Jupiter's Temple

The Temple of Jupiter stands in the western part of Diocletian's Palace in Split, close to the Peristyle, and was built between 295 and 305 AD as part of the emperor's palace complex. It was dedicated to Jupiter, the supreme god of Roman religion and Diocletian's own divine protector.

The temple is covered by a richly decorated coffered vault, and its entrance is flanked by columns and reliefs depicting mythological figures, including Jupiter, Hercules, and Apollo. In front of the entrance stands a black granite sphinx brought from Egypt — one of twelve sphinxes Diocletian had transported to his palace. This particular sphinx, now headless, was not originally placed here: it was found in 1928 among the foundations of a destroyed Romanesque house and moved to its current spot afterward.

Following Diocletian's death, the temple was converted into a Christian baptistery dedicated to St John the Baptist, probably in the 6th century, when a crypt honoring St Thomas was also added beneath it — a conversion that likely explains why the building survived intact for over a thousand years. Its interior today holds a bronze statue of St John the Baptist by the Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović. Tucked in a quiet corner of the palace, the temple is a short walk from the harbor where many visitors set off on a Split gulet cruise.