St. Michael's Cathedral

St. Michael’s Cathedral in Šibenik is actually more accurately called the Cathedral of St. James. Construction started in 1431 and took over a century, finishing in 1536. The cathedral combines Gothic and Renaissance styles, with key contributions from master builders Giorgio Orsini (Juraj Dalmatinac) and Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino. Orsini extended the original Romanesque structure into a cross-shaped basilica and designed the stunning baptistery, while Fiorentino finished the dome and upper façade using innovative Renaissance methods. The exterior features 74 sculpted heads believed to depict real people from the era, and the interior boasts ornate altars, frescoes, and sarcophagi of notable bishops. Despite damage during the 1991 shelling of Šibenik, the cathedral has been carefully restored and remains a symbol of resilience and craftsmanship. It even appeared in Game of Thrones as the Iron Bank of Braavos, further cementing its global cultural significance.Read more