Ružica Church and Saint Petka Chapel

Ružica Church, formally the Church of Our Lady, and the nearby Saint Petka Chapel stand in the Upper Town of Belgrade Fortress at Kalemegdan, in the Stari Grad area of Belgrade, Serbia. The church was created in 1869, when the Ottoman garrison left the fortress, by converting an Ottoman gunpowder store built in the 18th century by the Austrians. It was badly damaged in the First World War and rebuilt in the years after it by the architect Petar Popović in a Neo-Romanesque style, and was reopened in 1925 as a military church. The interior is the main reason to visit. Its chandeliers are made from rifle parts, bullets, sabres, bayonets, cartridge cases and other weapons of the Serbian army used in the First World War, and the candelabra and decoration are also made of military material. Painted images show saints and soldiers, and the iconostasis was made in the 20th century. The church also holds a modest memorial to the soldiers of the Serbian army. A short distance away stands the Saint Petka Chapel, also called Petka Chapel, a small 1937 building with a holy spring, which was built on the site of an older chapel with a spring revered by pilgrims. The chapel is dedicated to Saint Petka, a saint of healing. Both are active places of worship. They lie close to the Roman Well, the Clock Tower and the Victor monument, and a visit takes about 20 minutes. Visitors dress modestly and keep quiet. Entry is free, with the church generally open from about 9:00 to 17:00 daily. The structures are in good condition after restoration, and weddings and baptisms are held there regularly.