how big is all that, really?

Serbia 1350, during the reign of the Nemanji dynasty, the period of founding Serbian Ortodox Church. The territory of Serbia was part of the Ottoman Empire in the period from the XIV untill XIX century.

Revolutionary Serbia refers to the national and social revolution of the Serbian people that took place between 1804 and 1835, during which this territory evolved from an Ottoman province into a constitutional monarchy and a modern nation-state.

The Principality of Serbia had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de facto securing its independence. The Kingdom of Serbia was created in 1882. In 1918, Serbia joined the State of Slovenians, Croats and Serbs to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later known as Yugoslavia)

In 1897 Serbian mathematician of world reputation Mihajlo Petrovi Alas constructed the analog computer, based on the principle of hydraulic analogy, the so-called hydrointegrator. The hydrointegrator was based on the principle of hydraulic analogy, and it could solve two classes of dierential equations. In addition, it was a kind of predecessor of the plotters, because calculation data was written automatically with a pen on the paper rolled around the cylinder. At the World Exhibition in Paris 1900 the device was exposed and aroused great interest. Mihajlo Petrovi Alas was crowned with a gold medal, and later an honorary degree from London Mathematical Society. Mihajlo Petrovi Alas, analog computer - hydrointegrator, Exposition Universelle Internationale, Paris 1900

Serbian National Pavillion, Exposition Universelle Internationale, Paris 1900

During the Exposition Universelle Internationale held in Paris in 1900 Serbia got a prominent location directly on the Seine river and presented itself with a church-like pavilion in full Serbo-Byzantine style. It was a collection of national myths, a display of pre-ottoman occupation, idealizing the image of the past. In that time Serbia was a monarchy and Istanbul had nally recognized this monarchy, after the Ottomans had occupied the territory for almost 500 years. In 1882 Serbia was raised to kingdom and was accepted by all the important powers of Europe. For Serbia, the pavilion was a symbol of national presentation on the international stage, where the changing of paradigm was represented in the architecture of the pavilion.

Saint Sava, born Rastko Nemanji (1174 - 1234), was a Serbian Prince and Orthodox monk, educator and founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church. On April 27, 1595, the wooden con, with Saint Savas relics, was burnt on a pyre on the Vraar hill in Belgrade. The burning was executed by the Ottoman authorities to suppress the Serbian rebels after the Banat Uprising in 1595. During the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century Serbia has positioned itself on the new European map slowly establishing its borders after 5 centuries under Ottoman Empire.

In 1895, three hundred years after the burning of Saint Savas remains, the Society for the Construction of the Cathedral of Saint Sava on Vraar was founded in Belgrade. Its goal was to build a cathedral on the place of the burning. A small church was built at the future site of the Cathedral and was later moved so the construction of the Cathedral could begin. In 1905, a public contest was launched to design the church; all ve applications received were rejected as not being good enough. Soon, the breakout of the First Balkan War in 1912, and subsequent Second Balkan War and First World War stopped all activities on the construction of the church. After the war, in 1919, the Society was re-established. New appeals for designs were made in 1926; this time, it received 22 submissions. Though the rst and third prize were not awarded, the second-place project, made by architect Aleksandar Deroko, was chosen for the building of the Cathedral.

Savinaka church, 1895 drawing

Savinaka church with added narthex, 1908 photo

Savinaka church with longitudal naves, 1928

In the rst half of the 1935th , when building of monumental temple began, was decided that the original church should be replaced by the current, the third Savinaka church. One reason was to allow access to a large cathedral on the north side, but also intention was that the original small and several times extended church is to be replaced with new representative building.

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At the beginning of 17th century this ground was already marked and fenced. The fence was broken down during the conicts in 1716. Soon the rst small church was built. It survived the re-conquest of Belgrade in 1739 and remained until 1757 when Turks destroyed it.

A few years later the second church was built on the ashes of old church, this time of durable materials.

