Golden Gate, Memorial gate in Diocletian's Palace, Split, Croatia.
The Golden Gate is a memorial portal within Diocletian's Palace built with a rectangular frame and double doors in classical Roman style. The facade shows niches where sculptures of four Roman tetrarchs once stood, and it opens outward toward Strossmayer's Park while connecting the palace's northern side to the inner Cardo street.
Built as Porta Septemtrionalis, this gateway served as the main entrance through which Emperor Diocletian returned to his palace in 305 AD. Venetian authorities renamed the structure to Golden Gate in the 16th century, giving it the name by which it is known today.
The gate connects to Split's early Christian period through the church of Saint Martin positioned above its outer section and a large statue of Gregory of Nin nearby. These religious additions show how the Roman structure became layered with Christian meaning over time.
The gate sits at the palace's northern edge and is easily accessible from outside, particularly from the nearby waterfront promenade. Visitors can view it anytime without entry fees, and it lies on a direct route to the other gates and main areas of the complex.
Despite being called the Golden Gate since the 16th century, the structure contains no actual gold or gilded decoration. The name came from a Venetian renaming that may have referred to the gateway's importance or a symbolic association.
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