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| The Cathedral of St. Jacob in Šibenik* | |
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| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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| State Party |  Croatia |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iv |
| Reference | 963 |
| Region** | Europe and North America |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2000 (24th Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. |
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The Cathedral of St. Jacob or St. James (Katedrala sv. Jakova) in Šibenik, Croatia is a cathedral church of the Catholic Church in Croatia, the see of Šibenik bishopric. The Cathedral has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2000.
The building of the church was initiated in 1402, though plans on its construction had already begun in 1298, when Šibenik became a municipality. The actual work to transform the older church began in 1431. A multitude of Venetian and local craftsmen worked on it, in Gothic style.
In 1441, the Grand City Council entrusted the work to the master Giorgio Orsini. He enlarged the cathedral with a side nave and apses, prepared it for the dome and added various sculptural decorations, including 71 small human heads on the outer sides and a baptistery, all in stone. Giorgio Orsini worked on the cathedral up to his death in 1475.
Between 1475 and 1505 the work was overseen by Tuscan master Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino ("Nicholas the Florentine"). He continued the building in the Renaissance style, completing the dome, the outer sculptures of St. Michael, St. James (Jacob) and St. Mark, the roof and the upper façade. He also built the triforias (parallel galleries) and worked on the presbytery and sanctuary. After Fiorentino died in 1505, the construction was finally completed in 1536 by two other craftsmen, Bartolmeo of Mestra and his son Jacob, completely following Nicholas' instructions.
The cathedral officially became consecrated in 1555.
The dome of the church was heavily damaged by the JNA-supported Serb forces during the shelling of Sibenik in September of 1991. Within years it was quickly repaired with no damage visible.
 The front side of the cathedral with the rosetta and the portal |
 Portal - detail |
 Main altar |
 The cathedral dome and sculptures |
 Side portal |
 Human heads on the external part belong to unknown individuals, but it is commonly speculated that Juraj Dalmatinac made them after the local residents of Šibenik at the time. |
.jpg) Baptistery |
External links
- Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik at UNESCO web site
- Cathedral of St. Jacob at Šibenik web site
- Cathedral of St. Jacob at Sibenik Region Tourist Board
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