Split has had many names during its history. The current name originates from the spartium plant. Many historians claim that the city was built in the 4th century, when Diocletian’s Palace was constructed, while archeological evidence suggests that the area might have been inhabited much before Diocletian, during Greek colonial efforts. Diocletian (284 – 305), a Roman Emperor, was a great reformer of Tome, and considered himself to be a god. He introduced a government system called a tetrarchy, which includes four emperors ruling at the same time. The palace constructed in Split was used, in a way, as Diocletian’s retirement home.
In the 7th century, Diocletian’s palace began to be inhabited, during the first Slavic-Avar invasions. The city expanded beyond its walls. For a long time, Split was a part of the Byzantine Empire i.e. Eastern Roman Empire.
In the 11th century, the city was conquered by the Republic of Venice. During the reign of Bosnian King Tvrtko I Kotromanić, Split was a part of his state. Between the 15th century and the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1791, Dalmatia remained under its rule. When the Ottomans conquered it, a part of Split fell under their rule, which enabled the city to develop both as a border town and as an import-export pier.
In 1838, Split had a population of 8721. Important sites in the city at the time included the cathedral and the remains of Diocletian’s palace, as well as a memory from the time under French rule – the short Marmont Street.
When Napoleon was ultimately defeated, the city became an Austro-Hungarian territory, which it would stay for the next century. After the treaty between the two sides of the Empire was reached, Split and Dalmatia became part of the Austrian portion of the former empire. Dalmatia, in fact, wasn’t united with Croatia until the end of World War One.
In World War Two, Split was occupied by Italian forces, which led to the so-called Rome Agreement between NDH and Italy. Split’s surrounding settlements were separated from the town itself, and the population of Split became Italian subjects. In 1941, a large part of the city’s population approached the Partisans in some way. Partisan forces took over the city in September of 1943, after Italy capitulated. Unfortunately, they were swiftly forced to surrender the city to the Germans. Split formally became part of NDH, but on 26th October 1944, it was once again under the control of the Partisans.
During the existence of Yugoslavia, Split experienced economic growth, as well as industrialization in the nearby Kašteli, while Dalmatia as a whole became increasingly popular among tourists. Even though after Yugoslavia seized to exist the city suffered economically, today, the city has a youthful and charming spirit.
Dubrovnik is a town hidden behind its stone walls, a city with an open heart that greets visitors from all around the globe. The whole town revloves around the sea and sunlight, with its clear skies, greenish-turquoise and dark-blue sea next to its stone shore creating an experience that is entirely unique to the city, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site thirty years ago. Dubrovnik fascinates all who visit it, with its many churches, museums, fortresses and its unique history, and the city is one of the world’s most important tourist destinations, where people of all nationalities and trades meet, from tourists, diplomats, politicians to artists.Today, the city is very proud of its tourism, as well as the popularity it has gained thanks to its appearance in the popular TV series, Game of Thrones.
Split, one of the oldest cities in Croatia, is located between Zadar and Dubrovnik. The city has a rich history, and its many preserved landmarks reserved the city a spot as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city, along with its 2700 sunny hours a year, is very attractive for tourists. You will often hear the people of Split saying that their city is the most beautiful city in the world, which they often say about their women, as well. Many tourists agree with this assessment. Today, the city is developing thanks to tourism and merchant piers, as the city is a tourism, wine industry and food industry center.
Rovinj is a romantic town situated in the north of the Adriatic coast, and with a population of around 15 thousand. It is located on the west coast of the Istra Peninsula, a popular tourist holiday site and an active fishing location. Some of the natives speak the Istriot language, a Romance language that was the most common language in the area when Istra used to belong to Italy. Rovinj is characteristic for its mild, Mediterranean climate, and it is the capital of the Istra Region. The town has the most diverse tourist offer and lodging capacities of any place in Croatia.
