The construction, according to the original plan, two long, broad wings are still lacking, however, in 1756., the church is blessed in it's current form by the bishop of Makarska, Stjepan Blaskovic.

Situated on the right, upon entering the church, is the alter containing the remains of St. Clement, martyr and patron saint of the diocese of Makarska. In the year of 1725, during the office of Bishop Nikola Bijankovic, the remains of St. Clement were brought from the Roman catacombs to family Kacic and thereafter were transferred to the church of St. Mark. this is accounted for by a silver plaque on the alter.

On the left side of the entrance is situated the alter of Our Lady, above which rests a second small silver plated alter of Our Lady of the Rosary. The latter alter depicts the Virgin and Child painted on wood in the style of the Byzantine school. According to accounts from the inhabitants of Makarska, this alter was produced in the year of 1815, during the plague. The second alter on the left side of the entrance is the alter of the Sacred Cross. This alter portrays the Cavalry using human sized statues.

During the earthquake of 1962, the church suffered damages, the renovation of which brought substation changes of the church's interior.

The main alter was relocated back to the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament. This alter is regarded by many as the most beautiful of the church's alters and is a work of Venetian masters. Two marble statues are situated on the alter, one of St. Mark, patron saint of the parish and the second of St. Jeronim, who is co-patron. Located at the front of alter we can see a marble relief based upon the masterpiece of Leonardo da Vinci, the Last Supper. The two large wooden statues of angels on the outer sides of the alter ha previously belonged to a Venetian church, a fact attested to by an inscription. There are other inscription to be found in the church which chronicle the history of the church's construction.

Between main alter and Bishop's Seat, is stated the grave of Bishop Nikola Bijankovic who initiated the construction of St. Mark's church. He died on the 10th of August 1730 and was considered a saint during his life, he is remembered as referring to himself as "dust, ashes and nothing".

Also buried within the church are other past Bishops of Makarska, but their inscriptions are covered by today's floor. Moreover the church is home to the remains for distinguished families of Makarska and religious brotherhoods. However at one point, when the floor was being restored, the tombstones and inscriptions were moved to the town's present graveyard.

Modern additions, build after the earthquake of 1962, include the choir balcony and, in 1970, the current church organ, built by J. Jenko using the parts of the old Nakic organ.

ARTICLES FORM THE TREASURY (by Sanja Bozek)

By the end of the 17th century, the Diocese of Makarska had endured Turkish rule poverty and wars, however, with the arrival of Nikola Bijankovic as bishop, Makarska would been witness to a sudden social and cultural rebirth. Specifically, this is time when the realization of Makarska's future as the center of the diocese with a cathedral, residency and bishop, was fathered.

At the end of the 17th century, during the period of the new cathedral's construction, the diocese possessed nothing which would normally be associated with a church possessing the status of bishopric. Thus, a church inventory was established to collect object for the use of the church and religious ceremonies, marking this period as a time of religious and constructive renovation. The history of the Catholic Church's development in the region and the traditions practiced are told in various liturgical items collected for the church treasury (chalices, costodia, ciboria, monstrancia, tabernacles, crosses, canonical plates, pastoral staffs and incense bumers), along with the documented trading connections and cultural exchanges which took place during the period.

Also at this time, in the dawn of the early 18th century, was the establishment of the first religious brotherhoods in Makarska, Dobra Smrt (Easy Death), Gospa od Ruzarija (Our Lady of the Rosary) and Bezgresno zacece (Holy Conception). These brotherhoods played an essential part in the history of the Makarska Diocese, not only in social events and cultural life, but the active collection of pieces for the blossoming church treasury. The number of items collected by the brotherhoods grew yearly during the period of renewed bishopric, which lasted from the end of the 17th century to the beginning of the 18th century. A historic archive and the books of the brotherhoods record acquisitions of numerous art works (paintings, antiquated books, textiles and garments for the mass), as well ad ninety items of artistic craftsmanship meant for sacramental use.

