St. Jacob's Chapel
As you head down from the Grafičar mountain hut towards Zagreb, you’ll soon come across the peaceful clearing of Veliki Plazur. At 864 metres above sea level, tucked gently into the hillside, stands the charming neo-Gothic Chapel of St. Jacob – just the place to take a break and enjoy a moment of quiet reflection.
Long ago, a wooden chapel once stood here, built by local miners who came to pray to St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners, asking for protection before venturing into the dangerous underground tunnels. Miners from the nearby Zrinski mine would stop here regularly, gathering courage for their descent into the mine’s depths. After a fire destroyed the original chapel, a new stone one was built on the same spot in 1847, this time dedicated to St. Jacob. Some say it even carries the spirit of the old chapel of saints Philip and Jacob in Medvedgrad, which had been torn down – linking its history to a deeper past.
The chapel took on its present-day look in 1935 and is now a protected cultural site. Its interior is simple yet quietly beautiful, decorated with details inspired by early Croatian art.
This little chapel is more than just a stop along a hiking trail. It’s a hidden sanctuary, a place that invites you to pause, breathe deeply and let the stillness of the mountain wash over you.
