The statue of Gregory of Nin (Grgur Ninski) is the giant bronze bishop standing just outside the Golden Gate, the north gate of Diocletian's Palace in Split. Ivan Meštrović made it for the 10th-century bishop who fought for church services in the language of the people instead of Latin. Its big toe shines gold against the dark bronze, polished by the hands of visitors who rub it for luck.
Gregory of Nin at a glance
- Where: outside the Golden Gate (Zlatna vrata) on the north side of Diocletian's Palace, in the green strip along the old palace wall.
- Created: 1927; first unveiled on the Peristyle in 1929, and set up in its present place in 1954.
- By: Ivan Meštrović (1883–1962), the best-known Croatian sculptor of the 20th century.
- What it is today: a symbol of the Croatian language and identity, nearly 8 metres tall, and one of the most photographed spots in Split.
- Time needed: 10 minutes, plus a few more for the Golden Gate behind it.
A bishop who wanted Mass in his own language
Gregory was bishop of Nin, a town on the coast north of Zadar, in the early 10th century, and an important figure at the court of the Croatian kings. He defended the use of Old Church Slavonic, written in the Glagolitic script, for the liturgy, so that ordinary people could understand the service. The Latin-speaking bishops of the Dalmatian cities, backed by the pope, wanted Latin only. At the church councils held in Split in 925 and 928 Gregory lost: Slavonic was restricted, his diocese of Nin was abolished, and he was moved to Skradin. Even so, the Glagolitic liturgy survived in parts of Croatia for centuries, which is why Croats see him as a defender of their language.
Meštrović created the statue in Zagreb in 1927, and in 1929 it was unveiled in the middle of the Peristyle, the Roman courtyard at the centre of the palace. A bronze giant among the ancient columns was not to everyone's taste. In 1941, after Italy occupied Split, the statue was dismantled. In 1954 it was put up again, this time outside the Golden Gate on a low plinth, where it has stood ever since.
What to look for
- The scale: the figure is nearly 8 metres tall. Stand at its feet and look up to see how Meštrović exaggerated the body to make the bishop look like a force of nature.
- The golden toe: the big toe is the only bright part of the dark bronze. Nobody had to gild it; it was polished by countless hands.
- The hands: one arm is raised in a commanding gesture and the other holds a book, the Scripture that Gregory wanted read in his people's language.
- The Golden Gate behind him: the main north gate of the palace, which led towards the Roman city of Salona. Look for the empty niches that once held statues and the small medieval Chapel of St Martin in the guard corridor above the passage.
- The palace wall: the large, well-cut limestone blocks either side of the gate are part of Diocletian's original north wall from around 300 AD.
Three Gregorys and a lucky toe
There are three versions of this statue. Meštrović's first design was not used in Split: in 1931 it went to Varaždin in northern Croatia, where it stands next to the Franciscan church. A smaller replica of the Varaždin version was set up in Nin itself in 1969, for the 900th anniversary of a charter of King Petar Krešimir IV. The differences are in the hands and the way the bishop holds his book. Rubbing the toe in Split is a popular tradition that is said to bring good luck; it is a modern custom, not part of the bishop's story.
Tips for your visit
- Come early in the morning or in the evening. In the middle of the day, groups queue for a photo with the toe.
- For a full-length picture, step back along the path into the park: you can fit the whole statue and the Golden Gate into one frame.
- Walk through the Golden Gate and straight down the street inside to reach the Peristyle in a few minutes, the route the emperor's road once followed into the palace.
Nearby
- Golden Gate: the palace's north gate, right behind the statue, one of the best-preserved Roman gates on the Adriatic.
- Peristyle: the colonnaded courtyard at the centre of the palace where the statue first stood, a few minutes' walk south.
- Cathedral of St Domnius: Split's cathedral, built into Diocletian's own octagonal mausoleum, next to the Peristyle.
- Croatian National Theatre: the theatre opened in 1893 on Trg Gaje Bulata, a few minutes' walk north-west of the statue.
See Split with World City Trail
Our Split scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 20 minutes of walking. The Gregory of Nin statue is one of the stops, along with the Golden Gate and the Croatian National Theatre.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Split.
Play the Split scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Split →
Play the outdoor escape game in Split →
Facts checked in October 2026.