The city of Šibenik is one of the few towns in the world with two cultural monuments listed on UNESCO's cultural heritage list - the St. James Cathedral and the St. Nicholas Fortress, reports HRTurizam on June 1, 2019.

The St. Nicholas Fortress will again welcome visitors from June 15, after nearly two years of being closed to the public.

During this off period, construction works were carried out to clean the building, with necessary restoration and measures for the safety of visitors. The boat dock at the main entrance was restored and provided secure and organized access to the site. These were the necessary preconditions for reopening of the fort, though the real job of its restoration lies ahead. 

"Our ultimate goal is to completely revitalize, decorate and renew the St. Nicholas Fortress, which will be open to visitors during the season. This requires tremendous efforts, painstaking work, and continued efforts in securing financial resources. But once we complete this lifelong project, we will leave a restored, originally preserved and magnificent UNESCO monument for future generations whereby the city of Šibenik and Šibenik-Knin County will be recognizable throughout the world,” said Goran Pauk, Prefect of Šibenik-Knin County.

Opening the St. Nicholas Fortress in the St. Anthony Channel is the result of a series of projects funded by the European Union, the Šibenik-Knin County and the Ministry of Culture of the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The first significant step was made in 2013 when, through the valorization project of the St. Anthony Channel, they organized the promenade and access road to the fortress. In May last year, the second phase of this project was contracted, which saw a value of 26 million kuna, and which envisions a visitor center and supporting infrastructure. In cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and the Conservation Department in Šibenik, a great deal was done, which resulted in a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage list. After that, an additional 2.6 million kuna was provided for the project documentation to complete the reconstruction of the facility, and the State Property Ministry allocated the area of the former barracks in the Minerska cove for 50 years.

“We are happy that the fortress, which has a special significance for all of us, will open its doors. I thank our fellow citizens who have recognized the complexity of the project and have shown great patience all this time. I can now be pleased to announce that during the first working day we will provide free tickets for all visitors and from June 17 to June 25, we will provide free tickets for half of the capacity of the ships for the inhabitants of Šibenik-Knin County to get acquainted with the offer but also experience the fortress in a whole new way. Also, I would like to thank the Ministry of Culture, the Conservation Department in Sibenik, the employees of Šibenik-Knin County and everyone who helped open the doors of this proud guard of Šibenik,” said Anita Babačić Ajduk, Director of the Public Institution of Nature in Šibenik-Knin County, which manages the fortress.

This season, you can visit the fortress only by the official boats departing from Šibenik.

A two-hour visit will include an attractive boat ride through the Šibenik channel and tour of the fort, accompanied by expert staff and the use of a multimedia guide. The maximum daily visit capacity is limited due to the limited number of places on board, the security conditions, and the protection of the monuments, as well as the quality of the visitors' experience.

Tickets will be available at a sales outlet on the Šibenik Riva and online.

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It's official - the priceless monument in Šibenik now proudly flies the UNESCO flag!