Woolly says – I felt quite sad to be leaving the magnificent Mostar but being the traveller that I am there is always another place to go and as the miles passed and the snacks went down I gave Jo …the only one listening a brief overview on our next stop. Split is one of the oldest cities in Croatia considered to be just over 1700 years old…that’s nearly as old as Jo! Founded as the Greek colony of Aspalathos in the 4th century BC before becoming the ancient capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. Following much of the rest of the country they encountered the Byzantines, the Venetians and the French before becoming a part of the former Yugoslavia. The pictures on google looked great so as the bus pulled into the terminal I was eager to start the tour guide routine….oh the work I have to do!
The cheek of the beast! We navigated our way past the harbour and up a tiny street to our newest bunk before dropping our stuff off and heading off to seek food.
Woolly says – as we approached the harbour for the second time I could see the women’s noses crinkling in disgust….’it’s not me’ I cried, even I couldn’t make a smell like that! Deciding that going into the older part of the city might relieve the pong I led them through an archway and into what appeared to be the cellars, hmmmm worth investigating more fully tomorrow!
Before he started on the full guided tour of the city I mentioned that food was needed and that sightseeing was tomorrow.
Woolly says – I was about to protest when my tummy gave out a loud roar so picking up my pace I guided them past the cathedral and into a large pleasant square. With pizza and gnocchi consumed I felt it was only fair to return to our beds through some of the lovely small streets and as we passed cute shuttered buildings and ornately carved doorways we arrived in a small square that seemed filled to the brim with umbrellas and tables, as I looked around for a way out I glanced up and to my amazement there appeared to be a temple.
He can move very quickly when he wants to and as we dashed to catch up I saw his behind disappearing through a beautifully carved doorway.
Woolly says – small but so wonderful, the ceiling alone set my heart racing, dedicated to the Jupiter the Ancient Roman God of sky and thunder and king of the Gods it was a temple to be proud of Built from 295 until 305 AD during the construction of the cities Palace at one time it had been turned into the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist in the 6th century AD. The statue of Jupiter was a little strange and he was certainly a skinny bloke but the workmanship was exquisite.
His grubby little face was a joy to behold but before he could take root I suggested a quick look outside and the promise of more tomorrow.
Woolly says – Outside, what did I miss? Giving one last look to the magical place I stepped out to find myself in front of a sphinx! Where on earth had that come from…..no I know they come from Egypt but what’s it dong here?
Apparently there are twelve of them that were brought from Egypt by order of Emperor Diocletian during his reign.
Woolly says – I’m going on a sphinx hunt!….well maybe in the morning!
We woke to rain spotting down so having gathered the rain wear we made our way back across the harbour front once more.
Woolly says – Bad egg alert…..no it’s defiantly not me but although it smelt awful to us others were happily tucking into breakfast in the stench! Under the archway we had entered last night which took us to what had once been Diocletian’s Palace built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century AD, it’s not what you might consider to be a traditional palace like Buck House but forms the centre of the Old City of Split.
First plan of the day ….get to the top of the Bell tower of the Cathedral of St Domnius. First fail of the day…..getting to the top of the Bell tower! I couldn’t even make it up the first step it was four times bigger than me, Jo climbed gamely up clutching onto me until she reached the metal stairs which were open to the depths below, she looks quite sweet when tinged with green hehehe.
I couldn’t go any further, enclosed heights and not knowing what is coming is one thing but being able to see the ground receding further and further away is a different ball game.
Woolly says – I don’t want to play ball though I want to get to the top! I had a choice walk it, as Zoe was already scaling the heady heights or return to planet earth, sigh….. I went down. Having clambered down the last stair I decided to find a place to sit and take in the lovely Roman architecture that surrounds the Cathedral when I noticed a large black sphinx!!!!! I immediately summoned Jo and struck up a pose when a nice American lady asked me about my travels. A lovely conversation ensued as we both detailed the places we had been and were we were heading next until Zoe returned from her pursuit of views from on high. Wishing each other good luck in our continuing travels I trotted down the steps and round the corner to gain entry to the Cathedral itself.
Before I could stop him he had fled past the ticket desk and was running up the steps!
Woolly says – I’d spotted the huge guided tour and wanted to at least be able to see the inside before being trampled! The Cathedral of St. Domnius is a complex of a church formed from the Imperial Roman mausoleum which was consecrated at the turn of the 7th century AD it is regarded as the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world and the smallest that remains in use in its original structure, although it had once been Diocletian’s mausoleum. It was lovely, with a wonderful gold alter and its two rows of Corinthian columns there was so much detail to absorb and as everyone else was snapping away Jo followed suit. Having reached the point where there were more tourists than floor space we ducked through the curtain and went down the check out the crypt.
It wasn’t big but it seemed to appeal to my small friend especially once he had found a bell from the tower to sit on….well it kept him happy!
Woolly says – the crypt is dedicated to St Lucy who is the protector of the blind, legend says that it has the miraculous qualities of returning sight to those that need it. Oval in shape there was little to see other than a small well and a bell from the tower that had defeated me. Realising that the ladies were for once waiting for me I directed them back into the cellars to investigate more fully. Known as the Diocletian Palace Substructures they are one of the best preserved ancient complexes of their kind in the world, in the Roman times their function was to elevate the Emperor’s chambers on the floor above, but they were also the storage area for the Palace……. you’d be in there for a year looking for anything, they were HUGE! I wandered through room after room, some bright and dry while others were cold, dark and damp, I had to watch out for puddles on more than one occasion.
The high domed ceilings and brickwork had been lovingly restored in places whilst work was still ongoing in other areas they were humongous!
Woolly says – having no idea where I was in the underground warren I came across my second sphinx of the day, happy times and my sphinx hunt is going well. Having a short break and a quick look at the map we decided to see if we could find the Live Museum, I led the way through the maze of street and out through the Silver Gate where two Romans were obliging the visitors with pictures and into small park area. We walked, we consulted the map and walked some more, we walked back to where we had stated from and set off in the opposite direction but no matter which way we went there was no museum, sighing in frustration and with the rain dripping onto my tusks I pre-empted the conversation and just told the others that we were going to the Museum of Split to keep dry!
Not a bad idea for a mammoth.
Woolly says – I’m full of good ideas thank you! The City Museum of Split was founded in 1946 and was the Gothic palace of the Papalic family designed and built in the late 15th century by the native master Juraj of Dalmatia and his stone carvers and builders circle. The courtyard was very quaint and having left Jo to pay I started to survey the exhibits, lots of Roman remains from the Palace and one that looked like a sphinx but Jo said I couldn’t count it because it wasn’t a sphinx, she’s so mean to me! The first floor had weapons and a rather lovely wooden roof, whilst the last floor had dinner wear and furniture from the 1800’s onwards and best of all another sphinx!
It was a drawing but to stop his nagging I let him claim it!
Woolly says – Five sphinx (by my count and I’m including the one from Jupiter’s temple in that number) in one day isn’t bad, I wonder where the rest are? Let’s look at the map……
He would be searching for a very long time as most of the original 15th BC sphinx’s have been destroyed over the years, maybe an ice cream will keep his mind of searching any further!