Church of Saint Sava
Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade is the largest Orthodox temple currently in use.
The church is dedicated to Saint Sava, founder of Serbian church and Serbian state. It is built on the Vracar plateau, on the location where his remains are considered to be burned in 1595 by Sinan Pasha.
It is located at the Saint Sava's Plateau from where it dominates the Belgrade's cityscape. It is probably the most monumental building in Belgrade.
Building of the temple is financed exclusively by donations.
Architecture
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The temple is located in the eastern part of the plateau, where its parish home is also built; new patriarchy building is also in plan.
It finishes Belgrade's line Kalemegdan - Trg republike - Terazije - Beogradjanka - Slavija - Temple of Saint Sava. 134 meters of absolute height, which is 64 meters above Sava river, give it a dominant position in Belgrade's cityscape and make it visible from all approaches to the city.
The temple is 91 meters long from east to west, and 81 from north to south. It is 70 meters tall, with the main gold-plated cross extending for 12 more meters. Its domes have 18 more gold-plated crosses of various sizes. The bell towers have 49 bells.
It has surface of 3,500 square meters on the groundfloor, with three galleries of 1,500 sq. meters on the first level, and a 120 sq. meters gallery on the second level. The temple can receive 10,000 faithful. The choir gallery receives 800 chorists. In the basement, a crypt, the treasury of Saint Sava, and the grave church of Saint Hieromartyr Lazar are built, with total surface of 1.800 sq. meters.
The facade is done in white marble and granite. The inner decoration is to be done as mosaic. Central dome is planned to have a mosaic of Christ Pantokrator.
Building
Building of the temple was progressing very slowly.
Three hundred years after the burning of Sava's remains, in 1895, the Society for Building of the Temple of Saint Sava on Vracar is found in Belgrade. Its goal: to build a temple on the place of the burning. A small church was built at the future place of the temple; later, it was moved for the construction of the temple to begin. In 1905, it started a public concurs for the temple; all five applications which were received were rejected as not being good enough.
Soon, the breakout of the First Balkans War in 1912, and subsequent Second Balkans War and First World War stopped all activity around the temple. After the war, in 1919, the Society was established again. New concurs was made in 1926; this time, it received 22 projects. Though the first and third prize were not awarded, second-prized project, made by architect Aleksandar Derok, was chosen for the building of the temple.
Forty years after the initial idea, building of the temple started in May 10 1935, 340 after the burning of Sava's remains. The cornerstone was laid by Patriarch Serbian Gavrilo.
The project was made by Aleksandar Deroko and Bogdan Nestorovic, aided by civil engineer Vojislav Zadjina.
The building lasted until Second World War Axis occupation of Yugoslavia in 1941. Temple's fundament was made, and the walls erected to the height of 7 and 11 meters. After the 1941 bombing of Belgrade, all work has stopped.
German army used unfinished temple as car park; after the 1944, partizans and the Red Army used it with the same purpose. Later, it was used as storage by warious companies. The Society for Building of the Temple ceased to exist and isn't renewed since.
In 1958, Patriarch Serbian German renewed the idea of building the temple. After 88 requests for continuation of the building—and as much refusals, in 1984 permission for the building was granted. Architect Branko pesic was chosen as new arhitect of the temple. He remade the original projects to make better use of new materials and building techniques.
The building continued at August 12 1985. The walls were erected to full height of 40 metres.
The largest attainment of the building was lifting of the 4,000tons heavy central dome, which was built on the ground, together with the copper plate and the cross, and later risen onto the walls. 40 days lifting was finished on June 26 1989.
As of 2004, the temple is mostly finished. The bells and windows are installed, the facade completed. Works on the inner decoration still need to be done.
External links
- Official site (in Serbian)
- Donation info (in Serbian)