Explore the Diocletian Palace

About Explore the Diocletian Palace

The Diocletian Palace is a palace built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian at the turn of the 4th century AD. It is located in the city of Split, Croatia. The palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace was built for the retirement of Diocletian, and has been preserved in its original form since his death in 316 AD. It is one of the best preserved ancient buildings in the world. The palace is a large and imposing structure, built in the traditional Roman style with a colonnaded peristyle. It occupies an area of 4,000 m² and contains more than 200 rooms. The palace was used as a residence by the emperors of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire after the 4th century, and was gradually abandoned and fell into disrepair. In the 12th century it was occupied by the Venetians, who fortified it and used it as a prison. The palace was restored in the 19th century by the French architect, Jean-Baptiste Danse. It is now a popular tourist destination and is used as a venue for concerts and other cultural events.