A Century of Struggle: How Belgrade Built One of the World's Largest Orthodox Churches
In short: The Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade is a monumental feat of engineering, yet its construction spanned nearly a century. From political bans and wartime use as a parking lot to the daring mid-air assembly of its massive dome, this landmark stands as a testament to endurance and national identity.
The Church of Saint Sava is dedicated to the first Serbian archbishop, whose relics were burned by the Ottomans in 1594 on the Vračar plateau. Following a 300th-anniversary initiative in 1894, the project faced decades of delays, including the Balkan Wars, World War I, and the Axis invasion of 1941. During the mid-20th century, the unfinished structure was repurposed by the occupying German army and later the Red Army as a parking lot, before being used as a storage site and playground under Communist rule.
Construction finally resumed in 1985 after architect Branko Pešić revised the original design by Aleksandar Deroko and Bogdan Nestorović. Using advanced techniques, engineers reduced the structure's weight by 30 to 40% and utilized precast reinforced concrete. A defining moment occurred in 1989 when the 4,000-ton central dome was lifted into place over 20 days using hydraulic machines. The exterior was completed in 2004, and the interior, featuring 15,000 square meters of gold-toned mosaics, was finished in 2020.
Today, the church is the fourth-largest Eastern Orthodox building globally. Its dome, with an inner diameter of 30.5 meters, is the largest of any Eastern Orthodox church. The project cost approximately 100 million euros, funded by the Serbian government, Russian donations, and private contributions. Beyond its religious function, the site is a protected heritage location, commemorating both the 1594 burning of relics and the 1806 siege of Belgrade.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Church of Saint Sava
- Also: Wikidata — Church of Saint Sava · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Church of Saint Sava in Čerević · CC0
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