A trip to Sibenik
Šibenik lies almost in the middle of the Croatian Adriatic Coast, in the picturesque and indented bay around the mouth of the river Krka, one of the most beautiful Karst rivers in Croatia. Today Šibenik is the administrative, political, economic, social and cultural center of a county which stretches along the 100 kilometer long belt between the Zadar and Split Rivieras, reaching up to 45 kilometers deep into the hinterland.
The Šibenik region covers about 1,000 square kilometers and is composed of an island and a coastal region, and its hinterland. The county of Šibenik has 242 islands, islets and rocks. Most of this archipelago lies in the north-west part of Šibenik's waters and is very indented, bare and sparsely inhabited. The county of Šibenik has only 10 island settlements. The most numerous group of islands are the Kornati, widely known for their bizarre shapes and luxurious and magnificent landscapes.
From Šibenik bay the open sea and the islands are reached through a narrow winding channel about 10 kilometers long and 300 - 1200 meters wide. Although the coastal belt of the Šibenik region reaches only several kilometers inland, to the Trtar mountain chain and Mt. Svilaja in the south-east, 66 % of all its population lives here. After World War II it went through very rapid urbanization. Almost all the production edacities, business activity and strength of the Šibenik county are concentrated here.
This region is characterized by limestone mountain crests (the Trtar chain stretches towards the south-east, and in front of it is the lower Šibenik-coastal chain), small valleys (Gornje and Donje polje) and plateaus - the bases of agriculture. The vegetation is mostly spruce in the hinterland, and maquis on the coast and islands. The Šibenik region has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers cooled by the maestral breeze, and dry winters.
The fortress of St. Michael
The Fortress of St. Michael is located at a height of 70m above the sea behind the old city agglomeration. It was built, in the period from the 15th to 17th century, out of dressed white stone.
Through archeological research, remains of a culture from the prehistoric Iron Era have been found, which proves that the fortress was built by Croats in the place that was once know as the station of the old Illyrians. There are two entrances to the fortress; one is located at the wall towards the old cemetery and the other on the north side.
The Fortress of St. Nicholas
The Fortress of St. Nicholas is located at the entrance to the St. Anthony Channel and it was built in the middle of the 16th century for defense from Turkish attacks from the sea. It was built according to the designs of the Venetian military builder Michiele Sammichella. The Fortress of St. Nicholas (having a triangle shape) is one of the strongest forts on our coast.
The Fortress of St. John
The Fortress of St. John is located on a hill 115m high on the northern side of the historic city core. It was raised in 1646 according to the project of the Venetian military engineer Antonio Leni. A year later, in 1647, heavy battles were being held with the army of the Turkish pasha Tekeli who wanted to take over the fortress in order to rule the city.
The Šubićevac Fortress
The Šubićevac Fortress is located southeast of the fortress of St. John on somewhat of a lower height. Since it was built the same year as the Fortress of St. John it has significantly contributed to blocking the Turkish attack on Šibenik.
Walls, towers and city gates
The starting point of the old city walls was the Fortress of St. Michael. In 1864 a part of the wall that surrounded the city from the north and the south was removed. Today, only the northern side of the wall by Gorica remains, a part of the wall through the park towards the shore, a small section of the wall near Poljana, as well as remains of a bulwark from the 17th century behind Hotel Krka. The best preserved section is the double city wall which slopes from the Fortress of St. Michael towards the shore (Kvartir) and ends with great Gothic gate. The western wall in Dolac with a city gate, which slopes from the fortress to the sea, was built in the 15th century so that Dolac could be protected from Turkish attacks.
St. Jacob’s cathedral
The St. Jacob’s, the cathedral of Šibenik, built for over a century, is a testimony of persistency, sacrifice and belief of the generations of inhabitants of Šibenik.
By many things it is unique not only in the Croatian architecture, but in the European as well: it is entirely built of stone, no other material being used; it is unique by the brave structure of stone slabs and ribs, with no binding material; it is also unique among renaissance churches by its trefoil front facade; finally, it is unique by the harmony of its architecture and the row of 71 realistic sculptural portraits around the apses.Documents preserved from the time of building of the cathedral evidence contributions from the entire community to its building, but from many individuals as well, including large number of domestic stone-dressers, builders and artisans. The most important among them is Juraj Matejev Dalmatinac, who came from Zadar and who the town of Šibenik commissioned in 1441 to take over the job of the proto-master of the cathedral of Šibenik. The cathedral and the nearby renaissance town hall, other churches, palaces, and the Prince’s Palace presently housing the County Museum, make probably the most beautiful town square of the Croatian urban heritage.
