During the 16th century, Sibenik was one of Europe's best protected cities with no less than five fortresses protecting it. St. John's Fortress is the city's highest fortress, perched atop a hill some 115 meters above the city center. It takes about 10 minutes of huffing and puffing uphill to reach from the old town.
The fortress dates to 1646, when it was constructed to protect Sibenik from Turkish attacks. City residents were so terrified of these invasions that they assisted in the building of the fortress, which was completed in a record six weeks.
