Cathedral of St Dominus (Cathedral of St Duje)
TIME : 2016/2/22 10:34:22
Cathedral of St Dominus (Cathedral of St Duje)
This Cathedral has two lives: its first life was as the Cathedral of St. Dominus, the mausoleum dedicated to Diocletian. Diocletian was known for his brutal persecution of Christians after a campaign to get rid of Christianity. Ironically, what Diocletian built to glorify his memory was used to remember his victims. His body was removed from the mausoleum in the 7th century, with no record of where his remains are now. Today, the cathedral is a popular meeting place because of its proximity to the Silver Gate at Diocletian's Palace (it leads to Hrjvojeva Street). The courtyard is the location for Split's Summer Festival in July and August.
Its second life is now as the Cathedral of St Duje, a shrine to St Dominus. St Duje was the patron saint of Split, who was a 3rd-century Bishop of Salona in Dalmatia.
You can't miss the cathedral treasury, which contains valuable church documents and artifacts such as the relics of Saint Duje, which were brought to cathedral after his death. The cathedral's monumental main door is ornamented with magnificent carved wooden reliefs portraying 28 scenes from the life of Christ, the work of Andrija Buvina of Split, dated 1214. The interiors illustrate reliefs of Diocletian and his wife Priscia around the dome. As you enter the carved wooden doors, you’ll also see the 15th-century altar of St. Anastasius on the left. It was created by Croatian architect Juraj Dalmatinac, who also designed the UNESCO-protected Sibenik Cathedral.
The top of the Bell Tower offers one of the best views of Split. You can climb the bell tower for 10HRK (USD $2) from 8am to 7pm in summer and whenever it is open in winter.