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During 1908 the church was extended by adding the narthex on the west side.

In 1928 two side naves were added. The original church with its upgraded parts was there until 1935. It was destroyed and the material was used to build the present church.

Second Savinaka church was destroyed in 1935 in order to release the space for the entrance of Saint Sava Cathedral, but also to replace the old church with new, representative building. The same year construction of the third Savinaka church, one that still exists in Vraar, began and ended. Material from the previous church was used to build the present one. Forty years after the initial idea, construction of the Cathedral began on May 10, 1935, 340 years after the burning of Saint Savas remains. The cornerstone was laid by bishop, future Serbian Patriarch. The work lasted until Second World War Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941. The churchs foundation had been completed, and the walls erected to the height of 7 and 11 meters.

On 10th of May 1939 large procession walked from St. Michaels Cathedral to the place where the Cathedral of Saint Sava is going to be built. The occasion was the consecration of the ground/ foundations.
Footage from the movie Peoples Vow , 2002, production Information Service of Serbian Orthodox Church.

The ceremony was attended by over 50 000 people and 800 priests.
Footage from the movie Peoples Vow , 2002, production Information Service of Serbian Orthodox Church.

Footage from the movie Peoples Vow , 2002, production Information Service of Serbian Orthodox Church.

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After the 1941 bombing of Belgrade, work ceased altogether. The Society for Building of the Cathedral ceased to exist and has not been revived. In the Yugoslavian state, atheism represented part of the ocial state policy in the reign of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia since 1945 till 1990. Youth were not directed to act as God commands, which was the case before the war. New faith was Communism and young people were taking the oaths in rst days of primary school - to develop the brotherhood and unity and ideas that comrade Tito fought for. State atheism in communist Yugoslavia had the same ideological foundations as well as in most other communist countries, but also some local peculiarities. Public denial and suppression of religion and is justied by the fact that religious dierences highlight the dierences between the Yugoslav nations and nationalities, and thus encourage nationalism and chauvinism, and undermine the brotherhood and unity.

The phases of the construction were followed with the great solemn liturgies, once for the sanctication of the land on which the temple will be built, and the second time when completed foundations were sanctied, both times visited by 100 000 people.

During the WWII the occupying German army used the unnished church as a parking lot.

With relinquishment of the communism, brotherhood and unity, religion again reappears as an umbrella for the the whole nation.

In 1944 the partisans and the Red Army used it with the same purpose. Later, it was used for storage by various companies.

The Memorandum of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (often referred to as the SANU Memorandum) was a draft document produced by a 14-member committee composed by members of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts from 1985 to 1986.The memo immediately captured the publics attention in Yugoslavia as it gave voice to controversial views on the state of the nation and argued for a fundamental reorganization of the state. The main theme was decentralization leading to the disintegration of Yugoslavia and that the Serbs were discriminated against by Yugoslavias constitutional structure. It was ocially denounced in 1986 by the government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the government of the Socialist Republic of Serbia for inciting nationalism. Some consider it a key moment in the breakup of Yugoslavia and a contributor to the Yugoslav wars. It should be recalled that year 1985 was still embodiment of the communist period. Maintenance of liturgy and laying the Charter in the cathedral foundations on 12th May that year symbolized the beginning of the fall of communism. In the euphoric atmosphere gathered more than 100,000 people in this way showed that they wanted to return to normal life, actually to the spiritual life and church. Although it is not specially marked in the history, that date may be considered as a turning point for our nation - says Professor Vojislav Milovanovic who was appointed in March 2000 for protoneimara of the cathedral.

