Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Sarajevo

Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos
Саборна Црква Рођења Пресвете Богородице Saborna Crkva Rođenja Presvete Bogorodice
Serb Orthodox Cathedral
Religion
Affiliation	Serbian Orthodox Church
Year consecrated	20 July 1872
Location
Location	Trg Oslobođenja - Alija Izetbegović / Zelenih Beretki, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Architecture
Architect(s)	Andrey Damyanov
Style	Baroque
Completed	1874
Designated as NHL
KONS of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Official name	Orthodox Cathedral church (church of the Holy Mother of God) with movable heritage, the historic building
Type	Category I monument
Criteria	II. Value A, B, C i.ii.iii.iv.v.vi, D i.ii.iii.iv.v., E i.ii.iii.iv.v., F i.ii., G i.ii.iii.iv.v.vi, I i.ii.iii.iv.
Designated	5 July 2006 (session No. )
Part of	Old Town of Sarajevo
Reference no.	2842
Decision no.	06.2-2122/06-5
Listed	List of National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Operator	-
Website
http://www.mitropolijadabrobosanska.org/

The Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos (Serbian: Саборна Црква Рођења Пресвете Богородице, romanized: Saborna Crkva Rođenja Presvete Bogorodice) is the largest Serbian Orthodox church in Sarajevo and one of the largest in the Balkans. The cathedral is designated National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the KONS.

The cathedral is dedicated to the nativity of the Theotokos. It was erected at the request of the Orthodox parish of Sarajevo, with construction taking place between 1863 and 1868. The church is constructed as a three-section basilica inscribed in a cross-shaped plan, and has five domes. The domes are built on the beams; the central one is much larger than the other four side domes. The church is arched by round elements. The small gilded baroque-style belfry is built in front of the entrance. The interior walls are decorated by painted ornaments. In the lower zones of the walls the painted ornaments are simulating the marble stone construction look. Arches and vaults are decorated in ornaments only. In 1898, the Orthodox Metropolitan Palace was built near the cathedral.

The head master for construction was Andreja Damjanov, a man from the Damjanovi-Renzovski family of master builders, masons, painters, carpenters, and stonecutters from the village of Papradište, near Veles.