The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik is one of the most significant and most beautiful architectural achievements in Croatia and was included on the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage List in 2000. It was built in a stretch of more than a hundred years, during the 15th and 16th century, and is unique for it is entirely built of stone. The most important builders of the Cathedral were Juraj Dalmatinac (Georgius Mathei Dalmaticus) and Nikola Firentinac (Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino). The Cathedral was first built in Gothic, and completed in Renaissance style. Its beauty is especially emphasized by the imposing Renaissance dome, the work of Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino, which was damaged in the Croatian War of Independence, and nowadays is a special symbol of Šibenik. The Cathedral is also known for its iconographic innovations, among which a special place is occupied by sculptures of 71 heads on the outside part of the shrine, the work of Georgius Mathei Dalmaticus, for which scientists are still not quite sure who they represent.
Points of interest
- Šibenik Old town 100m
- City Library 180m
- Theatre 220m
- Museum 350m
- Saint Jacobs Cathedral (UNESCO) 400m
- Medieval monastery garden of St. Lawrence 450m
- St. Michael’s Fortress 550m
- Barone Fortress 600m
- St. John’s Fortress 700m
- St. Nicholas Fortress (UNESCO) 15min
- City beach Banj 1.1km
- City beach Jadrija 20min / 20min
St Nicholas' Fortress at the entrance to the St Anthony's Channel in Šibenik represents a unique Renaissance building of Venetian fortification architecture and an exceptional monument of the world’s architectural heritage. It was constructed on the islet of Ljuljevac, where once was the Benedictine monastery of St Nicholas, after which the fortress was named. The construction of the fortress, based on Gian Girolamo San Micheli’s design, commenced in 1540 after the fall of Skradin under the Ottoman rule, when the Venetians were forced to strengthen the defence of Šibenik port, which was the most important port on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea. Particular value of St Nicholas’ Fortress lies in its original form and some rare Renaissance architectural solutions, so in 2017 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the nomination The Defence System of the Republic of Venice between the 16th and 17th Centuries.
St. Michael's Fortress was built on a steep, rocky hill with the beautiful view to the numerous islands of the Šibenik archipelago and the medieval town. Throughout turbulent history, it served as the main point of the city fortification system. Šibenik, the oldest autochthonous Croatian town on the Adriatic, was developed within its walls and first mentioned on Christmas Day of 1066 as the place where the Croatian King Petar Krešimir IV stayed. Most of the preserved ramparts and fortress bastions date from the late Middle Ages and Early Modern Age. The fortress was revitalized in 2014 and has a unique open-air summer stage.
Barone Fortress was built immediately after the St. John's fortress before the Ottoman army arrival during the Cretan War. Today you can experience this event through the technology of a so-called extended reality that revives the characters, sounds and scenes of the 17th-century Šibenik. It was built by order of Baron Christophe Martin von Degenfeld, a main commander of the city defence, after whom the fortress was named. It was initially built as a small fortress (ridotto) in order to obtain the final shape in 1659 during the rule of governor-provveditore Antonio Bernardo.
Including the submerged part of the river at the mouth, the Krka River is 72.5 km long with its seven waterfalls and a total drop in altitude of 242 m, the Krka is a natural and karst phenomenon. The Krka National Park is a spacious, largely unchanged region of exceptional and multifaceted natural value. The attractions and facilities available are various footpaths, sightseeing tours and presentations, boat trips, souvenir shops, a museum, and restaurants. There are also several archaeological remains of unpreserved fortresses in the park's vicinity dating back to as far as the Roman times.
The Kornati National Park is the most indented archipelago of the Mediterranean and it includes about 140 uninhabited islands, islets and rocks. Kornati Islands are a real paradise for boaters, divers and everyone who enjoys the magnificent beauty of the untouched nature. The most popular phenomenon of the National Park are the Kornati Crowns which are probably the origin of the islands’ name (Latin corona = crown). The Crowns are the vertical white cliffs of the sides of islands facing the open sea.
The filming of three episodes of Game of Thrones, season 5, were filmed on location in Šibenik. Medieval essence of the town was selected as the backdrop along with its historic town core, ancient architecture and seaside location.