Peristyle

The Peristyle is the open-air courtyard at the centre of Diocletian's Palace — a colonnaded square flanked by granite columns imported from Egypt that was the ceremonial approach to the emperor's private apartments and is now the most photographed, most sat-upon, and most socially active ancient Roman space in the world. Visitors sit on the ancient steps drinking coffee, musicians perform under the columns, and the cathedral bell tower rises above.

The Peristyle's acoustic properties (the colonnaded space creates natural amplification) make it one of Split's best performance venues, and summer evening concerts — classical, opera, Dalmatian klapa (a cappella) singing — use the Roman architecture as a stage set that no contemporary concert hall can match.