With only a glance at the archive, was discovered a catalog of items annotated with the date they were acquired. Although not all the items described in the catalog can be identified, the archive does show the number of items hat at one time been larger, but has shrank over the year as some items were lost. Another factor leading to the decreased number of items, was the acquisition of more extravagant pieces during the Baroque period, especially from Venice. With the procurement of the Baroque works, less lavish pieces from earlier periods made of gold were melted down to refashion new works or art, thereby diminishing the overall number of pieces in the treasury.

The entirety of the Makarska Cathedral's treasury belongs to the period from the late 17th century to the beginnings of the 20th century. All most all of the works were imported form foreign artisan's workshops, with only a small portion carrying the trademarks of domestic Dalmatian artists. The craftsmanship and styles of all the pieces bare the distinct characteristics of the Baroque period, such a specific metal casting, hammering, engraving techniques used of the stylistic rendering of flowers, leaves, vines, volutes, medals, lockets, cartridges and other decoration details, which create a distinctively rich composition. While many of the liturgical items retain some of the conventional styles from the former period, the newer works are adapted to the culture and tasters of their time.

To determine the various pieces origins and the dates of completion, it was important to study the marks which with the items were stamped. During the period these works were created, it was common for a control mark of "Zecca" to bi stamped on the works of artisan, a state seal (the Lion of St. Mark's), the marks of specific workshop and even, on some, the mark of artisan himself. However, only a small number of works bare the stamp of the artist, of which only a few have identified with an artist. The majority of items are characteristically Italian from the baroque period. However white stamps appearing on items from the 18th and 19th century remain Italian, controlling marks are decidedly different, because in 1810 the Venetian-Lombardian regions converted to new control marks, a planet, a squid, an acrostic and a nave. Through both, early and later marks is was clearly confirmed the majority of the Church of Makarska treasury inventory was tied to Venetian production.

It is during the 19th century, when a larger number of items have been imported not just from the great artisan centers of Italy (Venice an Milan), but also from the workshops of Vienna and Augsburg. This period also represents other dramatic changes in the treasury's collection, such as the introduction of industrial production and examples of new metal working techniques with casts and dies. Liturgical items continued to be decorated with motifs from earlier periods, but in sturdier forms with more detailed technical work. Characteristic of this period's work are the larger artistic desires, in which the prevailing neoclassical currents of the day can be recognized. The work of domestic artists can be identified in this period by the smaller, more meticulous works and the high quality of the materials at their disposal. The work of these domestic artisans are an example of the excellent workmanship found in the Dalmatian workshops and their acceptance of contemporary stylistic movements.

Tabernacles are the most numerous items in the treasury. Within them, saintly relics were carefully kept and displayed in impressive frames. The most famed tabernacle found in the Church of St. Mark, belongs to St. Clement, patron saint of Makarska, whose relics were brought from Rome in the year 1725. The baroque frame of this tabernacle came from the workshops of Milan and Vienna and clearly sets itself apart from the rest.

Crosses (pictorials, processionals and pacifics) are the works of both foreign (Venetian and Viennese) and domestic artists. Among which, the Panagier cross has a special place as it is an item made for the use of Eastern churches, separated from the Western church's religious and cultural sphere of influence. It is possible that this item was imported to the Makarska region at the end of 17th or beginning of the 18th century, during the political power shift. The silver alter cross which bares the mark of a Viennese workshop from the 19th century, possesses a rare and interesting depiction of Golgota, the composition of the theme is unique among the treasury crosses. Perhaps the most valuable of the treasury pieces is certainly the golden cross baring the pictorial of Bishop Nikola Bijankovic with the picture of crucifixion. Candleholders are mainly from the 19th century, except for those whose unique style and control marks tie them to 18th century Viennese craftsmen.

With the classification of the pieces in the Church of St. Mark's treasury completed, so is the first step in the validation of the historical heritage of these works, as well as tracing the historic development of the Catholic church in Makarska, although the historical range of the pieces only incorporates the Baroque and not older periods.