Cathedral of St James

Gothic and Renaissance fuse beautifully in this monumental three-aisled basilica. Hampered by plague and fire, it took over 100 years to build, with the work overseen by a series of architects, most notably the Zadar-born Juraj Dalmatinac and his successor Nikola Firentinac. The cathedral was eventually consecrated in 1555. An Ivan Meštrović statue of Dalmatinac stands outside the main entrance. Inside, the features of note include the octagonal cupola; the stunningly ornamented baptistery with a vaulted ceiling displaying angels and cherubs; and an external wall frieze that manages to span all three apses. This features 74 sculpted stone faces of prominent Šibenik citizens, allegedly those who refused to contribute funds. During the 1991–95 war, the unique vaulted roof of interlocking stone slabs was badly damaged and it took a team of international experts to rebuild it.