During the communism there was an idea to instead of nishing the cathedral as such, to use existing walls and to build a circus. Svetosavski plateau was already used as a place for circus Adria to set up the tent when they were in Belgrade. Someone from the state leadership also had idea to build a palace to accommodate circus performances. Next idea was to raise the gallery of frescoes with the condition that the roof remains at and not to construct any domes to the building exterior so it would not look like a church. Dragomir Acovi, the architect of the temple, Sunday Telegraph, August 2007

In 1958, Patriarch German renewed the idea of building the church. After 88 requests for continuation of the buildingand as many refusals, permission for nishing the building was granted in 1984. 12th May 1985. Patriarch, 20 bishops and numerous clergy have served a solemn liturgy, which is inside the walls of the church attended by

people, while in the courtyard there are about 80,000 people. Construction was started in 12th again August
1985th The walls were raised to full height of 40 m.

about 12,000

The greatest achievement of the construction process was lifting of the 4,000 ton central dome, which was built on the ground, together with the copper plate and the gold plated cross, and later lifted onto the walls. The lifting, which took 40 days, was nished on June 26, 1989.
Still frame from the movie Peoples Vow , 2002, production Information Service of Serbian Orthodox Church.

In the meantime, have begun work on developing the main dome, composed of three parts: a ring that makes the gallery in the form of a circular tunnel about one hundred meters long and cross section of 4 x 4 meters drum with 24 windows in a circle and a spherical part of the dome. The main dome was formed in the womb of the temple, ending with the production of insulation, wood framing, whipping with 28 tons of copper and tin-plated ceremonial placing of the cross - Save the Holy Cross - 12 meters high. Thus was formed the dome weighs more than 4000t. With great attention to its izekivalo raise the walls 40m high! Never any temple is constructed in this way: the dome of the temple is built on the ground, and then rises and sets in place. And never before had a higher burden is lifted o the ground! Start raising the main dome is scheduled for 26 maj 1989th year, at noon. So on this day in Vracar gathered many curious people who came to see the miracle, that women previously unseen construction project. Among them there were more than 2,000 scientists and other experts in building the country and around the world, which are specically for the monitoring of the enterprise came to Belgrade! With the help of 16 hydraulic cranes, specially constructed for this work in a factory in Trstenik PPT, the dome is separated from the ground and moved slowly in height! Average two feet per day, for two hours of work, the dome after twenty days rose and took the required space. The temple is formed. Belgrade has got a new face. Erected at the highest elevation of the city center, at an altitude of about 134 meters, which is 64 meters above the river Sava, Saint Sava Temple ascended over Belgrade. Visible from all entrances to the city and dominates its skyline.

The Serbian government decreed that all postage in Serbia must include the cost of an additional stamp designed for the construction of the Memorial Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade. Funds from the sale of additional stamps go towards the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church to nance construction work and work on the interior of the temple, or for making mosaics.

The mosque that was burnt during the demonstrations in Belgrade has never been refurbished

The interior of the church is still unnished, but has a high spec design.

After Putins recent visit to Belgrade, the Russian Federation informed the Ministry of Foreign Aairs of Serbia that they will nance a mosaic valued at 40 million euros.

With every standard utility bill that people receive comes a blank pay slip to make a voluntary contribution to the Serbian Orhodox Church.

