The palace of Emperor Diocletian. Sea Gate. Peristyle and Vestibule

The best place to start exploring the city is at the city harbor (Gradska luka). Here you can hear the sound of the ships' horns, feel the salty wind in your face, and see the car ferries docking after their voyages to the islands. Behind the harbor promenade rises the ancient walls of the Diocletian's Palace.

The southern wall was the sea front of the palace. In this part were the lavish personal apartments of the emperor, beneath them huge basement rooms, where the Sea Gate leads. The cellars now contain vaulted walls built of stone blocks and brown bricks, supported by square columns. These rooms are beloved by sellers of wonderful local souvenirs. Among the few internal palace buildings that have survived, the Peristil stands out.

The huge (24 x 13 m) rectangular open-air hall is bordered by a strict arcade of granite and marble columns with ornate Korinthian capitals. Under Diocletian various festivals and ceremonies were held in the Peristyle and now during the festivals there are theatrical performances here. The Vestibule is a large circular hall with a domed ceiling, which led to the personal apartments of the emperor that have not survived.