Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cost and Hours:
40kn,somepostersinsideexplainthesite;June-Septdaily9:00-21:00;
April-MayandOctMon-Sat9:00-20:00,Sun9:00-18:00exceptinApril,whenitclosesSun
at 14:00; Nov-March Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, Sun 9:00-14:00.
Visiting the Cellars:
Use the free map you get at the entry to navigate this labyrinthine
complex of cellars. First visit the
western cellars
(to the left as you enter). Near the ticket-
seller, notice the big
topographical map
of the Split area, clearly showing the city's easily
defensiblelocation—withanaturalharborshelteredbytallmountains.You'llseetheformer
Roman city of Salona, Diocletian's birthplace, just inland.
This network of cellars is quite a maze, so follow these instructions carefully: Head into
the main part of the cellars by going through the door on the right, just past the ticket-seller.
This takes you into the complex's vast, vaulted
main hall
—the biggest space in the cellars,
withstoutpillarstosupporteverythingupstairs.Whenthosefirstvillagerstookrefugeinthe
abandoned palace from the rampaging Slavs in 641, the elite lived upstairs, grabbing what
was once the emperor's wing. They carved the rough holes you see in the ceiling to dump
theirgarbageandsewage.Overthegenerations,thebasement(whereyou'restanding)filled
up with layers of pungent waste that solidified, ultimately becoming a precious bonanza for
19th- and 20th-century archaeologists. Today this hall is used for everything from flower
