Itinerary:

Peristyle, as the central square of the Palace, intended for the Emperor Diocletian celebrated as the living son of Jupiter, finds its place among many temples. The Emperor would appear under the architrave of the central part of Protyron, and his subjects would approach him, kneeling down, kissing the hem of his scarlet cloak, or they would fall in front of him, their entire body to the ground. The red colour of the granite columns emphasises the ceremonial function. Namely, ever since the Emperor Diocletian the colour purple became the imperial colour. With the construction of a new city square with the town hall (Pjaca) in the 13th/14th century, Peristyle became a religious centre. Today it boarders from the West with Palaces of Split noble families Grisogono, Cipci and Skočibušić, as they lean on its authentic columns and arches. With their Renaissance and Gothic architecture they themselves became monuments.
Behind the Peristyle lies the Vestibule, a Rotonda, that was once the first section of the imperial corridor in Diocletian's Palace that led via the Peristyle to the Imperial apartments of the Palace. Below what were the Imperial apartments, stand The Palace Cellars, that represent one of the best preserved ancient complexes of their kind in the world.
Pjaca (People's Square, another square nobody in Split calls by its real name), is first mentioned in 13th century as St Lawrence's Square, and it was the first inhabited part of Split outside the Diocletian Palace, leaning to its western wall. Already for centuries the Pjaca is the central stage of the city life, there in the Gothic building of the Old Town Hall, today an exhibition centre, was the seat of the city's authority, and in still beautiful and preserved Palaces on the outskirts of the Pjaca lived the noble families Cambi, Pavlović, Nakić, Ciprianis, Karepić... Still open is one of the oldest book shops in the world, Morpurgo, to this day it looks almost the same as it looked in 1861, and in the Café Central where the intellectuals of Split gathered is where the tourism of Split begun with the former hotel Troccoli. The city clock has been ticking for centuries on Pjaca, unique by his 24 instead of 12 digits, and in the surrounding cafés, restaurants and bars the citizens of Split could always find a place to rest, meet, be seen and see others, go through the most important events of the city. Every building on Pjaca has its story, each is a witness of history and the spirit of the city. As it was yesterday, it is also today, when Pjaca is filled with numerous bars, restaurants and shops, and when it became one of the most important spots for tourists wishing to enjoy in whatever it is that their hosts, citizens of Split, are enjoying.
Prokurative or as they are officially called, Republic Square resemble the Venice St. Marks Square. They are located west of the Riva and they were named after the arches found on the neo-Renaissance buildings surrounding the square on three sides. Most people to this day know it by that name. The square is only open on the south side, providing a beautiful view of the harbour and the Riva (waterfront). The building of the Prokurativa was initiated by one of the most renowned mayors in the history of the city Antonio Bajamonti in the mid 19th century. He wanted to show that Split supported Italian tradition with all its might. Hence the colonnade resembling Venetians, and reliefs above the windows evoking the ancient and Renaissance influences. Bajamonti also made his great theatre on the square, but it was destroyed by a fire. The square has long been established as an excellent stage for cultural events, especially the pop music festival, and the local bars and restaurants made it a popular venue for the citizens of Split. The plateau on the south side has always been an integral part of Prokurative, with, ever since 1947, a neo-Classical fountain, destroyed by the communist authorities, due to its alleged connection to the Italian rule over Split and Dalmatia.