Posted by vrcvanderbilt on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 in Events, HART, Lectures, News, VRC.

The complicated nature of the archaeological site of Diocletian’s Palace in Split, Croatia, will be the subject of the opening lecture of the 2017-2018 Symposia Series at the Nashville Parthenon on Thursday, September 28, at 6 pm.  Goran Nikšić, the city archaeologist and architect for the City of Split, and a senior lecturer in architectural conservation at the University of Split, will address “Split: Conservation of a World Heritage Site” as part of the Archaeological Institute of America’s lecture program.

A specialist in the history of Roman, medieval and Renaissance architecture, Nikšić will address the challenges of maintaining and studying a site like Diocletian’s Palace — the world’s most complete remains of a Roman palace — in a living, modernizing city.

In 1979 the historic core of Split was declared a World Heritage Site although it has since been threatened by a variety of factors, including the rapid growth of the modern city, the pressure of commercialization, and badly managed historical tourism.  During the past two centuries the historic center has been a laboratory for conservation theory and too often viewed as frozen in time instead of part of an active urban landscape.

Nikšić will reconsider this past approach to conservation and how the city is making a fresh start with a changed perspective.  He will examine the restoration of such key buildings as the Cathedral (Diocletian’s mausoleum), the Baptistery (the Roman Temple of Jupiter), and the Golden Gate (the formidable stone entryway into Diocletian’s Palace) as examples of good practice, displaying the basic principles to be followed: conservation rather than restoration, use of traditional materials and techniques, emphasis on maintenance of properties, and reconstruction of urban infrastructure.

He holds degrees from the University of Zagreb (Ph.D.), the University of York, and the University of Belgrade.  His areas of specialization are architectural conservation and the history of architecture, particularly Roman, Medieval, and Renaissance architecture.  From 2004 on he has served as an expert for ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites).

This lecture, free and open to the public, is cosponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America, Vanderbilt’s Program in Classical and Mediterranean Studies, and The Conservancy for the Parthenon and Centennial Park. Those who plan to attend the AIA lecture are encouraged to call the Nashville Parthenon at 615.862.8431 to reserve a seat.

*Peristyle of Diocletian’s Palace, Split, Croatia. Photograph courtesy of Tricia A. Mitchell