Paleozoic
(543 to 245 million years ago)

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The oldest rocks that build the core of Medvednica are green schists , clay schists , dark limestone and marble light limestone . The periods of Paleozoic connected to the history of Medvednica are: Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian .

Based on the rocks and fossils we can conclude that this area during Paleozoic was a part of vast sea that enclosed most of Europe .

During Silurian (438-408 million years ago) the area of Medvednica was deep sea and until now the oldest fossils of Medvednica were found in the sediments, Graptolite (colonies of small polyps) that floated or were attached to the bottom. Graptolite, 400 million years old were found near village Vidovec in clay schists.

Graptolite

Later on during Devonian (408-360 million years ago) limestone settled, and findings of pelagic fossils are indicators of the existence of deep sea environment.

Small fossils conodonts were found near Vidovec that resemble teeth of fish from Devonian - Carboniferous (350-300 million years ago). A well preserved Chrinoid, sea lily from Devonian – Carboniferous period was found here, as well.


ConodontsChrinoid

Carboniferous (360-286 million years ago)

In rocks on the way from Šestine to Kraljičin zdenac dark limestone were found which witness existence of deep sea, somewhere with emerged reefs, with probable presence of close by land. Carbonate sediments are metamorphosed into marble and marble limestone. Marble limestones occur southeast of the central zone, and connected to them are quarries Markuševac and Vukov Dol.

In limestones in the surrounding of Markuševac Hydrozoa and Bryozoans of Carboniferous period were found.

Permian (286-245 million years ago)

Permian rocks are only presumed on Medvednica, and they might origin from lagoons where gypsum deposited, and rock salt (Slani stream?). At that point metamorphosis of the whole complex occurred, Permian as well as older rocks up to green schists facies.

Green schist

Present are occurrences of lead and zinc ores ( galena and sphalerit ) which used to be excavated in “French mines” and “Zrinski” mine. The corridors in Zrinski mine are built of dolomite rocks from Paleozoic. Green schists were used as construction material (construction of Tomislavov dom, Sljeme chapel).

Dolomite in Zrinski mine