This is a neo-gothic cathedral built at the end of the 19th century, after the previous sacral object on the site was severely damaged in a devastating earthquake. The conspiracy theorists keep claiming that the Pyramids of Ancient Egypt must have been built by the Extraterrestrials, given how the modern construction technology cannot replicate those structures in a timely fashion. By that reasoning the same could be said about the Cathedral of Zagreb, which took 16 years to build, but over three decades to renovate, with no end in sight. For the longest time the scaffolding just kept alternating between the two spires and one assumed that they'd already given up on an actual completion.

Then another earthquake struck Zagreb in the spring of 2020 - sadly, with loss of life. The devastation was city wide, but the Cathedral was one of the buildings that had been hit the most visibly. The tip of the southern spire broke off and 50 tons of first-class limestone from Brač smashed through the adjacent Archbishop's Quarters. The Archbishop survived unscathed, but his disappearance from the public eye for two whole weeks, when his flock needed him the most, meant that he knew someone was sending him a message. There was also much damage to the interior of the Cathedral. Needless to say, the work went straight back to square one. The existing scaffolding had to be replaced by a new one, which turned out to be such a refreshment to the long-established visage, that a local petition entered the circulation, demanding that the scaffolding stays on for good. Since the entire edifice is now wrapped in it all at once, it really looks like it's of an alien origin.

Aliens or not, the idea to put a lavish neo-gothic building in a city that has no tradition of gothic architecture whatsoever was definitely a bit outlandish. But, by God, we needed to erase the feel of a province by any means available, didn't we? Anyways, if you're coming as a tourist, it's not to be missed. The interior used to look just as spectacular as the exterior before the quake. Right now, no one is allowed in to see it, and we can only speculate whether the ongoing restoration will do it justice.

If you intended to, perhaps, use it as a place of worship - I wouldn't recommend it, not even after it reopens. For sincere people there are more intimate places around town to reconnect to the Divine Power. The Cathedral is reserved for the sort of worshippers that need to be seen by others doing it. You know who they are. No doubt, we will one day see them gather inside again, coming in prime time, surrounded by television crews, receiving their absolutions from the guy in gold and silk, who is deep down just like them. Let them do that, I don't mind. My only wish is that the Divine Power gets the timing right for the next earthquake it sends our way.