I’m talking about The Cathedral of St. Domnius in Split Croatia. What an extraordinary place this is. On my long walk this morning, I wandered the streets of the Old Town of Split and at the heart is the smallest & oldest Cathedral in the world.
Brief History
From what I have gathered this beautiful old stone building was built in 305AD. It started life as a mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian had his retirement palace built right here in Split, at the shoreline of the Adriatic Sea. Much of the palace remains and will be the topic of other posts.
When the palace was built, the Christians were booted out of the city. St. Domnius was beheaded and martyred in that same century. In the 700’s, the Christians returned to the city and the building was consecrated a Catholic Church. Diocletian’s remains were tossed from the mausoleum and replaced with the remains of St. Domnius and various other precious relics.
The Cathedral has been deemed the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world that has retained its original structure.
The Bell Tower
In the 1100’s a bell tower was added. And it is glorious, utterly beautiful rising above the old stone city and palace. It is possible to climb the bell tower for a fee, which definitely will be an activity for another day.
The Cathedral
Entry is up a set of white limestone stairs flanked on either side by grinning lions. The large wooden doors just ahead are absolutely gorgeous. They are surrounded with an intricately carved marble frame.
At attendance, and on two sides of the Cathedral are two black marble sphinx that are 3,000 years old.
The Cathedral butts right up against Diocletian’s Palace Court Peristyle. The entire setting is gloriously ancient and stunning beautiful.
I did not go inside the cathedral today but was allowed to walk around the exterior and take photographs. There remain pieces of decorative overhead ceiling, marble columns, stone sarcophagi, and various bits of detailed carving and decoration.
The Exterior
Walking around this tiny Cathedral, I felt I was in another world. There was only one other person besides myself. I felt alone and it was magical. I repeatedly whispered ‘wow’ and ‘oh my god’ under my breath. My eyes could not capture the beauty fast enough, that my brain desperately wanted to hold on to.
And amazing to me once again, I was able to touch everything! Nothing is roped off. I stroked a cold marble carved bird relief on the doorway. I patted the haunches of the sphinx and walked on stone floor tiles that are two thousand years old!
In awe was I. This type of experience feeds my soul. This, this is what I cherish and want to keep seeing, feeling and being completely drenched in.
