Silent Stories#10

The Statue of Gregory of Nin (Grgur Ninski) is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Split, Croatia, standing just outside the Golden Gate of Diocletian’s Palace. Created by Croatia’s celebrated sculptor Ivan Meštrović, the enormous bronze figure depicts the medieval bishop with a stern, almost angry expression — an appearance that seems fitting for a man known for challenging the religious establishment of his time.

Key Details of the Statue

• Location: The statue stands just outside the Golden Gate (Zlatna vrata), the northern entrance to Diocletian’s Palace in Split.

• The Subject: Gregory of Nin (Grgur Ninski) was a 10th-century Croatian bishop and an important figure in Croatia’s cultural and religious history. He strongly advocated the use of Old Slavonic, rather than Latin, in church services, allowing worshippers to hear the liturgy in a language they could understand.

• The Sculptor: The statue was created by Ivan Meštrović, one of Croatia’s most important sculptors. He portrayed Gregory as an imposing, powerful and determined figure rather than a gentle-looking bishop.

• The Expression: Gregory's stern face, furrowed brow and commanding pose give him an almost perpetually angry appearance. Our guide jokingly told us that Gregory was "always angry" — and judging from his expression, he certainly looks like a man who was not easily pleased!

• The Size: The bronze statue stands approximately 7.5 metres tall, making Gregory appear particularly imposing as he towers over visitors approaching the Golden Gate.

• The Original Location: The statue was unveiled in 1929 in the Peristyle, the central square within Diocletian’s Palace. During World War II, it was removed by the Italian occupying forces. In 1954, it was relocated to its present position outside the Golden Gate.

The Famous Toe

• The Good-Luck Tradition: Visitors traditionally rub Gregory’s big left toe for good luck. Some believe that touching the toe will also ensure that they return to Split one day.

• The Shiny Toe: After countless visitors have rubbed it over the years, the bronze toe has become noticeably smooth and golden-looking, standing out against the dark bronze of the rest of the statue.

• A Popular Photo Stop: It has become almost impossible to visit the statue without seeing tourists lining up to touch the famous toe — turning a serious monument to a medieval bishop into one of Split's most entertaining tourist traditions.

An Interesting Contrast

The statue was created to commemorate a significant figure in Croatian religious and cultural history, particularly his advocacy of the Croatian/Slavic language in church worship. Yet today, many visitors may know Gregory less for his historical importance than for his enormous statue, perpetually angry expression and extraordinarily shiny toe.

And perhaps that is the most amusing part of the story: a monument representing a bishop who challenged the establishment has become famous for something much simpler — tourists rubbing his toe for luck!