Temple of Jupiter

The Temple of Jupiter in Split is a Roman sacred building constructed between 295 and 305 in the western, religious part of Diocletian's Palace. It was dedicated to the supreme Roman god, who was also regarded as the divine father of the emperor. Because Diocletian unexpectedly abdicated in 305 and construction work on the palace was halted, parts of the temple were left unfinished. In front of the entrance sits one of the twelve sphinxes from Egypt that the emperor brought with him. The Scottish architect Robert Adam counted this building among the finest monuments in Europe.

Inside, the temple impresses with its richly decorated doors and a striking barrel vault with a coffered ceiling. Reliefs depicting gods and heroes such as Victoria, Triton, Helios, Hercules, Jupiter, and Apollo adorn the facade above the entrance. In late antiquity and the Middle Ages, the building was converted into a baptistery dedicated to John the Baptist, while the crypt was consecrated to Saint Thomas. Today the space houses the sarcophagi of two archbishops of Split as well as a large bronze statue of John the Baptist by Ivan Meštrović.

Other sights include a Romanesque bell tower, built above the vault in the 11th century, as well as several elaborate marble screens. One of them bears the oldest known depiction of the Croatian king Peter Krešimir IV or Demetrius Zvonimir with his subjects. Another shows a pentagon with flowers and birds in a star, surrounded by a wreath symbolizing the Trinity. The temple's barrel vault also exerted a strong influence on early Renaissance art in Dalmatia.