Sacral monuments
Crkva sv. Barbare
Crkva sv. Barbare spomenik je gotičkog graditeljstva. Crkva je jednobrodna građevina čija je gradnja započela oko 1400.god. Iznad glavnog ulaza ističe se gotička niša u kojoj se nalazi skulptura Sv. Nikole – djelo talijanskog majstora Bonina iz Milana. Na sjevernom zidu crkve je gotički prozor u čijem se donjem dijelu nalazi skulptorski rad koji je kao zavjet 1419. godine dao izraditi Šibenski lječnik Marko. To je jedinstven primjer srednjovjekovnog reljefnog prikaza lječnika na istočnoj obali Jadrana.
Danas se u crkvi Sv. Barbare nalazi mali crkveni muzej u kojem su izložena najvrijednija umjetnička djela iz 14.- 17. st .
Crkva sv. Ivana
Crkva sv. Ivana je gotičko-renesansna građevina podignuta je u 15 stoljeću pod imenom crkva Sv. Trojstva. Stepenište uz južnu stranu crkve djelo je poznatog šibenskog graditelja Ivana Pribislavića, a ukrašeno je basreljefom. U podnožju zvonika je renesansni prozor, djelo Nikole Firentinca, a iznad prozora je reljef s janjetom ispod kojega je raskriljeni anđeo. Reljefi predstavljaju remek djela dalmatinskog srednjovjekovnog graditeljstva. Zanimljiv je i zvonik u koji je ugrađen turski sat s jednom kazaljkom koji je dopremljen iz Drniša nakon što su ga Turci u 18. st . potpuno napustili. Kupola zvonika uklonjena je 1862. nakon jakog potresa.
St. Krševan church
ST. KRŠEVAN CHURCH – is the oldest kept sacral facility, dated back to the 17th century. It was built in a Romanesque style. Until World War II it served for worship, and was extremely damaged during the war. After its restoration, it became a gallery area for the Šibenik Museum and today it is the Gallery of St. Krševan. Located next to the church is the oldest bell in Croatia, built in 1266 and found under the sea near the island of Silba.
St. Martin church
ST. MARTIN CHURCH – was raised in the beginning for the 17th century out of dressed white stone and dominates in the center part of Dolac. The church is adorned with a rosette on which the Twelve Apostle’s medallions are carved. The building of the church was initiated by the Confraternity of St. Mark, by whose merit an organ was obtained in 1776.
Church of "Gospe vanka grada"
CHURCH OF “GOSPE VANKA GRADA”– was raised in a location where in medieval times was a cemetery and the small church of St. Kuzma and Damjan (1452). After the Parish of Varoš was established (1604), the adaptation of the old church began, which was extended, and in 1740 the construction of the new stone church was completed. Some time later, a bell tower was built which was connected to the church by a small bridge. In front of and around the “Gospe Vanka Grada” Church was the public cemetery which was abandoned in 1828.
Church of the Holy Spirit
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – can be found in the center of the city on Trg Dinka Zavorovića and was built in the 17th century according to the project of Antun Nogulović. The church is adorned with a beautiful stone facade with a stunning Baroque style rosette.
New church
NEW CHURCH – a Renaissance style shrine from the transitional period of the 15th and 16th century. Nicholas of Florence has been mentioned as one of its builders. His stone sculpture the “Pieta” and relief “Removing Christ from the Cross” are carved in the lower section of the bell tower.
St. Nicholas church
ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH – was raised in the 17th century in a Baroque style. Located inside, along with a number of tombs, are sailboat models as votive offerings. Its facade ends with a distaff shaped bell tower, and the bottom parts are divided by widows and a portal of simple frames. Inside, on the cassetted ceiling fields, you can find holy icons and portraits of donators in folk costumes and inscriptions with their names.
St. Elizabeth church
ST. ELIZABETH CHURCH – derives from the 16th century and is located in city district of Crnica. It is considered that around the church during the last century there have been findings of remains of old buildings where according to tradition King Bela IV found shelter while fleeing from the Tatars and Mongols. After World War II the church was completely remodeled and a parish pastoral center was added on. Next to the St. Elizabeth Church, the St. Leopold Church was built as one of the first post war sacral facilities.
Church of "Uspenie Bogomatere"
CHURCH OF “USPENIE BOGOMATERE” – was built in the location where the Templars lived in the 12th century. It is a Baroque building from the 17th – 18th century. Until the beginning of the 19th century it was the Catholic Church of Holy Salvation, and it belonged to the women’s Benedictine monastery. In 1810, by Napoleon’s decision, the church was surrendered to the Orthodox episcope Bendedikt Kraljević. The church is accented with a Baroque bell tower from the beginning of the 18th century, which is a work by the native craftsman Ivan Skoko.
