Golden Gate and Statue of Gregory of Nin

The Golden Gate and the statue of Gregory of Nin

The Split audio-guided tour presents you with the Golden Gate, the most monumental entrance of the Palace of Diocletian, and the statue of Gregory of Nin that stands before it.

The imperial entrance and the defender of Croatian

The Golden Gate, or Porta Aurea, was the entrance by which the emperor arrived in his palace from inland. Built at the beginning of the fourth century, flanked by two towers and adorned with niches that once sheltered statues, it symbolised imperial prestige and power. Before it stands today a gigantic bronze statue representing Gregory of Nin, or Grgur Ninski, a major figure of medieval Croatian history. Bishop of Nin in the tenth century, he worked for the mass to be celebrated in old Croatian rather than in Latin, a decision that reinforced Croatian cultural and linguistic identity. Tradition has it that touching his big toe brings luck.

What there is to see

The Golden Gate impresses with its two towers and its niches, witnesses of the majestic entrance of the Palace of Diocletian. Before it, the monumental statue of Gregory of Nin, signed Ivan Meštrović, pays tribute to the defender of the Croatian language; his big toe, polished by passers-by, is said to bring luck. It is a stage that mixes Roman grandeur and pride in Croatian identity.

Practical information

The Golden Gate and the statue of Gregory of Nin are to the north of the Palace of Diocletian, in Split. The gate can be crossed freely on foot at all hours and the statue can be contemplated on the level, outside the palace.

Who was Gregory of Nin?

A tenth-century Croatian bishop who worked for the celebration of mass in old Croatian, reinforcing the cultural identity of the country.

What was the function of the Golden Gate?

It was the monumental entrance by which the emperor Diocletian arrived in his palace from inland.