Thread: The Temple of Jupiter inside Diocletian's Palace, Split. Constructed around 300 AD and dedicated to Emperor Diocletian's "divine father", the supreme Roman god Jupiter. The temple was converted into a baptistery in the 7th century. #roman #architecture #croatia 
The temple entrance retains its intricately carved marble cornice. Amongst the decorative motifs of leaves, tendrils and flowers are carved images of Roman gods such as Sol, Victoria, Apollo, Triton and Hercules.
Details of the elaborately carved marble doorway with images of the Roman pantheon. #roman #sculpture #religion
The temple was part of a religious precinct on the west side of the huge palace; looking over a courtyard with two smaller circular tholos temples, across the peristyle at the heart of the complex and facing the Emperor's mausoleum on the east side. Reconstruction by J. Marasovic
Like the nearby entrance to Diocletian's mausoleum (explored in a previous thread), the front of the temple was flanked by a pair of black granite sphinxes that Diocletian had transported from Egypt. One remains in-situ, defaced by early Christians as a Pagan icon.
The well preserved external walls of the temple's cella, built of white limestone. Houses that had been built up against the temple walls, which may have helped in its preservation over the centuries, were demolished in 1907.
The rear side of the Temple of Jupiter, with a sculpted laurel wreath of victory on the pediment.
The spellbinding interior of the Temple of Jupiter c.300 AD with its incredible ancient vaulted ceiling; one of the best preserved temple cellae from the Roman world. #Roman #architecture
The intricately decorated barrel-vaulted coffered ceiling of the temple's inner sanctum.
The coffered ceiling is decorated with 64 individual panels, with a variety of sculpted motifs at their centre including theatrical masks, rosettes, seashells and fruit baskets.
The cult statue of Jupiter that would have been the focus of the temple's inner sanctum is now lost, likely removed from the cella in the late 4th century AD. The window grille now incorporates a Chi Rho, reflecting its 7th century conversion to a Christian baptistery.
The marble baptismal font at the centre of the cella is actually made of elements of a rood screen taken from the nearby Cathedral of St. Domnius in the 13th century.
The font incorporates an 11th century sculpture believed to be the oldest representation of a Croatian king; Peter Krešimir IV "the Great", ruler from 1059-1075.
