Solin Archaeological Zone

Solin, right next to Split, is the place where the remains of ancient Salona lie, once the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. The archaeological zone is located beside the mouth of the Jadro river in Split-Dalmatia County, and it is an excellent opportunity for those who like to stroll among centuries-old ruins.

Salona very early became a stronghold of the Illyrian tribe of the Delmatae. In the 3rd century BC it developed as an emporion of the Greeks from Issa, and under Roman rule it soon received the status of provincial capital, as Colonia Martia Iulia. The oldest part is called Urbs Vetus, and it includes the baths, forum, capitolium, curia and a theatre with a temple and square. The city then expanded to the western part, Urbs Occidentalis, which has an amphitheatre from the 2nd century, and to the eastern part, Urbs Orientalis, with the episcopal centre. Manastirine is the most important early Christian site and holds the grave of St Domnius. Among medieval sites, Gospin otok and the Gradina fortress stand out.

The Solin archaeological zone is a protected cultural property and is entered in the Register of Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia under the code Z-3936.

Photo: Zelemarjanko, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Data: Register of Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia (Ministry of Culture and Media), Open Licence; coordinates: DGU (centre of the settlement).