Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Belgrade
The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, also known as the Topčider Church, is a Serbian Orthodox Church situated in Topčider Park in the Savski Venac municipality of Belgrade. Built between 1832 and 1834, the church was an endowment from Prince Miloš Obrenović, who also founded it. It stands adjacent to the Residence of Prince Miloš and was declared a cultural monument protected by the state in 1949.
Construction of the church began on July 28, 1832, led by Janja Mihajlović, Nikola Đorđević, and Hadži Nikola Živković. Due to poor payment and delays, the construction was extended until the summer of 1834. Prince Miloš's frugality influenced the material selection, resulting in parts of the bell tower and konak being constructed from old headstones, one of which features a carving of horse pliers.
Prince Miloš donated three bells to the church, but during the Austro-Hungarian occupation in World War I, two were removed and melted for arms production in Vienna. The smallest bell survived and remains today.
The church's iconostasis is particularly notable. The original, created between 1834 and 1837 by various painters, was moved to a parish church in Barič in 1874. The current iconostasis, crafted by renowned artist Stevan Todorović and his collaborator Nikola Marković, features unique elements. Todorović replaced traditional motifs with unconventional choices, such as painting young Tobias with angels on the south altar doors instead of Saint Archdeacon Stephen. The iconostasis also includes Saint Stefan Dečanski and Saint Sava, the latter depicted differently from the well-known representation at Mileševa Monastery. Unusually, none of the saints are painted with halos. The carvings were done by sculptor Dimitrije Petrović.
Construction of the church began on July 28, 1832, led by Janja Mihajlović, Nikola Đorđević, and Hadži Nikola Živković. Due to poor payment and delays, the construction was extended until the summer of 1834. Prince Miloš's frugality influenced the material selection, resulting in parts of the bell tower and konak being constructed from old headstones, one of which features a carving of horse pliers.
Prince Miloš donated three bells to the church, but during the Austro-Hungarian occupation in World War I, two were removed and melted for arms production in Vienna. The smallest bell survived and remains today.
The church's iconostasis is particularly notable. The original, created between 1834 and 1837 by various painters, was moved to a parish church in Barič in 1874. The current iconostasis, crafted by renowned artist Stevan Todorović and his collaborator Nikola Marković, features unique elements. Todorović replaced traditional motifs with unconventional choices, such as painting young Tobias with angels on the south altar doors instead of Saint Archdeacon Stephen. The iconostasis also includes Saint Stefan Dečanski and Saint Sava, the latter depicted differently from the well-known representation at Mileševa Monastery. Unusually, none of the saints are painted with halos. The carvings were done by sculptor Dimitrije Petrović.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Belgrade. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul on Map
Sight Name: Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
Sight Location: Belgrade, Serbia (See walking tours in Belgrade)
Sight Type: Religious
Sight Location: Belgrade, Serbia (See walking tours in Belgrade)
Sight Type: Religious
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