HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Cathedral of St. James ( hr, Katedrala sv. Jakova) in
Šibenik Šibenik () is a historic city in Croatia, located in central Dalmatia, where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea. Šibenik is a political, educational, transport, industrial and tourist center of Šibenik-Knin County, and is also the ...
,
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
is a triple-nave
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its nam ...
with three apses and a dome (32 m high inside). It is the episcopal seat of the Šibenik
diocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...
. It is also the most important architectural monument of the
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...
in the entire country. Since 2000, the cathedral has been on the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
. It is often known as "St. Jacob's", because Croatian, like many other languages, uses the same name for both "
James James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambigua ...
" and "
Jacob Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. J ...
". It is dedicated to Saint James the Greater.


Construction


First masters

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 Romanesque cathedral began in 1431. Built entirely of stone (
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms wh ...
from a nearby stone quarry and marble from the island of
Brač Brač is an island in the Adriatic Sea within Croatia, with an area of , making it the largest island in Dalmatia, and the third largest in the Adriatic. It is separated from the mainland by the Brač Channel, which is wide. The island's tal ...
), it was completed in three phases, from 1433 to 1441, when the Grand City Council entrusted the work to local and Italian masters Francesco di Giacomo, Lorenzo Pincino, Pier Paolo Bussato, Bonino da Milano, and Giorgio da Sebenico (''Juraj Dalmatinac'') and to Croatian ones Andrija Budčić and Grubiš Šlafčić.


Giorgio da Sebenico

Initially, it was conceived as a simple church. In the period between 1441 and 1473 the construction was directed by Giorgio, who was invited to come from
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isl ...
as the investors were not satisfied with the beginning of the work. His first contract in 1441 was concluded for a period of 6 years to build just a simple church, but another contract of 10 years followed the first one in 1446. The investors considered that too little for the money spent, so Giorgio altered the plan: he enlarged the cathedral with a side
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
and
apse In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...
s, so that the ground plan of the cathedral was in the shape of a cross, and prepared it for the
dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a ...
, built the presbytery, sanctuary and his masterpiece, the
baptistery In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding the baptisma ...
. With tremendous skill, Giorgio da Sebenico combined architectural and decorative elements to create a unified entity. Giorgio combined several artistic elements in the ground plan: the Lion Gate was inspired by the abbey of San Leonardo di Siponto, the central nave by
Trogir cathedral The Cathedral of St. Lawrence ( hr, Katedrala Sv. Lovre) is a Roman Catholic triple-naved basilica constructed in Romanesque- Gothic in Trogir, Croatia. Since its construction lasted several centuries, it illustrates all the styles that succeede ...
, an eagle over the main entrance as the John the Evangelist's symbol, the San Marco cathedral in Venice as one side nave and the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople as the other side nave. He constructed the western main portal, the northern portal (The Lion Gate) and the first chapel. The western main portal was decorated by Bonino da Milano, first master mason, with statues of Christ and the twelve apostles. The current bronze door was created in 1967 by the Šibenik sculptor Grga Antunac. The motif of the northern portal, called the Lion Gate, are Adam and Eve standing on two lions, which is also seen at the
Trogir Cathedral The Cathedral of St. Lawrence ( hr, Katedrala Sv. Lovre) is a Roman Catholic triple-naved basilica constructed in Romanesque- Gothic in Trogir, Croatia. Since its construction lasted several centuries, it illustrates all the styles that succeede ...
, but here Adam and Eve are on columns over the lions. These statues, together with St. Jacob and St. Peter, are the work of Juraj Dalmatinac, as he is called in Croatia. The statue of Eve draws the attention of onlookers as she has a belly button, while, according to the Bible, she was conceived from a rib of Adam. The bronze doors were made in 1967 by the Šibenik sculptor Grga Antunac. The coats of arms of two bishops and of the procurator of then-church of St. Saviour in Šibenik were placed over the Lion Gate. The two Renaissance putti at the northern end of the cathedral bear an inscription of the consecration in 1443 of the cathedral. Under their feet is his only remaining signature: "Hoc opus cuvarum fecit magister Georgius Matthei Dalmaticus". He also designed the baptistery in the 1440s. He built it next to the southern apse in the form of a
quatrefoil A quatrefoil (anciently caterfoil) is a decorative element consisting of a symmetrical shape which forms the overall outline of four partially overlapping circles of the same diameter. It is found in art, architecture, heraldry and traditional ...
. The upper part is covered with lacelike sculptures, the first Renaissance sculptural work in Croatia. The flat niches are vaulted with corrugated seashells of St. James. On the baldachins between them hold two statues: King David and the prophet Simon. The vault ribs end in the keystone representing the Father God, surrounded by angels and the dove (symbol of the Holy Ghost). The baptismal font, made from reddish
breccia Breccia () is a rock composed of large angular broken fragments of minerals or Rock (geology), rocks cementation (geology), cemented together by a fine-grained matrix (geology), matrix. The word has its origins in the Italian language, in whi ...
s, is supported by three angels. The apses are decorated on the outside with various sculptural decorations, including 74 small Renaissance portraits immortalising important contemporaries and figures who had for some reason particularly impressed the architect or that he deemed to tight to help foot the bill for the cathedral's construction. Some of these heads on the facade have a damaged nose, probably due to vandalism. Indeed, until
Justinian II Justinian II ( la, Iustinianus; gr, Ἰουστινιανός, Ioustinianós; 668/69 – 4 November 711), nicknamed "the Slit-Nosed" ( la, Rhinotmetus; gr, ὁ Ῥινότμητος, ho Rhinótmētos), was the last Eastern Roman emperor of the H ...
this was the expression to discredit the reputation of someone, and so it was necessary that this individual remained anonymous. Giorgio worked probably on the cathedral up to his death in 1475 and certainly until 1473.Naklada Naprijed, ''The Croatian Adriatic Tourist Guide'', pgs. 198/200, Zagreb (1999),


Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino

Between 1475 and 1505 the work was overseen by Tuscan master Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino (''Nicola Firentinac''), from the Donatello school of sculpture who developed as a sculptor and builder in
Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see names in other languages) is one of the four historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of the Adriatic Sea, stret ...
. He continued the building in the Tuscan
Renaissance style Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought ...
, completing the extensive galleries, building the vault in the central nave, the outer sculptures of St. Michael, St. James and St. Mark. The barrel roof is made from a line of enormous stone slabs and considered a marvel of construction at the time, and the upper
façade A façade () (also written facade) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loan word from the French (), which means 'frontage' or 'face'. In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important aspect f ...
. He also built the triforias (parallel galleries) and worked on the presbytery and sanctuary. Although the dome of Šibenik Cathedral was built after the dome in
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...
, Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino used an octagonal drum in its construction, before Bramante and Michelangelo, in its original function as the transition from the square base to the circular dome. The execution of the cupola is considered one of the best achievements of Renaissance architecture.


Inside the Cathedral

Inside the cathedral there are four large, evenly matched columns on which the dome rests. The builder decorated the capitals and came to arrangements with the nobles who were to finance the building of chapels, on condition that they would be free to choose their own builders. In the first chapel on the right-side, there is the
sarcophagus A sarcophagus (plural sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a box-like funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Gre ...
of the bishop, humanist and writer Juraj Šižgorić (1420-1509) which is the work of Andrija Aleši based on a design by Juraj Dalmatinac. Aleši also created the statue of St. Elijah which stands behind the bishop's throne. On the left-hand side is the sarcophagus of Bishop Ivan Štafilič, during whose life the cathedral was completed. Beneath the choir there are the graves of two bishops, with reliefs: on the right Bishop Calegari and on the left, Bishop Spingarola. The latter is the work of the local artist Antun Nogulovič. Opposite the famous Altar of the Holy Cross (Sveti Križ) made by Juraj Čulinovič (Giorgio Schiavone) is buried (1433 or 1446-1505). On the altar there is a painting by Felipe Zaniberti. Amongst other altars to the left of the entrance is the Altar of the Holy Three Kings with a painting by Bernardo Rizzardi, according to the ground plan of Juraj Dalmatinac (see above). The fragments of the mosaic of the Holy Three Kings in St. Mark's Basilica in Venice are now in the Museo Marciano in Venice. The sides of the altar are decorated with reliefs of two angels holding the scroll of Nikola Firentinac, set into shell-shaped niches. The Cathedral Treasury includes works by the Renaissance master Horacije Fortezza of Šibenik (1530-1596), an exceptional goldsmith and miniaturist. After Fiorentino died in 1505, the construction was finally completed in 1535 by two other craftsmen, Bartolmeo of Mestra and his son Jacob, completely following Nicholas' instructions. The cathedral officially became consecrated in 1555 after a multitude of Venetian and local craftsmen had worked on it, in
Gothic style Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages * Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths ** Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken ...
.


Subsequent work

As Šibenik cathedral has no bell-tower, a tower on the adjoining city walls served this purpose until its demolition at the end of 19th century. Most of the restoration was done between 1850 and 1860. and subsequently between 1992 and 1997. The dome of the church was heavily damaged by the JNA-supported
Serb The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of ...
forces during the shelling of Šibenik in September 1991. Within years it was quickly repaired with no damage visible.


In popular culture

*Since the interior of the Cathedral was extensively 3D recorded for documentation and restoration purposes, its 3D model is often used for graphic and especially video modelling purposes. *The Cathedral served as a backdrop for the Iron Bank in the ninth episode of the fifth season of ''
Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...
''. Šibenik portrayed Braavos, the city where the Iron Bank is located.


Gallery

File:St Jacobs Cathedral 1.JPG, The front side of the cathedral with the rosetta and the portal File:Cathedral of St. James, Šibenik 01.jpg, The cathedral dome and sculptures File:St James side portal.jpg, Side portal File:Baptismal font, Cathedral of St. James, Sibenik2 (js).jpg, The Baptistery File:Cathedral of St. James, Šibenik 09.jpg, Human heads on the external part belong to unknown individuals. File:Catedral Sibenik.ogv File:SibenikFotoThalerTamas6.jpg, Baptistery File:Šibenik, kip Jurja Dalmatinca.jpg, Sculpture of Juraj Dalmatinac, the constructor of the cathedral, in front of the main entrance File:View of Sibenik Cathedral and sea from St Michael fortress.jpg, alt=View of Sibenik Cathedral and sea from St Michael fortress.jpg, View of Sibenik Cathedral from St Michael fortress File:St James cathedral main portal.jpg, main Portal - detail File:Sibenik pentacle.jpg, Pentacle on the baptismal font of the Šibenik Cathedral.


References


External links


Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik at UNESCO web site

Explore the Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik in the UNESCO collection on Google Arts and Culture

Cathedral of St. James at Šibenik web site

Cathedral of St. James at Sibenik Region Tourist Board
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sibenik Cathedral World Heritage Sites in Croatia Šibenik Croatian art Basilica churches in Croatia Tourist attractions in Šibenik-Knin County Church buildings with domes Articles containing video clips Roman Catholic cathedrals in Croatia Buildings and structures in Šibenik-Knin County