World Heritage Photos

The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: The Cathedral of St. James is a basilica in Šibenik, a town in Croatia. The Cathedral of St. James is an amazing structure built entirely from limestone from a nearby stone quarry from the Island of Brač. It was built between 1431 and 1535. The cathedral is made entirely of stone slabs fitted into grooves, even the dome and roof. Unique construction techniques were used for the vaulting and the dome of the cathedral. The Cathedral of St. James is one of the first buildings in the world that used prefabricated stone structures. The dome of the cathedral of St. James in Šibenik was modelled after the dome of the cathedral of Florence. The form and decorations of the Cathedral of St. James illustrate the successful fusion between Gothic and Renaissance. The Lion Gate is the northern portal of the cathedral. The columns of the Lion Gate are supported by sculpted lions, on the columns are the figures of Adam and Eve, which is also seen at Trogir Cathedral. The Cathedral of St. James has no bell tower, a tower on the town walls of Šibenik served this purpose. It is said that the extension of an imaginary line from the main entrance to the Lion Gate points towards Split Cathedral and the extension of an imaginary line from the main entrance to the apse points towards Jerusalem. During the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995), the dome of the cathedral was heavily damaged in 1991. The cathedral was restored after the war, the resoration works took years. The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik gained the status as a UNESCO World Heritage in 2000.

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   The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: The front façade with the main portal and rose windows. The Cathedral of St. James is built of limestone from a nearby stone quarry and marble from the Croatian Island of Brač. The cathedral is made of stone slabs fitted into grooves. No timber was used in the construction of the Cathedral of St. James. The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 2000.

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   The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: The dome is decorated with a statue of St. Michael. Inside the cathedral are four large columns on which the dome rests. The dome was also built of stone slabs fitted into the grooves of the other. The dome was heavily damaged during the shelling of Šibenik in 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995). It took several years to restore the dome.

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   The front façade of the Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik, the two rose windows of the cathedral are a beautiful blend of the Gothic and Renaissance styles. The Cathedral of St. James was built between 1431 and 1535. The Cathedral of St. James is a structure built entirely from limestone and marble from the Croatian Island of Brač. Unique construction techniques were used for the vaulting and dome of the cathedral. 

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   The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: The fine sculptures above the front portal, the decorations and form of the cathedral illustrate the magnificentl fusion between the Gothic and Renaissance styles. Nikola Firentinac was one of the master builders of the Cathedral of St. James. Firentinac took over the project after the death of the eminent Croation master builder Juraj Dalmatinac. It was under Firentinac that the famous roof of the cathedral was completed.

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   The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: The frieze of 72 sculpted heads on the exterior façade at the rear of the building. The cathedral is constructed without the use of mortar, the ribs of the stone slabs are fitted into the grooves of the other slabs. The Cathedral of St. James is one of the first buildings that used prefabricated stone structures, the construction of the cathedral was an amazing technological achievement in the 15th century.

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   A detail of the frieze of the Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik, the frieze of 72 sculpted heads is one of the most notable decorations of the cathedral. The frieze was made by Juraj Dalmatinac and his assistants. Juraj Dalmatinac was an architect and sculptor from Venetian Dalmatia. His statue stands on the square in front of the Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik. The cathedral was used as a film location for the film series the Game of Thrones.

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   The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: A detail of the sculpted front portal. The cathedral is an unique blend of the Gothic and the Renaissance styles. Juraj Dalmatinac and Nikola Firentinac were the master builders of the cathedral. After the death of Juraj Dalmatinac, the work on the cathedral was continued by Nikola Firentinac. It is said that the extension of an imaginary line from the main entrance to the apse points towards Jerusalem.

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   Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: The bronze doors were created by the Šibenik sculptor Grga Antunac in 1967. The doors were damaged in 1991 during the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995). There are several bullet holes in the bronze doors and walls of the cathedral. After the war, it took years to restore the cathedral, but the bullet holes in the doors are still there as a reminder of the war.

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   The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: A detail of the beautiful sculpted Lion Gate, the northern entrance of the cathedral. The form and decorations of the Cathedral of St. James illustrate the successful fusion between the Gothic and Renaissance art. On the wall above the Lion Gate are the coat of arms of two bishops and a procurator, an official for financial affairs. The extension of an imaginary line from the main portal to the Lion Gate points towards the cathedral in Split.

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    The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: One of the sculpted lions of the Lion Gate. The columns of the Lion Gate are supported by two sculpted stone lions, on the columns are sculpted statues of Adam and Eve, which also can be seen at the St. Lawrence Cathedral in Trogir. Above Adem and Eve are the sculptures of the apostles Peter and Paul. The gate of the cathedral was named after the two stone lions.

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    The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: The dome and the roof construction of the cathedral. The cathedral was built entirely of local limestone. The dome is carried by four tall columns adorned with carved Corinthian style capitals, the dome and roof are also built entirely of limestone, they are among the most remarkable features of the Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik.

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    The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: A statue of a lion inside the Šibenik Cathedral. Inside the cathedral, nearly everything is made of stone or marble. The stone stalls were created by Juraj Dalmatinac and Nikola Firentinac, the master builders of the Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik. The central nave is supported by columns with carved capitals.

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    The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: The fine sculpted ceiling of the baptistery. The baptistery of the Cathedral of St. James has richly decorated stonework in the Gothic and the Renaissance styles. The stone baptismal font is situated in the centre of the baptistery. The baptismal font is carried by three putti, sculpted chubby infants with wings.

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    The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik: The dome of the cathedral is crowned with a statue of St. Michael. The Cathedral of St. James is dedicated to St. James the Greater. The cathedral is both a religious and an architectural monument. The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000.

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    The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik on the Dalmatian coast, viewed from Šibenik Castle. From the castle, the remarkable construction of the roof and dome are clearly visible. The cathedral has no bell tower, but a tower on the adjoining town walls of Šibenik serves as bell tower. The cathedral is situated on the shore of the Adriatic Sea. Šibenik is situated between the towns of Zagreb and Split.