St. Mark's Church is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Zagreb, standing in the heart of the historic Upper Town. Its colourful tiled roof, decorated with the coats of arms of the historic Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia and the city of Zagreb, makes the church instantly recognisable.
The church itself was restored after suffering serious damage in the 2020 Zagreb earthquake and reopened for worship in December 2023. However, general public access to St. Mark's Square remains restricted in 2026. Visitors can reach the surrounding Upper Town streets and see the church from behind the security barriers, but should not expect to walk freely across the square or approach the Gothic south portal.
Visiting St. Mark's Church
Current access: St. Mark's Square remains restricted to the general public. The church can be seen from the surrounding streets, but close access is limited.
Tourist opening hours: The parish does not currently publish separate sightseeing hours. Do not confuse parish office hours with church opening hours.
Time needed: Allow around 15-30 minutes as part of a walk through Zagreb's Upper Town.
Mass times
The parish currently lists Mass at St. Mark's Church at 6 PM on working days, and at 11 AM and 6 PM on Sundays, feast days and solemnities.
Schedules can change for religious holidays and special services, so check the official parish notices before attending.
Can you visit St. Mark's Church in Zagreb?
You can include St. Mark's Church in an Upper Town sightseeing walk, but visiting it is currently different from visiting a conventional tourist attraction. St. Mark's Square has been subject to security restrictions since October 2020 because it is surrounded by some of Croatia's most important government buildings, including Banski Dvori and the Croatian Parliament.
As of August 2026, tourists can reach the perimeter of the square and photograph the church, but cannot freely cross the square or walk up to the southern entrance. Construction work on the Croatian Parliament building also affects the immediate surroundings.
The church is nevertheless active again following its post-earthquake restoration. Regular Masses are celebrated inside, but there are no separate official tourist opening hours published by the parish. If seeing the interior is important to you, check the St. Mark's parish website shortly before your visit.
Why St. Mark's Church is worth seeing
Even with the current access restrictions, St. Mark's Church remains one of the essential landmarks of Zagreb's Upper Town. The church combines medieval architecture, one of Croatia's most important Gothic portals, a distinctive 19th-century tiled roof and an interior decorated by several major Croatian artists.
Its setting is equally important. St. Mark's Square was the political and civic centre of medieval Gradec and remains closely associated with Croatian political life today. The Croatian Government occupies Banski Dvori on one side of the square, while the Croatian Parliament building stands nearby.
The colourful roof of St. Mark's Church
The feature most visitors immediately notice is the steep roof covered in brightly coloured glazed tiles. The design dates from the major late-19th-century restoration of the church.
On one side is the coat of arms of the historic Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia. On the other is the coat of arms of Gradec, today's Zagreb, with its fortified city and three towers. Together they have become one of the best-known visual symbols of the Croatian capital.
The Gothic south portal
The southern portal is the most important surviving medieval artistic feature of St. Mark's Church and one of the finest examples of Gothic sculpture in Croatia. It dates from the period when the medieval church was substantially enlarged around the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries.
The portal contains 15 figures arranged in 11 niches. They include Christ, the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus, St. Mark and the apostles. Most of the figures are Gothic stone sculptures, while several were replaced or supplemented by wooden Baroque figures in later centuries.
The sculptural and architectural treatment shows links with the Central European Gothic tradition and the circle of the Parler workshop in Prague.
Unfortunately, the present security restrictions on St. Mark's Square mean that visitors normally cannot approach the portal closely. It can still be seen from the permitted viewing area around the square.
Old Zagreb Private Tour
Explore Zagreb's medieval Upper Town and its most important historic sights with a private guide.
The walking tour covers Gradec and Kaptol and includes landmarks such as Ban Jelačić Square, the Stone Gate, St. Mark's Church, Lotrščak Tower and Zagreb Cathedral. A guided walk is particularly useful in the Upper Town while access routes and construction around several major sights continue to change.
The history of St. Mark's Church
St. Mark's Church developed together with medieval Gradec, the fortified settlement that eventually became Zagreb's Upper Town. Gradec received the right to hold the annual St. Mark's fair in 1256, suggesting that a church dedicated to the saint already existed here by the middle of the 13th century.
In 1261, Queen Maria, with the consent of Bishop Philip, confirmed that patronage of the church belonged to the city rather than to the bishop. A written source from 1334 refers directly to the Church of St. Mark in fortified Gradec.
The church was substantially enlarged around the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries and acquired the basic dimensions and Gothic form that remain visible today. By 1423 it had largely taken on its present shape.
Fires, earthquakes and rebuilding
St. Mark's Church has repeatedly been damaged and rebuilt during its long history. Zagreb's fires and earthquakes were particularly destructive to the roof and bell tower.
