HimLocal
Sign in
HimLocal
A grey stone church with a steep green roof and a wooden porch on a bright green lawn under a blue sky
1 / 2
Photo: Deepank Ranka · CC BY-SA 4.0
temple7 min from Gulmarg13 min walk from the road

St Mary's Church, Gulmarg — the 1902 church in the valley of shepherds

St Mary's Church in Gulmarg: built in 1902 in grey brick with a green roof and a wooden interior, closed for years and reopened in 2003, with how to find it.

What it is

St Mary's Church stands in the meadow of Gulmarg, in what Wikipedia calls the valley of shepherds. Dating from 1902, it has outer walls of grey brick, a green roof and a decorated wooden interior. In 1920 it was the setting for the wedding of the brother of the British cartoonist Bruce Bairnsfather.

Photos: Harvinder Chandigarh (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

History

The church was closed for years and was renovated and reopened in 2003, with its first Christmas service in 14 years. It dates from the period when British civil servants used Gulmarg as a summer retreat.

Visiting

It lies a short walk from the middle of the resort, across the meadow. We have no verified opening hours or rules, so ask locally; it is a place of worship, so dress modestly and keep your voice low.

Combine it with

The one-day plan takes in the church after the gondola. Read things to do in Gulmarg and when to visit Gulmarg.

Plans that include this

All 2 plans that stop here →
Visitors walking across the snowy Kongdoori bowl beneath a ridge on a bright winter day
One day in Gulmarg — the gondola, the church and the Maharani Temple
Day plan · First visit · nature
A one-day Gulmarg plan: the gondola up Apharwat in the morning, then St Mary's Church, the Maharani Temple and the golf meadow, with times. Free to copy.
Best Jan–Mar · May–Jun · Sep
See the plan →
A wide green alpine meadow with a forested ridge and a clear blue sky above in Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary
A half-day on Gulmarg's meadow — the sanctuary, the golf meadow and two landmarks
Day plan · families · nature
A relaxed half-day in Gulmarg without the gondola: the meadow in the wildlife sanctuary, the golf course, St Mary's Church and the Maharani Temple.
Best Apr–Jun · Sep
See the plan →

Nearby places

All of Gulmarg →
Maharani Temple, Gulmarg — the Shiva temple of 1915 on the meadow's rise
Maharani Temple, Gulmarg — the Shiva temple of 1915 on the meadow's rise
temple · 730 m away
The Gulmarg Gondola — the two-stage cable car up Apharwat
The Gulmarg Gondola — the two-stage cable car up Apharwat
viewpoint · 1.5 km away
Apharwat Peak — the mountain above Gulmarg and its ski slopes
Apharwat Peak — the mountain above Gulmarg and its ski slopes
peak · 6.1 km away
Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary — the forest and meadows around the resort
Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary — the forest and meadows around the resort
area · 6.8 km away
Kheer Bhawani Temple — the spring shrine at Tulmulla near Srinagar
Kheer Bhawani Temple — the spring shrine at Tulmulla near Srinagar
temple · 36 km away
Khanqah-e-Moula — the wooden shrine of Shah-e-Hamadan on the Jhelum
Khanqah-e-Moula — the wooden shrine of Shah-e-Hamadan on the Jhelum
temple · 39 km away
Jama Masjid Srinagar — the great wooden Friday mosque of the old city
Jama Masjid Srinagar — the great wooden Friday mosque of the old city
temple · 39 km away
Hari Parbat Fort — the hill fort above Srinagar's old city
Hari Parbat Fort — the hill fort above Srinagar's old city
fort · 40 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
Two shikara boats on calm Dal Lake with snow-covered mountains rising behind the far shore
Srinagar
40 km away · 3 itineraries · 12 places
A green forested valley with a stream winding through meadows below snow-capped peaks and white clouds near Pahalgam
Pahalgam
86 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
A rocky mountain stream running through a green valley beneath snow-covered peaks at Sonamarg
Sonamarg
87 km away · 1 itineraries · 2 places
Dalhousie hill station across its five hills
Dalhousie
224 km away · 2 itineraries · 5 places
Been here?Help the next traveller — our team checks every contribution.

Questions people ask

What is St Mary's Church in Gulmarg?

An Anglican-style church in Gulmarg's meadow, raised in 1902 with outer walls of grey brick, a green roof and a wood-lined interior. Wikipedia says it stands in the valley of shepherds and that in 1920 it hosted the wedding of the brother of the cartoonist Bruce Bairnsfather.

Was the church ever closed?

Yes. It was closed for years and reopened in 2003 after renovation, and by Wikipedia's account held its first Christmas service in 14 years. It is a small, quiet building, and pictures of it show it both in summer green and under winter snow.

How far is it from the centre of Gulmarg?

Roughly a kilometre, a short walk across the meadow from the gondola base, by the map. We have no verified opening hours or rules for visitors; ask locally, dress modestly and keep quiet inside, since it is still used for worship.