St. Gregory church
ST. GREGORY CHURCH is located in the oldest street in Šibenik, Ulica Jurja Dalmatinca, where his home can also be found. Featured in this small Gothic style church are constant thematic exhibitions of “Juraj Dalmatinac and his works outside of Šibenik.”
St. Dominic church
ST. DOMINIC CHURCH – is located in the western part of the city on the shore. Until 1910 it was a Renaissance building, but it then takes on Gothic style characteristics. Located inside the church are two valuable wooden alters, the tomb of the Bishop Arrigonio from Šibenik, and an organ that was built in 1818 by the craftsman Gaetano Macatelli.
Church and monastery of St. Francis
St. Francis Church was raised in the second half of the 14th century at the furthest south-east part of the historic city core. The church represents spacious single vessel Gothic style architecture without architectural decorative elements. In the 15th century at the northern side, the Holy Cross Chapel was added on and the presbytery with the shrine was rearranged. In the front of the church is the main entrance with a Gothic style stone frame, and visible in the lunette are the remains of frescos from the 14th century. Located in the Holy Cross Chapel is an organ that was built in 1762 by Petar Nakić, a renowned maker of these instruments. Located within the architectural complex of Šibenik’s Conventual-Fransiscans, on the south side of the church, is a monastery dated back to the 14th century. Since cultural-historic works of art were collected in this monastery for many centuries, today, it represents a place where a great deal of monumental city heritage is kept. The monastery library is accentuated with a collection of 140 incunabula as well as a collection of hand-written codices. Also found here is the “Šibenik Prayer” one of the oldest Croatian language and literary tributes written in Latin script around 1375.
Church and monastery of St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence Church was built in the second half of the 18th century for purposes of the Franciscan Order. On the church facade, which ends with a gable, a profiled portal with a humble Baroque transom can be found. Placed in the tympanum of the lateral entrance is a small sculpture of St. Lawrence from 1720. In the depth of the northern stone is the Our Lady of Lourdes cave. Across from the church is the Franciscan monastery from 1650. Its main building is Foscolo’s Palace, the nicest example of housing architecture representing Šibenik from the 15th century, which is the era of the floral Gothic style and master Jurja Dalmatinac.
Old city core
Other than a number of sacral buildings, the cathedral, palaces (Rossini, Divinić, Gothic palaces, Pellegrin and others) portals, vaulted passages and similar, the old Šibenik core is expressed by the beauty of the city center square (Trg Republike Hrvatske) with City Hall, Dukes Palace and the Bishops Palace.
Central city square (“Trg Republike Hrvatske”) - for a long time, the central city square was called PLATHEI COMMUNIS and later GOSPODSKI TRG (Gentleman’s Square). On that square, in 1750, Šibenik got its first café. For centuries this square was the center of public and social medieval life, as well as the battlefield during Venetian army attacks in 1378. Located around the square are some of the most representative buildings of Šibenik architecture: the cathedral, City Hall, Mala Lođa, Dukes and Bishops Palaces as well as a complex of patrician stone palaces. Also interesting in the old city core is the “Trg četiri bunara” (Square of the Four Wells) which was built in 1451. Since the city lacked in water during the Venetian rule, that same authority ordered the city’s duke to begin building a reservoir. That is how Šibenik got its reservoir “The Four Wells” which has been supplying citizens with water for four and a half centuries.
City Hall – is located in the central city square (Trg Republike Hrvatske), formerly known as Plathei Communis. It is a very harmonious and airy Renaissance style building built from 1533-1536. The ground floor includes porch with semi-circular arches supported by columns, which was an access to the former public utilities offices. On the first floor is the representative hall in which city councilmen would meet. In December 1943, during allied air strikes, the City Hall building was completely destroyed and was restored after the war, in its original shape and appearance, and the internal area was organized and equipped in accordance to the needs of new functions.
Dukes Palace – is located on the shore in the old city core. Two wings of this once very big structure have remained, in which the highest representative of the Venetian government in the community, city duke-captain, lived and worked. Along the middle of the southern wing there is a Gothic style passage with a city gate. In the west wing, turned towards the sacristy of the cathedral, there are two doors with simple stone frames. Completed in 1975, was an adaptation to the Dukes Palace, which was to be used for functions of the Šibenik Museum.
The Bishops Palace - (1439-1441) leans up against the St. James Cathedral on the sea side. The Bishops Palace is a Gothic-Renaissance structure from the second half of the 15th century. After a number of interventions, the original look which can be seen in elements stored on the facade and in the courtyard (parts of the arcades, portals, triforium with stone sculpture) was lost. Next to the palace is the old preserved Seagate, which is an entrance to the city from the shore.
Source: www.sibenik-tourism.hr