St. Jacob's Cathedral in Sibenik, , a unique monument of sacral architecture, was added to the world heritage list in 2000. The cathedral was built on the south side of the old town square. The idea to build a cathedral originated in 1298, when Sibenik was declared a bishopdom and gained the rights and status of a city.

The building of the cathedral began in 1431 and lasted, with some breaks, until 1536. Juraj Matejev Dalmatinac (Georfius Mathei Dalmaticus), studied at the Art Academy in Venice, and was invited to build the temple. He was a master of the late Gothic period and changed the original concept of the church, instigating the build of the enclaves, the tomb monument, the absis (a round, many-angular bulge) which is decorated with 72 stone-chiselled portraits of the then-inhabitants of Sibenik, and the consitorium. The cathedral was made all the more beautiful by being built solely out of stone, and no other material. The stone which was used for the build was collected from the islands of Korcula, Susak, Brac, Rab and Krk. After the death of Juraj Dalmatinac, Nikola Firentinac continued the build (he finished building the enclaves, the cupola and its arches) in the style of the Renaissance. After the death of Firentinac in 1505, the building of the cathedral was finished by Bartholomew and Giacocm de Mestre.

The baptistery was built by Juraj Dalmatinac and is situated on the ground floor of the southern absis. It is fully covered with stone decorations, while the roof is decorated with an image of God and the angels.