2012/13 Europe Adventure: Goodbye Zadar! Hello Split, Croatia!

Zadar Old Town in the distance from my hotel

After a really lovely breakfast at the hotel I took the public bus #5 to the main bus terminal which is a 30 minute ride along the sides side which was such a nice way to end my visit to this small but charming and historic city.

View from the Bus trip Zadar to Split

The bus to Split left at noon and the ride, like all the rides so far in Croatia was stunning but happily no cliffs this time enough though 99% of the trip was along the coastline. I guess from Zadra to Split the mountains more inland which suits me just fine.

View from the Bus trip Zadar to Split

We passed so many small and midsize villages - 7 to be exact (Sukošan,Biograd namoru, Pirovac, Vodice, Šibenik

Primošten, Trogir.) And Trogir less than an hour from Split is a beautiful ancient walled city and on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Some that looked like they had only been created in the last 10 years which of course is possible. The buildings were new and the layout of those towns was more orderly and precise so it makes me think they were cookie-cutter developments but still with the quintessential terracotta roofs which I love.

View from the Bus trip Zadar to Split

We arrived in Split about 4:00pm and I had just a short 5 minute walk up from the bus/train station to the Hotel Luxe which is a very modern small hotel overlooking the water and ferry port. I love my little room although I don't usually appreciate all the modern white plastic furniture but in this room is just works and the pastel striped carpet and purple accents throughout the room are oddly soothing. I also love the sparkly silver lame curtains that hang partly in front of the huge glass window that separates the bedroom area from the bathroom. I suppose if you were sharing with someone you'd have to feel perfectly comfortable that there is no privacy in the bathroom, none at all. In fact the large glass window also faces the large window looking out to the houses nearby so really they get quite a view if you forget draw the curtains.

View from my hotel room to the port

I left the hotel pretty quickly to go and enjoy the city. Split is a large city separated into several neighborhoods but the main tourist area is right at the marina and in the Old Town Square.

View of pretty roofs from my hotel room

"Split, second largest city in Croatia is economic, administrative, educational, sport and tourist center of Split Dalmatia county (Middle Dalmatia), ferry connection to Croatia islands, pearls of Adriatic like Hvar Island. The site was first settled when, at the end of the third century AD, the Roman Emperor Diocletian built his palace here. The importance of Diocletian's Palace far transcends local significance because of its level of preservation and the buildings of succeeding historical periods built within its walls, which today form the very heart of old Split. Split's growth became particularly rapid in the 7th century, when the inhabitants of the destroyed Greek and Roman metropolis Salonae (present-day Solin) took refuge within its walls. The lovely ruins of Solin outside the city can still be explored today. In the Middle Ages, Split was an autonomous commune. Many of Split's historical and cultural buildings can be found within the walls of Diocletian's Palace. In addition, numerous museums, the National Theatre, and old churches and other archaeological sites in the Split region make it an important cultural attraction."

Diocletian's Mausoleum ruin

Beautiful windows on building across from Diocletian's Mausoleum

Bell Tower in Dicletian's Mausoleum

Stone element on small tourist office in old building

Facade of Diocletian's Mausoleum

Pretty buildings in small passage

I went directly to Diocletian's Palace through the Brass Gate entrance to an enormous vaulted passageway that is now used for vendors selling every kind of ware you can imagine. The city has a lot of merchants selling wares to tourists and the Green Market which is just outside the Palace walls is a major spot for vendors.

You first come out to the Peristil, the main open area and to the right the imposing Bell tower and Diocletian's Mausoleum and Cathedral Sv. Duje.

I then walked along the winding, narrow streets and admired all the beautiful architecture and small gardens and passage ways each with their own character and beauty and I'm sure hidden mystery through the ages.

Small Garden within the Palace walls with a Simpka kitty eating in the distance

Interesting arch with grape vines on top

Gregory of Nin sculpture with church tower on the left

It's a perfect place to just stroll and observe and you're bound to be rewarded with something historic or beautiful to behold at every turn. I came to the "modern church of Gospe od Zdravlja (Our Lady of the Health) is one of the best examples of modernist church architecture in Croatia. It was built in 1936 by architect Lav Horvat. Only the bell tower is preserved of the original Franciscan monastery that stood here since the 17th century. Pure facade made of white stone with monumental columns makes great dialogue with also pure city wall on the opposite side of the square and doesn't disturb the overall dominance of the decorated theatre building on the square." The massive mural behind the alter is striking and unique with the the figures have oddly fragmented limbs and appendages.

Our Lady of the Health Alter

Gregory of Nin sculpture with his well rubbed toe shining in the lower right corner

From there I came to the enormous statue of Gregory of Nin "who was a medieval Croatian bishop of Nin who strongly opposed the Pope and official circles of the Church and introduced the national language in the religious services after the Great Assembly in 926, according to traditional Croatian historiography. Until that time, services were held only in Latin, not being understandable to the majority of the population. Not only was this important for Croatian language and culture but it also made the religion stronger within the Croatian kingdom. The statue of Gregory of Nin by Ivan Meštrović in Split is a heavily trafficked tourist site in the town, which the toe of the statue shows. Rubbing the statue's toe is said to bring good luck. The toe has been worn smooth and shiny as a result. The statue was originally located in the Peristyle of Diocletian's Palace and can be seen in postcards of the pre-World War II period. During World War II, the statue was moved outside the city by Italian occupying forces. Currently, the statue sits to the north of the Palace and Old Town of Split, just outside the Golden Gate."

I of course rubbed his toe which you can see in the picture above is very shinny from years of tourists and I'm sure locals hoping for good luck.

Main pedestrian street with interesting bronze sculpture of a kitchen funnel

St. Francis Church courtyard

Walking for an hour or so I found myself in the more residential neighborhood on the hill and then down to the water front and St. Francis Church which is a small complex of church and courtyard. "The 13th century buildings house headstones that depict renaissance fine art. The headstones are of famous writer Marko Marulić (1450-1524), the tombs of Jero Kavanjanin (1641-1714), Toma Arhiđakon (around 1200-1268) as well composer Ivan Lukačić (1548-1648). Numerous baroque paintings and statues decorate the inside of the church, not to mention the gothic cloister on the outside."

St. Francis Church Courtyard

I continued walking around until I found a good place for dinner and then took my leftovers to feed the multitude of kitties I saw when I was on my walk earlier. There are so many stray cats but they all pretty much look healthy and well fed and I imagine the city keeps them that way so they prowl about killing mice and rats as it is a busy, congested, thriving seaside city.

Interesting Buildigns

Marina

Theatre building

A few more pictures of the city and then back to the hotel where they have a very small wellness area with a sauna and Jacuzzi and exercise machines. It was so quiet and modern like the rest of the building but the staff had candles lit throughout and I spent a lovely hour by myself just detoxing from the bus ride and another bathroom adventure at the Zadar bus terminal which I won't go into.

And now I write my blog and get to go off to a sweet slumber with the window cracked open for some sea air.