Silver door

You are standing in front of the Silver Gate, one of the four entrances to Diocletian’s Palace. Many visitors pass by without realizing its importance. This is not a gate for parades or for trade. It had a special purpose. Diocletian passed through it when he did not want attention, when he wanted to escape from the rules and politics of the court. The gate was not named for its material or its splendor. The name comes from the simple orientation of the palace and the Roman custom of marking important points with directions. North – gold. West – bronze. East – silver. But what gives it its special value is not its name, but its use. When Diocletian decided to leave power, this was the gate through which he went for his walks. He would look out to the sea, towards the space outside the walls. Here he sought peace. He no longer made decisions for the empire. Growing vegetables became more important to him than politics. In the seventh century, when Salona was destroyed, people seeking salvation from wars entered the palace through this gate. They did not come with armies, they came with families. At that time, the gate lost its imperial function and became part of everyday life. The new role was simple – the entrance to what eventually became the city of Split. In 1420, when the Venetians took power, the new administration did not require a special gate for entry. The Venetian governor passed through the Silver Gate. Some left the city through this same passage because they did not accept the new laws and rules. The gate was thus a sign of change. Today, tourists, passers-by, students and merchants pass through it. The place that once served the emperor, and then refugees and governors, is now part of the city’s everyday life.