Marmont Street

Marmontova Street in Split is the main pedestrian zone connecting the Riva with the Prokurative. It is named after the French Marshal Marmont, who had a significant influence on the development of the city in the early 19th century. Marmont initiated the modernization of Split: he opened the Beautification Office, built schools, theaters, roads and parks, and introduced new ideas from the French Revolution. The people of Split remember him as the person who brought progress to the city. Marmontova is the first planned straight street outside Diocletian's Palace, cut through the old city walls, which marked a new direction for the city's development to the north. Today, the street is completely pedestrianized, renovated in 1996, and full of shops, cafes and restaurants. The fish market is located approximately in the middle of Marmontova and is famous for the fact that flies do not enter it, thanks to the smell of sulfur from the nearby spa. Marmontova Street is also home to Split's first cinema, Karaman, which is still in operation today, and the Morpurgo bookstore, one of the oldest in Europe. The Pirja fountain, installed in 1998, attracts special attention. The author is academic sculptor Kažimir Hraste. The sculpture depicts a bronze fist showing a thumb - the thumb is placed between the index and middle fingers. A stream of water comes out of the fist and falls straight into a large funnel, or pirja, placed on the sidewalk. This gesture, known as a "figa", symbolizes stubbornness and resilience. The fountain has become a recognizable symbol of Marmontova Street, and often arouses the curiosity of passers-by, especially when it is in operation, as this is not a common sight.