Central Dalmatia Sights

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1. Cathedral of St. James

Šibenik's most famous piece of architecture, the Cathedral of St. James was built in several distinct stages and styles between 1431 and 1535, and it's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The lower level is the work of Venetian architects who contributed the finely carved Venetian-Gothic portals, whereas the rest of the building follows plans drawn up by local architect Juraj Dalmatinac, who proposed the Renaissance cupola. Note the frieze running around the outer wall, with 74 faces carved in stone from the island of Brač. One of the cathedral's highlights, the tiny baptistery with minutely chiseled stone decorations, was designed by Dalmatinac but executed by Andrija Aleši. As you leave, take a look at the bronze statue just outside the main door: that's Dalmatinac himself, his likeness sculpted by legendary 20th-century sculptor Ivan Meštrović.