{"id":5187,"date":"2025-01-08T12:10:20","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T12:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eupolisgrupa.hr\/projects\/st-michaels-fortress\/"},"modified":"2025-01-13T11:30:41","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T11:30:41","slug":"st-michaels-fortress","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/eupolisgrupa.hr\/en\/projects\/st-michaels-fortress\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Michael’s Fortress"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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St. Michael's Fortress<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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After its renovation and opening in 2014, the fortress became a prestigious stage for cultural events and an example of successful regeneration of cultural heritage with the use of EU funds. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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A symbol of history and the beginning of the city of \u0160ibenik<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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St. Michael’s Fortress is one of the most significant historical structures in Croatia’s oldest city, \u0160ibenik. It is a central landmark of modern-day \u0160ibenik and the site where the earliest evidence of civilisation in this area was discovered. It is believed that an Illyrian hillfort was built here as early as the Iron Age. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The present-day city of \u0160ibenik began life at this very location, initially as a Croatian tribal stronghold. Positioned at the mouth of the Krka River, amidst a vast natural harbour on a steep and high cliff, the Croats built the fortress and, below it, on the slopes toward the sea, a settlement. The city walls that once protected \u0160ibenik for centuries originated from the fortress, while St. Michael has been the city\u2019s celestial patron since its earliest days.<\/p>\n

The fortress is built on a steep, high rock, 70 meters above sea level, dominating the old city centre. It offers stunning views of the \u0160ibenik Bay and the mouth of the Krka River. <\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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View of the City of \u0160ibenik with the Fortress, City Walls, and \u0160ibenik Bay in 1575 <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Aerial View of the Fortress and Its Surroundings Just Before the Start of Renovation<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The first memorial and the path towards the restoration of national significance<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The fortress was first mentioned in historical records in 998. Over the centuries, it has undergone numerous name changes and suffered significant damage. <\/span><\/p>\n

After more than 60 years of initiatives and preparation of documentation for the fortress\u2019s restoration and its integration into public use, in 2010, the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds contracted the Cypriot consultancy group HCL Consultants to prepare and submit the project for an EU Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) call for proposals under the Operational Programme for Regional Competitiveness for business infrastructure development.<\/p>\n

As the key local expert, HCL Consultants subcontracted Eupolis Group to provide technical assistance in designing, preparing, and submitting this tourism infrastructure project of national strategic importance.
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From a closed monument to a cultural center of the region<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The project applicant was the City of \u0160ibenik, with partners including the \u0160ibenik Tourist Board, the City Museum of \u0160ibenik, and the Croatian National Theatre in \u0160ibenik. The Conservation Department collaborated on the project. In 2011, the total project value amounted to \u20ac1.6 million. Eupolis Group successfully coordinated and provided technical support for the project application, thereby contributing to funding one of the most successful EU projects in the Republic of Croatia. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

After being closed and inaccessible to citizens for centuries, this oldest city monument finally gained a new function as a globally attractive hub for cultural and creative events. The revitalisation of the fortification complex of St. Michael’s Fortress began in 2012, covering an area of 2,600 m\u00b2. A large summer stage with 1,077 seats was constructed as part of the project, and underground educational and presentation spaces were developed. The fortress opened its doors to visitors in 2014, offering various cultural, musical, and theatrical events. Today, it is recognised as one of the most prestigious venues in the region and an essential destination for cultural tourism. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

St. Michael’s Fortress now stands as a symbol of invaluable cultural-historical and heritage significance for the city of \u0160ibenik and the Republic of Croatia. As a restored cultural monument, it has become a key driver of the city’s development and a source of new cultural, educational, musical-theatrical, and other engaging programs. In the first four months after its opening, the fortress attracted over 100,000 visitors. The project soon received numerous accolades, such as the 2014 award from the Ministry of Tourism, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, and the Croatian National Tourist Board for the best tourist attraction. <\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Aerial View of St. Michael's Fortress in \u0160ibenik After Renovation<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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A symbol of history and the beginning of the city of \u0160ibenik<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Fortress of St. Michael is now one of the most attractive cultural heritage sites on the Croatian Adriatic coast. Its stage hosts renowned Croatian and international artists. The project is a prime example of best practices in utilising EU funds, serving as the foundation for a chain reaction of similar projects that transformed the city of \u0160ibenik and the entire region. It turned a previously underdeveloped area with a declining industrial base into a leader in the systematic and sustainable regeneration of cultural and historical heritage and developing sustainable cultural and creative tourism. Today, the city of \u0160ibenik is a model of integrated restoration and development based on sustainable cultural heritage tourism and the growth of the cultural and creative industries. <\/span><\/p>\n

You can find more about this project on the institution’s website that now manages the \u0160ibenik fortresses, serving as a model of effective management of military cultural-historical sites in Croatia and beyond. <\/span>www.tvrdjavakulture.hr<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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See our other projects too:<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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