Barone Fortress

The Barone (or Šubićevac) Fortress is the highest of Šibenik's four defensive works, built in a frantic three months in 1646 when Ottoman forces were bearing down on the city; its rapid construction and successful defence saved Šibenik from Ottoman capture and marked the turning of the tide of Turkish expansion into central Dalmatia. Named after Baron Christoph Martin von Degenfeld, the German mercenary commander who led the defence, the fortress is a lovely example of angular star-shape bastion architecture with beautifully preserved ramparts and casemates. It was extensively renovated and reopened in 2016 as a superb interactive visitor attraction featuring augmented-reality tablets loaned free at the entrance that overlay historical 3D reconstructions of 17th-century Šibenik on the actual views. Additional interactive exhibits cover the Cretan War (1645–69) during which the fortress was built, and the everyday life of the mixed Croatian-German-Venetian defence garrison. The rooftop café — 'Kavana Barone' — serves excellent Dalmatian tapas and craft beers with what may be the finest sunset panoramic view in Šibenik. Access is easy by a short driveable road or via a signposted 15-minute uphill walk from the old town.