On this occasion, the Public Institution Nature of Šibenik-Knin County held a presentation on projects and activities implemented after 2017, when the Fortress came under the auspices of UNESCO.

St Nicholas’ Fortress is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List under the transnational nomination “The Venetian Works of Defence between 16th and 17th centuries”, whose special feature is that its components are located in three Mediterranean countries. It consists of fortified cities of Peschiera del Garda , Bergamo and Kotor, the city-fortress Palmanova, the defense system of the city of Zadar and the individual military fort – the St Nicholas’ Fortress

“UNESCO recognition has brought us this good sense of pride and enthusiasm, but also a huge commitment to heritage conservation, as much as the cultural, the fortress itself and the natural that surrounds it, because the entire St Anthony ‘s Channel , and thus the Significant landscape of the Channel-Port of šibenik became its buffer zone with special regulations prescribed by UNESCO ”, said the director of the Public Institution Nature of Šibenik-Knin County, M.Sc Anita Babacic Ajduk.

St Anthony ‘s Channel where the St Nicholas’ Fortress enjoys multiple protection; it is maritime property, buffer zone of monuments under the protection of UNESCO, the part of the protected natural area Significant landscape Kanal-Luka in Šibenik and part of the ecological network Natura 2000 Krka estuary.

This protected area is a unique example of integrated and sustainable management of natural and cultural heritage that cannot be separated in this area. This was discussed by PhD Aljoša Duplić, Director of the Institute for Environmental and Nature Protection at the Ministry of the Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia.

Šibenik-Knin County, through the Public Institution Nature, manages the Significant Landscape Channel-Portin Šibenik and the St Nicholas’ Fortress.

,, St Nicholas’ Fortress is a kind of architectural master piece that was protected in 2017, and now we are continuing with the process of protection, at the same time breathing new life into it, “said the prefect of Šibenik-Knin County, Ph.D. Marko Jelic, thanking and congratulating everyone who gave their contribution in the realization of this project.

The EU project “Tourism Valorization of the St Nicholas’ Fortress in the St Anthony ‘s Channel ” was completed successfuly and it included the preparation of the complete documentation for the rehabilitation and revitalization of the fortress.

One of the important documents is the proposal of the Cultural Heritage Management Plan for the St Nicholas’ Fortress, which was developed by the Institute of Tourism. An Action Plan for Visitor Management for the entire area of ​​the Significant Landscape Channel-Port in Šibenik was prepared and coordinated by Grgurević and partners d.o.o. for planning and design.

The President of the ICOMOS National Commission, mr. Miljenko Domijan, spoke about the process of drafting a proposal for inscribing the fortress on the World Heritage List of a series of “The Venetian Works of Defence between 15th and 17th centuries” as a joint proposal of Italy, Croatia and Montenegro which was as long and as challenging.

The long-time head of the Šibenik Conservation Department, M. sc. Josip Ćuzela also addressed to the guests. He was coordinator for the listing of the Fortress on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The head of the Department for Architectural Heritage of the Croatian Restoration Institute Ana Škevin Mikulandra gave a detailed presentation on the research of the fortress and preparation of documentation for its further rehabilitation and revitalization.

After the presentation, a visit to the St Nicholas’ Fortress was organized for the guests accompanied by interpreters and multimedia guides, and on their return to Šibenik they visited the future visitor center in Minerska Bay, another valuable project of the Public Institution Nature of Šibenik-Knin County dedicated to the natural and cultural heritage of this area.

Šibenik, July 9th 2021.