Fish market

You are at Split's "peškarija", a place where not only fish has been sold for over a hundred years, but also a part of Split's identity. This building, built in 1890 according to a project by Ante Bezić, was built on the site of old wooden plank houses where fish had been sold since Roman times. The Austro-Hungarians built an elegant iron structure here, inspired by large European markets, with the aim of modernizing Split's trade, but in fact they created a cult place that became the heart of Split's gastronomic tradition. The interior of the Fish Market has retained its original stone paving and fish counters, and the gabled roof with basilica-style lighting and ventilation ensured freshness even during the hottest summers, which was revolutionary for its time. The main entrance features the coat of arms of the city of Split, and the western door opens onto the square and Marmontova Street, making the fish market part of the everyday urban rhythm. Interestingly, there are almost no flies in Ribarnica – this is thanks to the smell of sulfur springs from the nearby spa, which repelled insects and attracted Diocletian to build his palace here in Roman times. All the freshness of the Adriatic comes to the tables of Ribarnica every day, and the rules for selling fish have remained the same since Roman times: the freshest fish arrives from Matejuška as early as five in the morning, and by noon everything is sold out. There are no refrigerators or preservatives – just ice, salt and Split wisdom. Split's Ribarnica has long been too small for today's Split, but it is so important to the city's spirit that no one wants to touch or move it. Today, Ribarnica is threatened by modern shopping malls, but the people of Split stubbornly hold on to their traditions.