- Type
- Fortress
- Origins
- 1540 · 16th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Šibenik-Knin, Croatia
- Style
- Renaissance
- Heritage
- part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (an old town or a valley, for example)
- Coordinates
- 43.7216°, 15.8545°
History
In the mid-16th century the Venetians, fearing the Ottoman fleet, decided to seal the narrow entrance to the bay of Šibenik. Work began in 1540 on a rocky islet at the mouth of the St Anthony Channel, on the site of a former Benedictine monastery of St Nicholas. The design is attributed to Giangirolamo Sanmicheli, nephew of the famous Veronese military architect Michele Sanmicheli. The massive building, tapering to a sharp wedge on the seaward side, with gun ports on several levels, proved an effective deterrent. In 2017 it was inscribed on the UNESCO list as part of the Venetian Works of Defence of the 16th and 17th centuries.
What to see
The fortress fills an islet just off the shore and is reached by boat from Šibenik or on foot along a path that follows the St Anthony Channel. Its interior of casemates, passages and the gun terrace is open on guided tours. The best view of its sea walls is from the ships that sail up the channel into the harbour.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q7590832
Popularity: articles about this site in 20 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).