Šibenik is the oldest Croatian self-proclaimed town on the Adriatic, the capital and cultural, educational, administrative and economic center of the Sibenik-Knin County.

It is mentioned for the first time on Christmas 1066 in the document of King Petar Krešimir IV, and is also called the Krešimir`s town. Until the epidemic of plague in the mid-17th century it was the largest town on the entire eastern Adriatic coast.

Among the Croatian towns it stands out with its unique position in the central part of the Adriatic, in a picturesque and spacious bay on the sunken mouth of the river Krka.

The beautiful town of a unique urban expression is connected with the open sea by the vivid, narrow and curving St.Anthony`s Channel. The entrance to the channel is protected by the Renaissance fortress of St. Nicholas, which along with three other town fortresses - St. Michael, St.John and Barone, is a symbol of the centuries-old unconquered history of Sibenik, but also one of the three such fortresses in the whole Mediterranean.

Šibenik is the only town in Croatia and one of the few cities in the world with two monuments listed on UNESCO's list of protected cultural heritage sites.

The most significant monument in Šibenik, known in European architecture and listed as a world heritage site of UNESCO, is certainly the Šibenik`s cathedral of St. James dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. Five generations were working on that building for more than a hundred years, creating the perfect proportions and the impression that it was cast out of one piece. The cathedral is the only one such building in Europe built of stone without the use of binder mortars and wooden constructive elements. Together with the Renaissance Town Hall and the surrounding churches, palaces and the Duke`s palace, where the County Museum is located today, it forms one of the most beautiful squares in the Croatian urbanistic heritage.

The second monument on the World Heritage List of UNESCO is already mentioned St. Nicholas Fortress which was enrolled as part of the nomination "The Republic of Venice Defense Systems in the period from the 15th to the 17th century.

Sibenik is a town with 24 churches, 6 monasteries, 4 fortresses, attractive "Four wells" not far from the Cathedral, 2851 stone stairs, the largest number of baroque organ and the medieval monastery garden of St. Lawrence - the only such kind in Croatia.

Along with its rich cultural and historical heritage, the natural beauty of Sibenik and its surroundings, the town has been classified as one of the most desirable tourist destinations in the Mediterranean.

In the near vicinity of Sibenik there are two national parks and one nature park which, along with many other beauties of Šibenik, form a tourist paradise for all nature lovers.

The Krka National Park covers the area of 109 km² of the most beautiful river Krka and the lower stream of the Čikola River, which, along with its natural beauties, is rich in cultural and historical heritage. The second National Park Kornati is located within the Kornati islands with 152 islands. Due to the exceptional landscape beauty, interesting geomorphology, great indented coastline and especially the rich biocenosis of the marine ecosystem, a group of 89 islands has been proclaimed a national park.

It is also worth to mention the nearby nature park "Vransko jezero", the largest natural lake in Croatia, dominated by a special ornithological reserve of 256 species of birds.

The beautiful archipelago of the town of Šibenik consists of 242 islands, islets, cliffs and ridges with only 10 island settlements. The best known among them are Zlarin - the coral island, Krapanj - the island of spongers and Prvić, the island where the noblemen of Šibenik have always been.

On the other hand, the Sibenik hinterland hides 5 rivers, 3 large and 10 smaller lakes, 5 mountains and 8 waterfalls.

Lively, contemporary creativity of Sibenik is mirrored by the long tourism tradition to which guests around the world each year entrust their holidays, as well as the rich gastronomic offer with unique wine Babic, which is produced from the vine from the famous Primosten vineyards and represents one of the best quality wines in Croatia.

SIBENIK FOR THE WORLD:

• Sibenik is the first town in the world to receive public lighting in electricity. Thanks to the patents of Nikola Tesla, and certainly thanks to the Mayor Ante Šupuka and the engineer Vjekoslav Meichsner on August 28, 1895, Sibenik became the first town in the world to receive public lighting in alternating electricity.

• The famous Sibenik innovator and inventor Faust Vrancic gave the world a parachute, a hanging bridge and a cable car. Faust Vrancic was a man of broad scientific interest. He studied lexicography, philosophy, theology and technology. He spoke fluently at least seven languages. Faust Vrancic (Lat. Faustus Verantius) is the most important constructor and technical writer among Croats at the turn of the 16th to the 17th century. He was born in 1551 in Šibenik. He is the author of numerous world inventions of which the most famous ones are - parachute, hanging bridge and cable car.The Faust Vrancic Memorial Center is located on the island of Prvic near Sibenik.

• One of the biggest Croatian and world basketball players was Drazen Petrovic from Šibenik, who was called "basketball Mozart" becasue of his sporting genius. Drazen Petrovic was among the 50 people who contributed most to Euroleague. He is among the greatest Croatian athletes of all time. He is considered as the leader of European basketball players in the NBA. He played for clubs Sibenka, Cibona, Real Madrid in Europe and NBA clubs Portland Trail Blazers and New Jersey Nets. He became a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.  In Šibenik there is a memorial room dedicated to Drazen Petrovic located in the apartment where he once lived.