It’s official – the priceless monument in Šibenik now proudly flies the UNESCO flag!
Following the news of two landmarks in Dalmatia getting inscribed on UNESCO’s Protected World Heritage List, the UNESCO flag has been displayed on St. Nicholas Fortress in Šibenik earlier today, reports ŠibenikIN on December 21, 2017.
The application for the fortress to obtain the prestigious title was submitted as part of a larger, trans-national project titled “Venetian Works of Defence in the 16th and 17th Centuries: Stato da Terra – Western Stato da Mar”.
The UNESCO Charter for St. Nicholas Fortress was presented to Prefect of Šibenik-Knin County Goran Pauk by UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Francesco Bandarin, who stated that the Stato da Mar project can serve as an example everyone should aspire to.
“I wish to congratulate everyone who participated in the long process of compiling the application proposal. I’m proud I get to share your joy today, and that I had the chance to see how dedicated you are to preserving your heritage. Šibenik is one of the rare cities to have two monuments protected by UNESCO, along with London, Berlin, Beijing and New Delhi. Welcome to the club”, Bandarin said.
Bandarin added the fortress is impressive for having a unique design and for being so well-preserved, calling it one of the most outstanding fortresses he has ever seen. He congratulated the City of Šibenik for having done an amazing job and appealed to them to launch a reconstruction project as soon as possible in order to make the fortress accessible to visitors.
Šibenik Mayor Željko Burić called the fortresses of Šibenik “engines and generators of growth and development”, emphasising the St. Nicholas Fortress will be unique because it will get to retain its authentic character and lead to the entire St Ante Channel getting protected and preserved.
Apart from the monument that now proudly flies the UNESCO flag, Šibenik boasts three more historic fortresses: the forts of St. Michael and St. John, and the Barone Fortress. With such an incredible fund of cultural heritage and multiple impressive renovation projects carried out in recent years, it’s more than obvious why Šibenik is gaining an increasingly prestigious reputation as a world-renowned destination. Congratulations!
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