Temple of Saint Sava

The Temple of Saint Sava stands at Krušedolska 2a on the Vračar plateau in Belgrade, Serbia, and is among the largest Orthodox church buildings in the world. It commemorates Saint Sava, the first archbishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church, whose relics were, according to tradition, burned by the Ottoman authorities in 1595 on or near this hill. The idea of a memorial church dates from the late 19th century, and the foundation stone was laid in 1935 following a design by Bogdan Nestorović and Aleksandar Deroko. Construction stopped in 1941 with the German invasion of Yugoslavia, and the communist authorities did not allow it to continue. Work resumed in 1985 after the Serbian Orthodox Church obtained permission, and the building was finally consecrated in stages. The design follows the Serbo-Byzantine tradition and is modelled on the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, with a central dome about 70 metres high and a gilded cross at its top, and a cruciform plan. The exterior is faced in white marble and granite. Inside, the main space can hold thousands of worshippers, and mosaics covering the dome, walls and vaults have been completed over many years, some on gold backgrounds, in a project that is continuing. A crypt below the church is dedicated to Saint Lazar and contains richly decorated chapels. The gallery levels and the crypt are open for guided access and tickets are required for some areas. The surrounding plaza includes a monument to Karađorđe, the leader of the First Serbian Uprising. The church is an active place of worship, with services, and visitors are asked to dress modestly and to keep quiet. A visit usually takes about an hour, longer with the crypt.