Golden Gate, Split

Now, imagine Emperor Diocletian, who has officially clocked out of ruling the Roman Empire—so, no more edicts, no rebellions—sailing home to his seaside villa. The word “villa”, however, might be an understatement for a fortress with a sea view...

He steps ashore, dusts off his toga, and walks straight through one of the four entrances to what is now the Old Town of Split, though in Diocletian’s day it was simply his palace. The Romans, being Romans, built it as the so-called "propugnaculum"—the double doors for defensive purposes.

Today, we call it the Golden Gate. Back then, it was known as Porta Septemtrionalis, or the Northern Gate. In the Middle Ages, it became the Roman Gate. The name “Golden Gate” didn’t appear until 1553. Same structure, different branding. History loves to rebrand...

Take a closer look at the façade, and you’ll spot niches designed for statues of the ruling power squad: the four Tetrarchs. That’s Diocletian himself, alongside his imperial colleagues, namely Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius Chlorus—the men who split the empire into manageable pieces and hoped it would behave. Above the outer section of the gate, the small 6th-century Church of Saint Martin quietly perches, as if keeping watch over centuries of comings and goings.

Ironically, most modern visitors enter from the sea, through the southern or eastern gates. The Golden Gate—the grand, ceremonial main entrance—doesn’t always get the spotlight it was built for. But step outside, and you can’t miss the towering 28-foot statue of Saint Gregory of Nin, standing guard just beyond the gate. Bronze, bold, and impossible to ignore.

So, whenever you pass through, just imagine the emperor himself doing the same—retired, powerful, and very pleased with his new address...