Foundational value of the presence

It is, simply, always and inexorably, here. It inhabits the purview of his quiet and almost unobtrusive, yet persistent and steadfast presence, and again and again meets every glance (eye wink), from wherever it reaches, and for miles around, so that processes and structures of street activities, and forming the layers of everyday life in a wide circle around the Vracar Plato, in aspects that are taking place in the street, it means the presence of natural and pre-counted. In other words, the horizon has become unthinkable without it. Reactions of passers-by on the individual level is very dierent: some have acquired a tendency of performing acts of religious ritual in all its pointing, always prepared in advance for the sacred act, some do so selectively, while some of them feel nothing but an undened anxiety, of fear, and even panic, due to some kind of spiritual vulnerability, which can not be the end to explain rationally. Pointing it can mean anything - from spiritual epiphanies and defend the tide of meaninglessness of life to a very profane of this world spiritual act of colonization of the world life of a very aggressive individual weapons of the Christian confessions. In this work from Ivana Zupanc myth, epiphany and irony are inextricably linked. Featuring images of the symbols of faith appear trivial in terms of everyday life, he sets out a range of issues, from traditional theology, like Are you capable of the everyday self transcendence?, To realpolitics, such as whether the imposition of symbols that proclaim the views of one of the many religious groups in the public sphere, and its dominance in public space, democratic, and in accordance with the current political process and normalization pursuit? fully formal composition and a clear deviation from the direct narrative, Zupanc answers only suggest, not impose them as normative, not conditional or primary contexts of their reading public. Such an approach is the result of the age in which the individual stories and individual identity is no longer tied to the fate of an individual belonging to the historical totality, but are derived from a multitude of fragmented experiences and attitudes that do not claim universal validity, remaining in the space of meaning, half way between the sublime and the trivial, between the transcendent essence of the screening and automatic repetition of mere convention, but quite senseless ritual of honoring the profession of faith. This work survives in that hardship, which is impossible to reach choice for the real thing, and thus to a clear conscience, he created the hardship illegibility transcendent character, which is permanently legitimized as the only existing banal fact of presence.

Editor SKC gallery and art theoretician Stevan Vukovic

photo: Ivan Zupanc

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Savinaka church Walls of the Temple National Library Monument commemorating Karaore Monument commemorating Saint Sava

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Savinaka church Temple of Saint Sava paved circular area where the Christmas fire is lit churchyard National Library Monument commemorating Karaore Monument commemorating Saint Sava Parish home Spaced planned for Patriarchate building

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Savinaka church Temple of Saint Sava paved circular area where the Christmas fire is lit churchyard new square National Library Monument commemorating Karaore Monument commemorating Saint Sava Parish home Patriarchate building

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Rumija is a mountain in South Montenegro. The highest point of Rumija Mountain is Rumija, which is 1,594 m (5,230 ft) high. The Rumija Mountain is a site of great religious signicance. The Cross of Jovan Vladimir is carried every year on the Feast of Pentecost from the village of Velji Mikulii to the summit of Rumija. Traditionally, in addition to Orthodox Christians of Bar area, Catholics and Muslims also take part in the procession and ascent to Rumija summit. In 2005, Serbian Orthodox Church mounted a metal church building to the summit, by means of Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro helicopter. This was a highly controversial issue, as building of the church was not approved by Montenegrin authorities. The use of the Air Force helicopter was perceived by some as a provocation in the wake of Montenegrin independence referendum. As of 2011, the church is still standing.

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ocal political jurisdiction of Serbia after sfrj

jurisdiction of serbian orthodox church

serbia is ocialy secular country president Boris Tadic, at the regular meeting devoted to building the temple

m high, while the main gold plated cross is 12 m high, which gives

The dome is 70

a total of 82 m height
The peak is 134 m above the sea level therefore the church holds a dominant position in Belgrades cityscape and is visible from all approaches to the city

m long from east to west, and 81 m from north to south. It is 70 m tall, with the main gold-plated cross extending for 12 m more. Its domes have
18 more gold-plated crosses of various sizes, while the bell towers have 49

The church is 91

bells of the Austrian Bell Foundry Grassmayr.

It has a surface area of 3,500 m2

on the ground oor, with three galleries of 1,500 m2 on the rst level, and a 120 m2 gallery on the second level. The Cathedral can receive

10,000 faithful at one time. The choir gallery seats 800 singers. The basement contains a crypt, the treasury of Saint Sava, and the grave church of Saint Lazar the Hieromartyr, with a total surface of
1,800 m2 .

marble and granite and, when nished, the inner decorations will be of mosaics. The central dome
will contain a mosaic of Christ Pantocrator. To give a sense of the monumental scale, the eyes will each be about 4 meters wide.

The facade is in white

spatial manifestation of national identity crisis

The church on Rumija is demolition of multiethnic Montenegro