St. Michael's Cathedral, Belgrade

The Cathedral Church of St. Michael the Archangel (Serbian: Саборна Црква Св. Архангела Михаила, Saborna Crkva Sv. Arhangela Mihaila) is a Serbian Orthodox Christian church in the centre of Belgrade, Serbia, situated in the old part of the city, at intersection of Kralja Petra and Kneza Sime Markovica Streets. There was an older church, dedicated to St. Arch. It is one of the most important places of worship in the country. It is commonly known as just Saborna crkva (The Cathedral) among the city residents. The Cathedral has been proclaimed as the 1st category cultural property in 1979.The Cathedral Church in Belgrade with its architecture, art work and rich treasury is an impressive cultural monument. It is an invaluable historical monument of the Serbian sector of Belgrade from in first half of the 19th Century, which formed in area around the Cathedral Church, thus becoming its religious, administrative and cultural centre. During the times when new social and political structures were slowly emerging, the Cathedral Church became a central support in the independence fight from Turkish centralism to the final freedom from Ottoman rule.HistoryOlder churchThere was an older church, dedicated to St. Archangel Michael, at the site of today’s church. Protestant priest and a writer on travel Stjepan Gerlach gives us precious records of its looks in descriptions of travels of Emperor’s delegates to Istanbul, 1573-1578. Although spacious with all necessary liturgical accessories and furniture it was not large enough to receive all the Christian citizens of town of Belgrade.