Croatia: US/ICOMOS Internship

Shannon Brown
New York, New York

completed a 2004 US/ICOMOS Internship with

Mediterranean Centre for Built Heritage, Split, Croatia

"The work experience here continues to be rewarding on an academic level, learning about Diocletian’s Palace and the cities amazing heritage, and also on a personal level. I have made friendships with my colleagues and others that will last a lifetime. What an incredible city and culture!"

Shannon Brown
2004 US/ICOMOS
Intern to Croatia

Shannon Brown's internship involved work on Diocletian's Palace, a 4th-century structure of Roman Imperial architecture that is now listed as a World Heritage Site with the historic city of Split.  As part of long-standing restoration efforts at the palace, Shannon made measured drawings in the field and converted them to AutoCAD drawings in the office.  As a model of imperial residence, it exerted architectural influence reaching as far as the city of Trier and Charlemagne's palatial complex of Aix-la-Chapelle. The palace, conceived as a combination of a villa and a fortified castle, was not destroyed after Diocletian's death but formed the nucleus of the urban fabric of what came to be known as the city of Split.  In the 19th century, the palace housed 2,600 people. As such, the Diocletian palace is the only Roman imperial residence to be occupied continuously and remains one of the living testimonies to Roman civilization.

This internship was supported by the Trust for Mutual Understanding of
New York with additional support by private donors.

Diocletian's Palace formed the nucleus
of the historic center of Split, Croatia,
now a World Heritage Site

The US/ICOMOS International Intern Exchange Program is funded by a variety sources.  Each of the host organizations in the U.S. contribute funds that cover a substantial portion of the costs for interns from overseas.  Grants from private foundations and individual donors support the internships for U.S. preservationists traveling overseas, with additional support from some of the overseas host organizations.  The 2004 overseas internships were supported by the Dorothy-Ann Foundation, Marpat Foundation, Keepers Fund for Historic Preservation, Samuel H. Kress Foundation, Trust for Mutual Understanding, and contributions from numerous individuals.