Secret 1944 tunnel beneath fortress to become new attraction in Šibenik

(Photo: SchiDD/CC BY-SA 4.0)

A once-classified wartime structure in Šibenik is set to become one of the city’s most intriguing cultural attractions.

Work has begun on restoring and adapting a 70-metre-long tunnel beneath St. John’s Fortress, a military shelter from the Second World War that will soon open its doors to visitors.

The tunnel was excavated by the German army in 1944 as protection from air raids. Eight decades later, it will serve as a “window into the past”, blending history with immersive interpretation.

The €292,000 project, funded through the European Union’s GIFTSnet programme, aims to enrich Šibenik’s growing heritage and tourism offer.

According to Josip Pavić, Head of the Department for Heritage Research and Interpretation, the project will avoid the conventional exhibition format.

“The experience will be sensory,” he told HRT . “Interpretation will come through sound and visual effects rather than traditional storytelling.

(Photo: Tvrđava Kulture)

Archaeological work has revealed a uniquely irregular tunnel that stretches from the base of the fortress to its star-shaped upper section, ending in a polygonal bunker.

Excavated entirely by hand during the war, the tunnel still bears the marks of those efforts.

Contractor representative Ivan Ležaja emphasised that maintaining the original appearance of the space is a priority, while archaeologist Andrija Nakić noted that numerous artefacts from the 20th century were uncovered during exploration, remnants of various armies that once occupied the site.

(Photo: Tvrđava Kulture)

Perched 120 metres above the city, St. John’s Fortress has long been one of Šibenik’s most significant land fortifications, originally built for defence but today repurposed as a hub of culture, education, and tourism.

Conservation specialist Dr Marko Sinobad highlights the project’s academic importance, describing it as a rare example of “conflict archaeology” – the study of Second World War remains, a field still underdeveloped in Croatia.