Splitska

It is not by chance that the name of the village of Splitska recalls that of its big sister, to whose appearance it contributed decisively. For it is from here that the radiantly white limestone comes that was used, among other places, on Diocletian's Palace in Split. The village next to what was once the island's largest quarrying area is today inhabited by only about 200 people, who - judging by the size of their gardens - apparently prefer to devote themselves to agriculture rather than to quarrying. No wonder - in Roman times, after all, quarrying limestone was done by slaves, and even despite modern machinery it is still an extremely strenuous, monotonous job.

In the 13th century a place of worship was erected on the present site of the parish church, and its foundation determines the ground plan of today's building, which was to change its face completely once more in the 16th century. In an elaborate renovation the church was redesigned in accordance with the taste of the day. (Fortunately such actions were spared in the days of the Bauhaus!) And so a Renaissance altar of local timber still stands in the nave today, and above it the Bassano painting "Madonna with Saints" shines splendid and beautiful.

The fortified residence of the wealthy Carinić family is not a single building but a complex of three houses and a defensive tower. While other architects planned square fortresses with a lookout point for each point of the compass, here it was decided to build only one elaborate tower - but one with an all-round view - and to group the houses around it. To ensure even more security, one could get from each of the houses into every other. Thus, if one part were destroyed, two places of refuge would still have remained - and above all further lockable doors that would first have had to be forced. But it is not only this architectural finesse that is worth seeing; so is the collection of paintings inside.