Marija Gorica
About this place
Marija Gorica is a small municipal centre set among the hills between Zaprešić and the River Sutla, nine kilometres northwest of Zaprešić. The municipality’s western edge descends towards the river and the Slovenian border, while vineyards and green slopes shape the surrounding Marijagorica uplands. The village centre is marked by the Baroque Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an 18th-century landmark containing both Gothic and Baroque furnishings. Local identity is also tied to literature and palaeontology: Croatian realist writer Ante Kovačić was born in nearby Oplaznik in 1854 and attended the village school, while the stylised prehistoric elephant on the municipal coat of arms recalls Deinotherium giganteum fossils discovered in the area. At Sveti Križ, a Gothic chapel recorded as early as 1334 preserves another layer of the district’s history. The hill of Lipa, meanwhile, opens views across the Sutla valley towards the Slovenian hills. Marija Gorica therefore suits a compact outing built around sacred heritage, Kovačić’s home landscape and the distinctive relief of Croatia’s western border country.
The village anchors a ten-settlement municipality extending from the Sutla lowlands to the local summits of Kipišče, Sveti Križ and Lipa. Its present name is associated with the Franciscans and devotion to the Virgin Mary, while the parish of Marija Gorica was established in 1789 after separating from Brdovec. Croatian realist Ante Kovačić turned the area’s ravines, meadows and cultivated slopes into the setting of his story “Zagorski čudak”. An even older local emblem appears on the municipal coat of arms: a prehistoric elephant inspired by fossils studied in the late 19th century by palaeontologist Dragutin Gorjanović-Kramberger.
Things to see
Crkva Presvetog Trojstva
Landmark · Kraljevec na Sutli
The Church of the Holy Trinity, built in 1836, is a single-nave parish church beside the main road through Kraljevec na Sutli.
8 km from Marija Gorica
Novi Dvori of Cesargrad
Landmark · Ledine Klanječke
ruins of a 17th-century noble estate near Klanjec, Croatia
12 km from Marija Gorica
St. Anastasia Church (Samobor)
Landmark · Samobor
St. Anastasia’s Parish Church is the Baroque heart of Samobor’s parish, built on the site of an earlier medieval church.
13 km from Marija Gorica
Stays nearby
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Things to do
Begin at the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose present Baroque appearance dates from a major rebuilding completed in 1758. Continue to the former village school, founded in 1854 and attended by writer Ante Kovačić, before tracing his connection with nearby Oplaznik. The next stop is Sveti Križ, where a Gothic chapel documented in 1334 stands above the surrounding slopes. Finish on Lipa hill with a view towards the Sutla valley. Cyclists can fold Marija Gorica into Zagreb County’s 29.3-kilometre mapped route, which links chapels and viewpoints across the hilly countryside west of Zaprešić.
Tours and activities
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Viator
Nearest destination: Zagreb (23 km)
Communism & Croatian Homeland War Tour (opens in a new tab)
Explore the turbulent 20th century in Croatia in a entertaining way combining historical facts and personal experiences. You will find out more about Croatia’s relations with neighbouring countries…
Rated 5 out of 5 · 1,561 reviews· 2 h
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Zagreb Highlights: Old Town, WWII tunnels, Funicular & Tastings (opens in a new tab)
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Rated 5 out of 5 · 1,227 reviews· 2 h
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Zagreb Food Tour: Local Dishes & City Stories (opens in a new tab)
Join a small-group food tour of Zagreb, and spend 3 hours tasting authentic local dishes at some of the city's best food spots. From savoury street food to traditional pastries and local liquor…
Rated 5 out of 5 · 296 reviews· 3 h
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from €79
Plitvice Lakes Guided Day Tour from Zagreb (opens in a new tab)
Explore the beautiful Plitvice Lakes National Park on this day tour from Zagreb. Located at the top of Croatia’s Adriatic region, in the Dinaric Alps, this UNESCO-listed site is one of the must-see…
Rated 4.9 out of 5 · 526 reviews· 11 h
Free cancellation
from €65
Plitvice Lakes with Ticket & Rastoke Guided Tour from Zagreb (opens in a new tab)
Escape the city and immerse yourself in Croatia’s most stunning natural wonder—Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This full-day guided tour from Zagreb includes entry…
Rated 4.9 out of 5 · 1,045 reviews· 10 h
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from €75
Walking tour of Zagreb (opens in a new tab)
Get your walking shoes on and take a stroll with us as we show you the highlights of our wonderful city. We have the local insights and handy tips to leave you wanting to explore some more. We will…
Rated 4.9 out of 5 · 513 reviews· 2–3 h
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from €20
Practical information
Getting there and around
Meštrović prijevoz bus 403 links Zaprešić ZELENGAJ with Marija Gorica and Žlebec, with selected circular services continuing through Kraj Gornji to Harmica. From Zagreb, a workable public-transport option is a suburban train to Zaprešić followed by a transfer to route 403; the operator publishes separate timetables for school terms and holidays. Marija Gorica lies nine kilometres northwest of Zaprešić, making the local roads from that town the most direct approach by car. Cyclists arriving from the Zaprešić side must climb into the Marijagorica hills, whereas the approach towards Harmica follows the flatter landscape near the Sutla.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there a prehistoric elephant on Marija Gorica’s coat of arms?
The emblem recalls Deinotherium giganteum fossils discovered in the Marijagorica uplands.
Which school did Ante Kovačić attend?
He attended the village elementary school in Marija Gorica, founded in 1854.
Is there a bus from Zaprešić?
Route 403 connects Zaprešić ZELENGAJ with Marija Gorica and Žlebec according to the operator’s published timetable.
Nearby
Marija Gorica
Open in OpenStreetMap(opens in a new tab)Smaller places
straight-line distance
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Photo credits: Marija Gorica, Crkva Sv. Križa, Crkva Presvetog Trojstva, Novi Dvori of Cesargrad — Janezdrilc (CC0) · Celine Goričke, Kraj Donji, Kraj Gornji, Žlebec Pušćanski, Bijela Gorica, Oplaznik, Žlebec Gorički, Trstenik — Suradnik13 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · St. Anastasia Church (Samobor) — Robert Majetic (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Book Me Apartman — Natalija Kirša (courtesy of the property owner) · Osijek — Rp031 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Vukovar — Bybbisch94, Christian Gebhardt (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Stubičke Toplice — MOs810 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Slavonski Brod — Petar Milošević (CC BY-SA 4.0)