Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sulfur spring in the nearby spa building (with the gray statues, on the corner). Just beyond
the fish market is the pedestrian boulevard, Marmontova (described earlier).
This little piazza is just off the Riva between the two halves of the Old Town. Overhead is
a
Venetian citadel.
After Split became part of the Venetian Republic, there was a serious
dangerofattackbytheOttomans,sooctagonaltowerslikethiswerebuiltallalongthecoast.
But this imposing tower hadasecond purpose: toencourage citizens ofSplit toforgetabout
any plans of rebellion. At its base is an inviting juice bar, invoking the more popular nick-
name of the square—Vo
ć
ni Trg (“Fruit Square”), for the produce that was once sold here.
In the middle of the square is a studious sculpture by Ivan Meštrovi
ć
of the 16th-century
poet
Marko Maruli
ć
,
who is considered the father of the Croatian language. Maruli
ć
was
the first to write literature in the Croatian vernacular, which before then had generally been
considered a backward peasants' tongue.
On the downhill (harbor) side of the square is
Croata,
a necktie boutique that loves
to explain how Croatian soldiers who fought with the French in the Thirty Years' War
(1618-1648) had a distinctive way of tying their scarves. The French found it stylish, adop-
ted it, and called it
à la Croate
—or eventually,
cravate
—thus creating the modern necktie
that many people wear to work every day throughout the world. Croata's selection includes
ties with traditional Croatian motifs, such as the checkerboard pattern from the flag or writ-
ing in the ninth-century Glagolitic alphabet. Though pricey, these ties make nice souven-
irs. Basic ties run about 500 kn, while handmade ones with 24-carat gold accents can run
2,800-3,800 kn. The shop also sells women's scarves (Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat 8:00-13:00,
closed Sun, Mihovilova Širina 7, tel. 021/346-336). Croata has a bigger, second location on
the Peristyle.
Radić Brothers Square (Trg Braće Radića)
This lively open-air market bustles at the east end of Diocletian's Palace. Residents shop
for produce and clothes here, and there are plenty of tourist souvenirs as well. Browse the
wide selection of T-shirts, and ignore the sleazy black-market tobacco salesmen who mutter
at you:
“Cigaretta?”
WhileSplit'sharborfrontRivaiswherethebeautifulpeoplestroll,thecity'sfishermenroots
still thrive just to the west. The neighborhood called Matejuška—at the little harbor where
the Varoš district hits the water (a five-minute walk beyond the end of the Riva, with the
water on your left)—has long been Split's working fishermen's harbor. While the area has
received a facelift to match the one along the Riva, it still retains its striped-collar character.
