

UNESCO Criteria: (ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape

Coordinates: 43.5088888889 , 16.4391666667

Image

Image of Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian

© Tatyana Peshkova, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

About World Heritage Explorer

World Heritage Explorer is an independent educational project designed to uncover and share the richness of our world’s cultural and natural heritage. Dive into detailed site profiles, immersive imagery, interactive maps, and tools that help you explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites across the globe. Drawing extensively on open data sources, the project delivers authoritative, well-structured information for learners, educators, travelers, and younger explorers alike.

Learn more about the project

Nearby World Heritage Sites

Historic City of Trogir
15 km — Croatia
Stari Grad Plain
40 km — Croatia
The Cathedral of St James in Šibenik
51 km — Croatia
Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar
113 km — Bosnia and Herzegovina
Stećci Medieval Tombstone Graveyards
129 km — Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia
Flag of Croatia

Croatia and the World Heritage Convention

State Party since: July 6, 1992

Status: Succession

Mandates to the World Heritage Committee: 2013-2017

Total of Mandate Years: 4

Total of Mandates: 1

WHC Electoral Group: II (Eastern Europe)

Learn more about Croatia

Weather at the World Heritage Site

Last updated: August 5, 2026

Portions of the page Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Split, Croatia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

Open Data for an Open World