BELGRADE CATHEDRAL

Known by different names, Belgrade Cathedral or Saborna has been a bishopric cathedral since its construction. The cathedral, which was consecrated to the Virgin Mary, was built under the leadership of Patriarch Arsenije III Čarnoyević by Serbs, Dalmatians and Greeks who fled from Belgrade and the surrounding region. One of the most striking features of the church is that unlike other churches in town, its walls were originally built from brick and stone, rather than wood.

Construction work began in 1762 and the cathedral was consecrated in 1764. The steeple, whose construction coincided with a period of economic boom, became a lasting symbol of the spirituality and arts in Szentendre and was completed after the 1895 fire.

The completed cathedral was surrounded with fencing. The ornamented wrought-iron gates were made by local locksmith Márton Ginesser in 1771-1772. The interior is very interesting in terms of history of art. The icons of the richly ornamented grand iconostasis, which occupies the entire opening of the triumphal arch, were painted by Vasa Ostojić.

The well-tended garden around the cathedral also accommodates the Bishop’s Palace and the Serbian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Art Collection.

The Cathedral is open nearly all year round except in winter. An admission fee is charged for visits.