Located at the entrance to St Anthony’s Channel, St Nicholas’ Fortress is one of the most impressive sea fortresses in the Mediterranean and a unique example of Venetian Renaissance military architecture. Built in the mid-16th century by the renowned Venetian military engineer Gian Girolamo Sammicheli to defend Šibenik from Ottoman naval attacks, the fortress is distinguished by its rare triangular layout and dramatic position completely surrounded by the sea.
In 2017, St Nicholas’ Fortress was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the transnational site Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries, making Šibenik one of the rare cities in the world with two UNESCO World Heritage properties. The fortress can only be visited through organised boat tours operated by the Public Institution Nature of the Šibenik-Knin County. Departures are from the Šibenik waterfront, and the experience includes a panoramic boat ride through the protected landscape of St Anthony’s Channel, guided interpretation at the fortress, multilingual multimedia guides, and admission. Opening hours, schedules, and ticket prices can be found at kanal-svetog-ante.com. The ticket includes a panoramic boat ride through St Anthony’s Channel (approximately 20 minutes each way), admission to the fortress, guided interpretation, and multilingual multimedia guides. The complete visit lasts approximately two hours.