The Golden Gate (Porta Aurea) is the northern entrance to Diocletian's Palace — the most ornate of the palace's four gates, originally leading to the road to the imperial capital at Salona. Outside the gate stands the enormous bronze statue of Grgur Ninski (Gregory of Nin), a 10th-century Croatian bishop who fought for the use of the Croatian language in church services rather than Latin. The statue, by Ivan Meštrović (Croatia's most famous sculptor), has a big toe that has been polished gold by the thousands of visitors who rub it for good luck.
The tradition of rubbing Grgur's toe for luck has made the statue the most-touched artwork in Croatia and Split's equivalent of the Juliet statue in Verona or Harvard's John Harvard statue.
Verified Facts
The Golden Gate was the main northern entrance to the palace
The statue is by Ivan Meštrović, Croatia's most famous sculptor
Grgur Ninski fought for Croatian language rights in church services
Rubbing the statue's toe is said to bring good luck
Get walking directions
3 Peristil, Grad, Split, 21000, Croatia
