Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God

The Cathedral Church of the Holy Mother of God is the largest Orthodox church in Sarajevo and one of the largest in the Balkans. It stands in the heart of the city, on the right bank of the Miljacka, its five domes dominating the skyline for over a century. Dedicated to the Nativity of the Mother of God, its foundation stone was laid in 1863 and it was completed eleven years later, in 1874. Built of stone from the voluntary donations of Sarajevo citizens and regional merchants, it was raised under a permit from Sultan Abdul Aziz.

It is the work of builder Andrija Damjanović of Veles, who raised churches across the Balkans. In plan a three-nave basilica with an inscribed cross, it is 37 metres long, its central dome rising to 34 metres. Inside, a lavish iconostasis holds icons from Russia, amid rich ornamental decoration. It remains a spiritual and architectural landmark of the first order.