Cathedral of Saint Domnius, Dalmatia, Croatia

4.5 (2.485 reviews) Spent < 1 hour Ranking #12 in Dalmatia Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites • Monuments & Statues • Churches & Cathedrals

Real History

Cathedral of Saint Domnius in Split Country Croatia Denomination Roman Catholic Architecture Style Ancient/Romanesque Years built 4th century Clergy The Cathedral of Saint Domnius (Croatian: Katedrala Svetog Duje), known locally as the Sveti Dujam or colloquially Sveti Duje, is the Catholic cathedral in Split, Croatia. The cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska, headed by Archbishop Marin Barišić. The Cathedral of St. Domnius is a complex of a church, formed from an Imperial Roman mausoleum, with a bell tower; strictly the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and the bell tower to Saint Domnius. Together they form the Cathedral of St. Domnius. The Cathedral of Saint Domnius, consecrated at the turn of the 7th century AD, is regarded as the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world that remains in use in its original structure, without near-complete renovation at a later date (though the bell tower dates from the 12th century). The structure itself, built in AD 3
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Address

Kraj Sv.Duje 5, Split 21000 Croatia

Mobile

+385 21 348 600

Website

https://visitsplit.com/en/527/cathedral-of-saint-domnius

Current local date and time now

Saturday, April 27, 2024, 15:40

User Ratings

4.5 based on (2.485 reviews)

Excellent

48%

Good

39%

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10%

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Reviews

4starlightShanghai 5:00 PM Dec 19, 2021
A Structure of Irony
There’s a real sense of irony to the Cathedral of St. Domnius. Originally, the structure was intended as the mausoleum of the greatest of all persecutors of Christians, the Emperor Diocletian (c. 243 - 316 A.D.) However, in the middle of the 7th century, the structure became a Catholic cathedral. (It seems that Diocletian was never interred here anyway, and his final resting place remains a mystery,) The purpose of the crypt below the cathedral was apparently purely structural - to support the floor above. (I gave climbing up the Bell Tower a miss, having that same morning already climbed to the top of Marjan Hill.) There’s a huge amount of history attached to this cathedral and a dearth of information labels/boards on site, so it’s best to take along a guide book and/or a local guide.
4JSTrip_77 5:00 PM Feb 3, 2023
Expensive but unique
I will admit that the cost of the ticket sort of turned me off. Plus, the packages of tickets either end up making visitors with limited time waste their money. I do understand that this church requires (and is undergoing) preservation but the number of tourists who visit should better amortize those costs. Anyway, the cathedral is unique in its history. The structure was the original tomb of the retired Roman emperor who built the palace...and was later "desecrated" and turned into a church. That's the principle reason the structure looks so unlike most cathedral churches we might have visited in our journeys. The interior is small but stunning. It is so incredible to walk around looking at decorations that have existed since Roman times and in really good condition. I elected not to pay to climb the bell tower but that looks like it would have been fun. I was just out of time.