Church and Monastery of St. Francis

You are located at the western end of Split's Riva, on the site where the church of St. Felix, a martyr from the time of Emperor Diocletian, stood in the early Middle Ages. The Franciscan Conventuals arrived in Split in the 13th century and built a single-nave church on the site, next to which they founded a monastery, which also includes a medieval cloister. Inside the church there are several altars, the most valuable of which is the painted Gothic crucifix by Blaž Jurjev Trogiranin from the early 15th century. Of particular note is the Roman sarcophagus depicting "The Crossing over the Red Sea", located in the main altar and one of the most beautiful examples of early Christian art in this area. The monastery was built and expanded over the centuries; the cloister dates back to the 13th century, while its modern appearance dates back to the early 20th century after renovations. Some of the most prominent citizens of Split are buried in the church and monastery, including Marko Marulić and Ante Trumbić, whose sarcophagus was made by Ivan Meštrović. The monastery library houses around 3,000 books, including materials from the 16th century, and the archive and treasury contain significant musical and sacral objects. The church bears the honorary title of "Small Pantheon of the Croatian People" due to its rich collection of art and significant tombs.