Visit the City Hall in Šibenik

Once you have come to Šibenik and are exploring the city's history and culture, be sure to include the Šibenik City Hall in your sightseeing plan as well. This building is located on the northern side of the old main town square, opposite the northern façade of the famous Cathedral of St James.

The City Hall was certainly the most prestigious civic building of medieval Šibenik. Even today it ranks among the most significant cultural monuments of the city of King Krešimir – as many call Šibenik.

Today many would say that the Šibenik City Hall is one of the most beautiful city halls in Croatia altogether. It was built between 1533 and 1546, in the High Renaissance style, and is distinguished by its pronounced harmony. It is interesting that the main architect is not known.

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Šibenik Cathedral

A Brief Description of the City Hall in Šibenik

The building consists of a ground floor and a first floor. The ground floor of the City Hall begins with a portico with nine semicircular arches, typical of the Renaissance style. The columns rest on ten pillars, above which runs a cornice bearing bases with reliefs of large lion heads.

The ground floor once housed the offices of the city administration, while the sessions of the city council were held upstairs in a representative hall. The façade of the upper floor is divided by columns, and in its lower part it is decorated with a balustrade and a richly decorated balcony. The balcony is adorned with reliefs of lion heads and floral ornaments.

On the left side of the City Hall is a small bell tower, whose bell used to summon the city's noblemen to council.

In the 18th century, staircases were built on both sides of the City Hall under the direction of the Šibenik builder Ivan Skoko. During the Second World War, on 13 December 1943, the City Hall was completely destroyed. Šibenik was bombed at that time during an Allied air raid, since it was under German occupation. After the war it was reconstructed in its original form under the expert guidance of the architect Harold Bilinić. The interior of the City Hall was fitted out in accordance with the new purposes of the building.

On the upper floor of the building, as we know it today, there is a representative hall in which civil marriages are performed, and where city events are sometimes held, while the ground floor has been converted into a hospitality venue.

If you are in Šibenik, you can easily recognise the City Hall building. We can describe it as a building with a portico featuring semicircular arches, which is a typical feature of the Renaissance.