Roman & ancientDalmatia

Temple of Jupiter in Split: Diocletian's temple that became a baptistery

The Temple of Jupiter (Jupiterov hram) stands in the western part of Diocletian's Palace in Split, a few steps from the Peristyle, the central square of the imperial complex. Built between 295 and 305, it was later turned into a baptistery dedicated to St John the Baptist. Its richly decorated doorway and barrel-shaped coffered vault make it a rewarding stop on any walk through the old town.

A Roman temple to Jupiter now serves as a Christian baptistery, and an Egyptian sphinx still guards its door. Robert Adam called it one of Europe's most beautiful monuments.

WhereWestern part of Diocletian's Palace, close to the Peristyle, Split

TypeRoman temple, later a baptistery

Best forRoman history, architecture and a walk through the old town

Getting thereIn the old town of Split, a short walk from the Peristyle; the street address is Kraj sv. Ivana

The history of the Temple of Jupiter in Split

The temple was built between 295 and 305 as part of Diocletian's Palace. It was dedicated to Jupiter, the supreme Roman god and the emperor's “divine father”, and it stands in the western, religious part of the complex, not far from the Peristyle. Diocletian abdicated unexpectedly in 305 and came to the palace from Nicomedia, so work on the palace stopped before everything was finished. Parts of the temple were left incomplete, and the roof above its vault was never built.

In late Antiquity or the early Middle Ages the temple became a baptistery dedicated to St John the Baptist. This probably happened as early as the 6th century, when the crypt below the building was dedicated to St Thomas. Around the 11th century a Romanesque bell tower was added above the vault. In the 13th century a baptismal font was assembled inside from pieces of an 11th-century altar screen that had originally stood in the cathedral.

One of the marble panels used in the font carries the oldest known image of a Croatian king, identified as either Peter Krešimir IV or Demetrius Zvonimir. Another panel is decorated with a star set in a wreath, a symbol of the Holy Trinity and of the two natures of Christ, and a third with Croatian interlace. The barrel-shaped coffered vault of the temple later inspired Dalmatian early Renaissance art, as seen in Andrea Alessi's baptistery and the chapel of Blessed John in Trogir.

In 1907 several houses on the west and south sides were pulled down, which freed the temple from later additions, apart from the corner at the north-west. The building also lost its neighbour on the skyline: a similar Romanesque bell tower on the church of Our Lady of the Tower above the Iron Gate was removed around 1840, in the spirit of classicist efforts to purify ancient monuments. Today the temple is a protected cultural monument, and the Scottish architect Robert Adam counted it among the most beautiful monuments in Europe.

Curiosities about the Temple of Jupiter

In front of the entrance stands one of the twelve sphinxes that Diocletian is said to have brought from Egypt.
Reliefs above the entrance show gods and heroes, among them Victoria, Triton, Helios, Hercules, Jupiter and Apollo.
Inside are sarcophagi of two Archbishops of Split and a large bronze statue of St John the Baptist by Ivan Meštrović.
A Renaissance sarcophagus of Jakov Selembrije, from the 16th century, stands in front of the baptistery.
The high podium of the temple hides a crypt that was converted into a chapel of St Thomas.
The temple was never fully completed because the emperor abdicated before the palace was finished.

Tours near Temple of Jupiter, Split

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

GROUP/ PRIVATE Walking History Tour of SPLIT with Daniela

★ 5 (211 reviews) · 2 h

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Private Walks & Storytelling - the best small group tour in Split

★ 5 (208 reviews) · 1 h

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Split Game of Thrones Tour & History Walk Top-Rated All inclusive

★ 5 (155 reviews) · 1.5 h

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Private Sailing Tour Omiš - Brač with Homemade Lunch, Wine & Beer

★ 5 (108 reviews) · 8 h

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Visiting the Temple of Jupiter in Split

The temple is part of the old town, so it combines easily with a stroll around the Peristyle and the rest of Diocletian's Palace.
Look at the sculpted doorway and the reliefs above the entrance before you go in, then at the coffered vault inside.
Inside, the baptismal font with its carved marble panels and the Meštrović statue are the main things to see.
The sphinx stands right in front of the entrance, so it is the first thing to notice.
Opening arrangements for the baptistery can change, so check the current opening hours before you go.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Temple of Jupiter, Split is

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Photos of Temple of Jupiter, Split

Questions

What is the Temple of Jupiter in Split?

It is a Roman temple built between 295 and 305 inside Diocletian's Palace and dedicated to Jupiter. It was later converted into a baptistery of St John the Baptist.

Where is the Temple of Jupiter in Split?

It lies in the western part of Diocletian's Palace, close to the Peristyle, the central square of the imperial complex.

Why was the temple never finished?

Diocletian unexpectedly abdicated in 305 and arrived at the palace from Nicomedia, so work on the palace stopped and parts of the temple remained unfinished.

What is the sphinx in front of the Temple of Jupiter?

It is one of twelve sphinxes said to have been brought from Egypt by Emperor Diocletian.

What can you see inside the Temple of Jupiter?

Inside are the coffered barrel vault, the medieval baptismal font with carved panels, archbishops' sarcophagi and a bronze statue of St John the Baptist by Ivan Meštrović.

Is the Temple of Jupiter worth seeing when visiting Diocletian's Palace?

Yes. It stands only a short walk from the Peristyle and is among the best-preserved Roman buildings of the palace, praised by Robert Adam as one of Europe's most beautiful monuments.