Hotels near People's Square (Pjaca / Narodni trg)

Locally known simply as Pjaca, People's Square (Narodni trg) became the civic heart of Split in the 13th century when the old town outgrew the Roman walls and spilled west. Today it is one of the busiest things to do in Split for anyone who likes watching a city work: the square is paved in white limestone, ringed by Romanesque and Renaissance palaces, and used daily as a marketplace, meeting point, and political stage.

The standouts are the 15th-century Town Hall (Vijecnica) with its Venetian Gothic loggia, the Karepic palace, and the Cipiko Palace on the corner - the home of one of Split's most prominent Renaissance families. The square's clock on the old Town Hall tower famously shows 24 hours instead of 12 and is one of the few surviving examples in Europe. Pjaca's cafes open from breakfast through to midnight, and locals still set up small fruit, flower, and souvenir stalls in the middle of the square.

Pro Tip: Use the square as a navigation anchor: from the Iron Gate (with the old Romanesque belfry) the entire old town fans out in narrow alleys. Visit late in the afternoon when the limestone glows gold under the western sun, and stop for an espresso at a cafe along the north side where you can still see Cipiko's 15th-century Gothic windows.