The Bell Tower of St Domnius

With its imposing height of over 60 meters, the Bell Tower of St Domnius in Split is widely considered as the finest and most uniquely designed of all the bell towers of Dalmatia. It is thought that the construction of the bell tower first began in the thirteenth century, but it took over three hundred years to have the edifice fully completed. This is why each individual floor of the bell tower is unique, each reflecting the architectural trends and achievements of its time. Therefore, the lower floors reflect the bulkier, more massive, Romanesque style of architecture, while the lighter and less sturdy upper floors reflect the developments of Gothic architecture.

The unfortunate restoration conducted at the turn of the twentieth century made the tower much plainer looking and devoid of many details like stone reliefs and sculptures that decorated its insides and outsides. The reconstruction effort also replaced the original Renaissance top floor with a Neo-Gothic one to make the bell tower appear more architecturally consistent.

After the recent renovation works that saw the replacement of the staircase leading to the top, the bell tower is again accessible to visitors, offering an unique view of the Old Town from above. It can be visited either by purchasing the individual 30 kn ticket or as part of the all-in-one cathedral complex ticket.