Split, Croatia 斯普利特
April 20, 2026
We started our day by visiting the Golden Gate of Diocletian’s Palace, where we joined the tradition of touching the big toe of the statue of Grgur Ninski for good luck. The large bronze sculpture was created by the renowned Croatian artist Ivan Meštrović, and its polished toe—worn shiny by countless visitors—seemed to promise just that.
Just above the Golden Gate, we visited a small church—considered the oldest in Split—perched atop the ancient arch. Inside, we had a warm and unexpected conversation with a kind elderly nun, a quiet and memorable moment.
We then wandered deeper into the Old Town, passing through Peristyle Square on our way to visit the substructures of Diocletian’s Palace.
We spent more than an hour exploring the vast underground halls beneath the palace. Built around 300 AD during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, these basement chambers are remarkably well preserved. One fascinating detail is that the layout below mirrors the imperial apartments that once stood above. Since the upper floors were largely destroyed or altered over the centuries, these substructures provide a rare glimpse into the original design. Ironically, they survived largely intact because they were used as a dumping ground for centuries, which helped fill and protect them. Among the highlights was an ancient oil press, still standing as a reminder of daily life long ago. Parts of these halls were also used as filming locations for Game of Thrones, though we couldn’t quite identify the scenes ourselves since we didn’t watch the movie.
Afterward, we exited through the Bronze Gate and returned to the hotel for a short lunch break. In the afternoon, we came back to the palace once more, strolling through its narrow alleys and admiring the blend of architectural styles layered over centuries and ancient 24 hour Roman City Clock on the tower of St. Arnir.
In the evening, we celebrated my sister’s birthday with friends. It was her first time celebrating a birthday outside China, which made the occasion even more meaningful. Family time like this is truly something to appreciate.
2026年4月20日
我们从参观戴克里先宫金门（Golden Gate）开始了这一天。在门外，我们也加入了当地的传统——触摸格尔古尔·宁斯基（Grgur Ninski）雕像的大脚趾，据说可以带来好运。这座巨大的青铜雕像出自著名克罗地亚雕塑家伊万·梅什特罗维奇（Ivan Meštrović）之手，被无数游客触摸过的脚趾已经被磨得发亮，仿佛真的能带来好运。
就在金门上方，我们参观了一座所见过的最小的教堂——被认为是斯普利特最古老的教堂之一，坐落在古老城门的拱顶之上。在那里，我们与一位和蔼的老修女有了一段温暖而意外的交谈，成为当天一个难忘的瞬间。
随后我们继续深入老城，花了一个多小时参观戴克里先宫地下大厅（Diocletian’s Palace substructures）。这些地下空间建于公元约300年，是罗马皇帝戴克里先（Diocletian）时期的遗迹，保存得非常完好。一个非常有意思的细节是，这些地下结构的布局与当年地面上的皇宫居住区几乎完全对应。由于上层建筑在之后的几个世纪中被不断改建甚至毁坏，这些地下大厅反而成为了解原始宫殿格局的重要依据。颇为讽刺的是，它们之所以能保存下来，是因为曾长期被当作垃圾填埋场，反而起到了保护作用。其中一个亮点是一台古老的榨油设备，至今仍静静伫立，让人联想到当年的日常生活。这里的部分空间也曾作为电影《权力的游戏》（Game of Thrones）的取景地，同伴是影迷，知道的非常多，能认出具体场景。不过由于我们俩没有看过这部剧，觉得只是一个古迹而已。
参观结束后，我们从青铜门（Bronze Gate）离开，回到酒店稍作休息并用午餐。下午我们再次回到宫殿，在狭窄的巷道中漫步，欣赏这座城市层层叠加、跨越多个世纪的建筑风格。
晚上，我们和朋友一起为妹妹庆祝生日。这是她第一次在中国以外的地方过生日，也因此显得格外有意义。这样的家庭时光，尤其值得珍惜。