Split

Located on a peninsula on the Adriatic Sea; there is a deep, sheltered harbor on the south side. The city was damaged by the Avars in 615. It was a port of medieval Dalmatia. It later became an important Byzantine city (from 812); also later held by Venice, Austria, and France. In 1918 it became part of Yugoslavia and in 1992 of independent Croatia. Controlled by Axis troops during WW II, most of port area was destroyed by Nazis. Best known for the ruins of the Palace of Diocletian (295-305 CE); collectively with the historic royal residences, fortifications, and churches in the city, the palace was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.