An earthquake in 1502 destroyed the earlier bell tower. A replacement was built and a clock was installed by the late 16th century. Major fires damaged the church again in 1645, 1674 and 1707, repeatedly affecting the tower, roof and bells.
The present bell tower developed through several phases of rebuilding during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Its strong masonry base and later Baroque upper elements reflect the many periods through which the church has passed.
Inside, the church also changed repeatedly during the 17th and 18th centuries. It once contained numerous Baroque altars, while the crypt beneath the church was used for burials of priests and prominent citizens.
St. Mark's Church was nearly demolished
The survival of the medieval church was not always guaranteed. In 1771, proposals appeared to demolish St. Mark's because it was considered too small, with nearby St. Catherine's Church suggested as a possible replacement parish church.
Further proposals followed in the early 19th century and again in 1848. Instead of demolition, however, the decision was eventually made to preserve and comprehensively restore the historic building.
The Schmidt-Bollé restoration
The most radical modern transformation took place between the late 1870s and early 1880s. The restoration followed designs by Viennese architect Friedrich Schmidt and was carried out in Zagreb by architect Hermann Bollé.
This phase gave St. Mark's much of its recognisable Neo-Gothic exterior. Medieval and later elements were altered, the windows and western façade were changed, and the striking glazed-tile roof was created.
The restoration remains controversial from a modern conservation perspective because substantial historical material was removed or changed. At the same time, it created the appearance that made St. Mark's Church one of Zagreb's most recognisable landmarks.
Croatian artists inside St. Mark's Church
Another important restoration began in the 1920s and continued into the years before the Second World War. This time some of Croatia's most important modern artists were involved in reshaping the interior.
Jozo Kljaković painted extensive wall compositions with scenes from the Old and New Testaments and episodes from Croatian history. Ljubo Babić contributed paintings depicting scenes from the life of Christ.
The celebrated Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović created several stone and bronze works for the church. His contribution includes religious sculpture integrated into the altars and chapels.
The organ tradition
St. Mark's Church also has an unusually long musical history. An organist at the church is mentioned in records from 1359, regarded as the earliest documented reference to a church organist in Croatia.
The instruments themselves changed repeatedly over the centuries. The parish chronology records several later organs and major alterations, while a new modern organ with 41 registers was eventually installed as part of more recent improvements to the church.
The 2020 earthquake and restoration
St. Mark's Church was seriously damaged in the Zagreb earthquake of 22 March 2020. The Gothic vaults and ribs were damaged, sections of the ceiling separated from the walls and a keystone fell from the southern portal. The bell tower and sanctuary escaped comparatively lightly.
A major structural restoration followed between 2020 and 2023. The project lasted almost three years and included structural strengthening and conservation work throughout the church.
The restored church was blessed and reopened for worship on 3 December 2023. Regular parish services have since returned, even though security restrictions on the surrounding square continue to complicate tourist access.
How to get to St. Mark's Church
St. Mark's Church is in Zagreb's pedestrian-friendly Upper Town. From the city centre, one of the most interesting approaches is to walk uphill through Radićeva Street and pass through the Stone Gate, one of the surviving entrances to medieval Gradec.
From the Stone Gate, continue through the Upper Town towards St. Mark's Square. Because security barriers and construction can alter the final approach, follow the pedestrian route and instructions in place when you arrive.
If you are planning a wider sightseeing day, see our guide to the best attractions in Zagreb.
Changing of the Guard near St. Mark's Church
The colourful Changing of the Guard by the Honour Guard of the Cravat Regiment is part of the seasonal Zagreb Time Machine programme. It should not be treated as an every-weekend event: performances take place on selected dates and can be altered or cancelled because of weather, construction or other events.
If you want to see it, check the current Zagreb Time Machine programme before planning your day.
What to see near St. Mark's Church
St. Mark's Church sits in the middle of one of Zagreb's best walking areas, so it makes sense to combine it with several nearby Upper Town sights.
- Stone Gate - one of the old entrances into medieval Gradec and home to one of Zagreb's most important religious shrines.
- Museum of Broken Relationships - one of Zagreb's best-known museums, only a short walk through the Upper Town.
- Tkalčićeva Street - a lively pedestrian street filled with cafés, bars and restaurants between the Upper Town and Ban Jelačić Square.
- Zagreb attractions - continue planning with our complete guide to the city's main sights.
Address & contact details
Address: Trg sv. Marka 5
Postcode: 10000
City: Zagreb
Telephone: +385 1 4851 611
Website: St. Mark's Parish Zagreb
Information checked: August 2026. Access arrangements, religious services and security restrictions can change, so check current parish and Zagreb visitor information before travelling specifically to enter the church.