Viewed from a distance, the terracotta-tipped belfry of St Mark’s Church marks Makarska’s central square, the heart of the town. It is sometimes referred to as Makarska’s cathedral, since right up to 1828 Makarska had its own bishop who had his seat here. Since 1828 Makarska has part of the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska. The bishop has his seat in Split, so nowadays St Mark’s has the status of a co-cathedral or collegiate church: a church with no bishop but otherwise similar in importance to a cathedral. Its interior is certainly impressive. Construction of the church started in 1700 and it was consecrated in 1756 although never completely finished. The Makarska bishops began creating a religious treasury befitting the status of the diocese, resulting in a wonderful collection of religious artworks and liturgical items created by craftsmen from Venice, Italy and Austria as well as local masters. In common with the architectural treasures of the town, much of the religious collection reflects the Baroque spirit prevalent at the time of its creation. The treasury is an important chronicle not only the development of the Catholic Church during that era but also of trade relations and cultural exchange.