The 1731 fire destroyed all wooden structures near the gate, yet the oil painting of the Virgin Mary survived completely untouched.
A Baroque-style wrought iron fence was installed in front of the painting in 1929 to protect the shrine.
The interior walls are covered in hundreds of stone tablets inscribed with 'Hvala' (Thank you) from locals.
The gate served as the primary eastern entrance to the Gradec settlement during the Middle Ages.
The painting was officially proclaimed the patroness of Zagreb in 1991.
Stone Gate (Kamenita vrata) is the last remaining medieval defensive gate of Zagreb's Upper Town, originally built in the 13th century. Within the gate's vaulted passageway sits a shrine housing a 17th-century painting of the Virgin and Child. The painting is widely considered miraculous by locals because it remained completely undamaged during the Great Fire of 1731, which destroyed the surrounding wooden structure. The shrine is a functioning religious site filled with votive plaques placed by visitors thanking the Virgin Mary for answered prayers. It serves as a public thoroughfare connecting Radićeva Street to the Upper Town plateau. Iron gates currently enclose the shrine area, though the pedestrian passage remains open. The site functions as both a historical fortification remnant and a deeply significant site of Catholic pilgrimage.
From the passage center looking toward the altar, capturing the contrast between the stone arch and the ornate iron gate.
Visit during the evening when the candles are lit to experience the shrine's most quiet and spiritual atmosphere.
Observe the stone tablets on the walls to understand the local tradition of personal thanksgiving.
Do not rush through the passage; it is a place for quiet reflection rather than just a transit point.
Treating the site as a mere photo backdrop without acknowledging its function as an active, sacred shrine.
Maintain a low voice and respectful silence as this is an active place of prayer; remove hats.
