Nis Orthodox Cathedral - the most important information
The Orthodox Cathedral in Nis is the third largest church in Serbia, right after the Temple of St. Sava and the Church of St. Mark in Belgrade. It is dedicated to the Holy Trinity and represents a kind of turning point with its architecture. Throughout history it has survived bombings and fires. It is located in the municipality of Mediana in Nis.
History of Nis Orthodox cathedral
Shortly after Turkey recognized the equality of Muslims and Christians in the Peace of Paris, the construction of the church began. The Bishop of Nis, Janicije, significantly helped and accelerated the construction of the church, both by donating a larger amount of money, and by inviting the wealthier people to participate with the donations. Proto-master and builder Andrija Damjanovic undertook the building a three-nave basilica with 5 domes, while requests for the church to look like Gracanica or Visoki Decani came from representatives of the municipality. The solemn consecration was performed in 1878 and was attended by Prince Milan Obrenovic, and additional finishing touches, such as the addition of bells, bell towers and iconostasis, were carried out sporadically until 1937.
There were 20 icons of the Serbian painters Djordje Krstic, Steva Todorovic, Milutin Markovic and Pavle Cortanovic in the church. The bombing of 1944 hit the church, that was when the galleries of the chapels dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. Apostle Nicanor were completely destroyed.
Significance of the Nis Orthodox cathedral
- .Renaissance, Western Baroque, Serbian and Romanesque- Byzantine, as well as Islamic architecture, are noticeable styles that influenced the final appearance of the church which represents a precedent in the history of Serbian architecture
- The icon "Death of Prince Lazar", whose artist is Djordje Krstic, initiated the famous "controversy about Orthodoxy" and is just one of the turning points initiated by the iconostasis made in the style of academic realism
What to see?
In October of 2001, in a fire that broke out for hours, the church was stripped bare. Valuable iconostasis and works of art were lost, after which the restoration was initiated by the Bishop of Nis, Irinej. The church was renovated and consecrated in 2006. The Museum of Church Antiquities, which was opened by the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije in April of 2021, has 264 exhibits from the Nis Metropolitanate.
How to get to the Nis Orthodox cathedral?
The public transport lines that go from Pavle Stojkovic Square can be used to get to the immediate vicinity of the church, from where it is necessary to walk a short distance. A walk from the city center is also one of the options that does not require much time.
- Bus lines: 7, 8, 9
- On foot: from Pavle Stojkovic Square to Obrenoviceva Street, through Marger Park all the way to Episkopska
- By car: from Pavle Stojkovic Square it is possible to drive through Dusanova or Jug Bogdana streets to Episkopska
- Taxi stations: Prvi Taxi 018 /4500005, Bros Taxi 018 /4155541, City Taxi 0800 / 000022
Best time to visit
It is possible to visit the church when worship is being held. They are held on weekdays at 7:30 and 17:00, Holy Liturgy on Mondays and Saturdays at 8:00 as well as those before the holidays at 17:30.
Additional information
- To enter the church it is necessary to follow a specific dress code that includes covered shoulders and no short pants, skirts or dresses; at some locations long skirts are provided to be worn during the visit