Description of the attraction
The old Orthodox church and museum are located a few hundred meters from the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To distinguish the temples, this church of the archangels Michael and Gabriel in the city is called the old Orthodox church.
Located in Bascarsija, the old part of the city, the church itself is the oldest cultural and historical monument in Sarajevo. The exact date of its construction is unknown, but clearly before the start of the Ottoman conquest. When the Turks settled in Sarajevo, they made an inventory of everything captured in the city. This inventory from 1463 contains the first mention of the old Orthodox Church. And the foundation on which it was built dates back to the 5th-6th centuries.
The appearance of the church confirms its antiquity. The temple is not high, only two floors, but longitudinal, without a semicircular ledge for the altar. This is how Serbian temples were usually built in the period of early Christianity - in the XII-XII centuries.
During the existence of Sarajevo, fires have repeatedly occurred in the city, which have not bypassed the old church. At least six times in different centuries, it was restored, strictly adhering to its original appearance. Since the last restoration, in 1730, the stonework has darkened and the church looks rather gloomy. But inside, she is very original and unusually interesting.
The carved stone iconostasis is decorated with a collection of unique antique icons. The church contains ancient relics: St. Mokrina, St. Jacob, St. Martyr Thekla, particles of the relics of St. Panteleimon the Healer and St. Tryphon.
In the courtyard of the church there is a museum of icons and relics, also old, opened in 1889. It only occupies four rooms, because many of the exhibits disappeared during the Balkan War. Valuable rarities are the icon "Deesis" of 1490, as well as the handwritten Gospels. Many valuable things were donated to the museum from the collections of old Serbian families.
