Photos of the Romanesque Saint Domnius Cathedral Split

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Photos of the Beautiful Medieval Romanesque Saint Domnius Cathedral Split Architecture & Art, Croatia. Formed from the Roman Mausoleum of Diocletian. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams.  (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Romanesque Saint Domnius Cathedral SplitCroatia Architecture & Art

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Photos of the Romanesque Cathedral of St Domnius, Split, Croatia.

Cathedral of St. Domnius

The Cathedral of St Domnius is formed combined two structures. The Imperial Roman mausoleum of Diocletian, which has been turned into a church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Also a bell tower dedicated to Saint Domnius. Together they form the Cathedral of St. Domnius.

Life of Saint Domnius 

Around 300 AD Saint Domnius was a Bishop of Salona, a Roman Town situated next to Spit. Salona was a large Roman city and the of Roman Dalmatia. Saint Domnius was martyred with seven other Christians in the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian. 

Emperor Diocletian and Split

The Emperor Diocletian built Split to retire to. He was one of the Emperors who ruthlessly opposed Christianity. Under the direct orders of Diocletian many Christian Romans were sent to be martyred in the Colosseum. When he died in 311 he was entombed in his mausoleum at Split

Christian Revenge on Diocletian

In 380 Theodosius I made Christianity the only religion allowed in the Roman Empire. Many Pagan Temples and statues were destroyed or converted to churches by Roman Christians.

As revenge for Diocletian’s persicsion of Christians and the martyrdom Saint Domnius his bones were removed from his mausoleum and the building became a Christian place of worship. A final piece of revenge in the 11th century was the building of a bell tower dedicated to Saint Domnius.

Split is A UNESCO World Heritage Site