Špilja-crkva sv. Ante

Useful Information

Location:	Kanal Sv. Ante, Šibenik. (43.726930, 15.873980)
Open:	no restrictions. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Cave Church
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Špilja-crkva sv. Ante.
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History

1615	Jeronim Detrico, an aristocrat from Zadar, buried in the cave.

Description

Špilja-crkva sv. Ante (Cave-Church of St Anthony) is located in the St Anthony's Channel, and probably the reason why it was named so. The city Šibenik is located at a sort of flooded valley, which runs parallel to the Mediterranean Sea and is connected to the sea by a narrow canal named Kanala sv. Ante (St Anthony's Channel). The cave church is located halfway in the canal, and the boats which bring tourists from Šibenik to the fortress, make a short stop at the cave and the nearby tunnel. While the cave church is accessible and free, the boats are obviously not. You can visit the site by your own boat, by other boat tours, and you can combine it with a visit of the fortress.

The natural cave is located in the cliff side above sea level. It was used by man since the Stone Age. In the cave is a church which was dedicated to St Anthony of the Desert, who lived on the territory of present-day Egypt from 251 to 356 AD. And so the church, the cave and the channel are named after St. Anthony. The cave was used by hermits over centuries. The most prominent among them was Jeronim Detrico, an aristocrat from Zadar, who was buried in the cave in 1615.