The Cathedral of St James in Šibenik - UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Brief synthesis

Šibenik is a town founded on the Dalmatian Coast in the 10th Century. From 1412 it was under the control of Venice. The Cathedral of St James stands by the sea in a small square which was once the heart of the ancient town, and adjoining the episcopal palace. In its present form, the Cathedral is a monument that documents the transition from Gothic to Renaissance architecture. It is distinctive in the type of construction adopted, in its forms and decorative features, but most of all in the nature of its construction. The Cathedral bears witness to the considerable exchanges in the field of monumental arts between Northern Italy, Dalmatia and Tuscany in the 15th and 16th centuries. Between 1431 and 1505, three architects who succeeded one another, Francesco di Giacomo, Georgius Mathei Dalmaticus and Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino, developed a structure built entirely from stone and using unique construction techniques for the vaulting and the dome. The Cathedral was finally consecrated in 1555 after completion of the west front.

The Cathedral takes the form of a basilica with three aisles, each ending in an apse. The dome surmounts a transept which does not project beyond the north and south walls of the basilica. The rectangular sacristy is raised on pillars under which there is a passage to the baptistery located between the southern apse and the episcopal palace. The interior of the Cathedral is striking because of the height of the nave and the richly decorated stonework. Although the Cathedral was built in three phases, the styles of which can be distinguished on both interior and exterior, the whole has a certain unity. The use of a single material, stone, from the footings of the walls through the vaulting to the dome itself, is no doubt largely responsible for conveying such unity. Unity of structural and decorative elements of the Cathedral also illustrates the successful fusion of Gothic art and that of the Renaissance.

Criterion (i): The structural characteristics of the Cathedral of St James in Šibenik make it a unique and outstanding building in which Gothic and Renaissance forms have been successfully blended.

Criterion (ii): The Cathedral of St James is the fruitful outcome of considerable interchanges of influences between the three culturally different regions of Northern Italy, Dalmatia and Tuscany in the 15th and 16th centuries. These interchanges created the conditions for unique and outstanding solutions to the technical and structural problems of constructing the Cathedral’s vaulting and dome.

Criterion (iv): The Cathedral of St James in Šibenik is a unique testimony to the transition from the Gothic to the Renaissance period in church architecture.

Integrity

Šibenik Cathedral is among the few buildings of its kind that has not been altered over the course of time but has preserved its original form. Although built in stages, the styles of which can be distinguished in both interior and exterior, the whole has a clear unity which is primarily enabled by the use of quality stone as a single structural and decorative material. All elements necessary to express the values of the Cathedral are included within the boundaries of the inscribed area and the buffer zone. Most important threats to the property are of natural origin.

Authenticity

The Cathedral of St James is completely preserved in its original state. Thanks to the fidelity to the initial model and respect during restoration for the characteristics of the cultural context to which the building belongs, this property satisfies the test of authenticity to a degree rarely attained by constructions in stone.

Protection and management requirements

The Cathedral of St James, which is the property of the Diocese of Šibenik, is a listed monument since 1963. Like the historic center of Šibenik itself, it is subject to the provisions of several acts and regulations governing its protection. Management is carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Media (Directorate of Heritage Protection) and the Office of Works of the Diocese of Šibenik with advisory support by the interinstitutional supervisory expert commission. Measures for the protection of the Cathedral of St James are implemented by the Šibenik Conservation Department, the local representative of the Ministry of Culture and Media.

The Cathedral of St James and the historic center of Šibenik are protected by a specific policy based on four indicators: the significance and authenticity of the heritage property, the effectiveness of the Management Plan, control over risk factors such as visitor numbers, and in compliance with the most stringent international standards of conservation. Restoration work on the Cathedral in 1992 after war damage was carried out with the fullest respect for the techniques employed in the past. This has played an important role in keeping the original stone quarry in operation and in providing training for young workers on the restoration project.

Since 2012, a comprehensive program of research, conservation and restoration works has been implemented by the Croatian Conservation Institute. Priority is given to various treatment of the stone surface of the cathedral walls and inventory, as well as restoration of movable heritage. Deterioration of microclimatic conditions and the formation of condensation inside the cathedral was solved by introducing remotely controlled windows in the upper zone enabling efficient ventilation. Funding for restoration works is regularly provided by the Ministry of Culture and Media and the Diocese. An Interpretation Centre of the Cathedral established in 2019 in the restored nearby palace provides detailed presentation of the history and construction of this unique building.