Šibenik, the Magnifique, 17-18 June

Šibenik is one of the oldest towns on the Adriatic Sea, at the mouth of the Krka River where it meets the Adriatic. Over the centuries, Šibenik developed under the Croatian kings before falling under Venetian and later Habsburg control, with a French period in between, from 1809 to 1813, each leaving architectural and cultural legacies. The city is best known for its medieval fortresses and the UNESCO-listed Cathedral of St. James, an architectural masterpiece blending Gothic and Renaissance styles. With its compact stone streets, strategic location, and deep natural harbour, Šibenik played a key role in regional history, serving as both a political centre and a defensive stronghold. Today, while its trade function has diminished in favour of tourism and cultural heritage, the city retains its historic significance and continues to serve as a gateway for regional economic and maritime activity in the Adriatic.

Šibenik, along the Krka river, with the connection to the Adriatic sea in the background

We got a berth at the quay in the centre of the town. Most convenient en enjoyable! From there we could go shopping after our four around the Kornati using Uber.

And we were at the right spot. to visit the town centre...

Katedrala sv. Jakova u Šibeniku (Cathedral of St. James) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its unique construction entirely of stone, without the use of mortar or wood. Built between the 15th and 16th centuries, it showcases a blend of Gothic and Renaissance styles and features an iconic dome and a frieze of 71 sculpted human heads.

Sveti Jakova (Saint James) cathedral

Above the cathedral baptistery is a sculpted dome centred around God the Father surrounded by angels and the Holy Spirit dove. Impressive!

The late-Gothic wooden crucifix, displayed on the Altar of the Holy Cross and attributed to Juraj Petrović, presents a striking and unusual image of Christ. His body is covered with boils or furuncle-like lesions—likely not anatomical realism but symbolic marks of plague. Šibenik, like much of Dalmatia, suffered repeated and devastating outbreaks over the centuries; during the final major epidemic in 1649, the city is believed to have lost as much as 75% of its population. The crucifix, dating from the 15th century, thus coincides with the period of the earliest plague epidemics in the region. While “Plague Christs” are rare, such depictions are found in communities deeply affected by epidemic disease, emphasizing a theology in which Christ bears not only the sins of the world, but also its suffering and sickness—offering salvation through shared affliction.

Lions, influenced by the Venetians?

Wandering in the town centre, on the way to the castle...