Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sarajevo

"Sarajevo Cathedral" redirects here. For the Orthodox cathedral, seeSerbian Orthodox Cathedral in Sarajevo.

Sacred Heart Cathedral
Katedrala Presvetog Srca Isusova
Location	Sarajevo
Country	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Denomination	Roman Catholicism
History
Status	Cathedral
Dedication	Sacred Heart
Consecrated	14 September 1889
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Josip Vancaš
Architectural type	Cathedral
Style	Gothic
Groundbreaking	25 August 1884
Completed	9 November 1887
Specifications
Length	41.90 m (137.5 ft)
Width	21.30 m (69.9 ft)
Number ofspires	2
Spire height	43.20 m (141.7 ft)
Bells	6
Administration
Archdiocese	Archdiocese of Vrhbosna
Clergy
Archbishop	Tomo Vukšić
Bishop(s)	Msgr.Pero Sudar
Provost	The Very Rev.Pero Pranjić
Rector	Msgr.Ante Meštrović
Vicar(s)	Msgr.Bosiljko Rajić

TheSacred Heart Cathedral(Serbo-Croatian:Katedrala Srca Isusova/Катедрала Срца Исусова) is a Catholic church inSarajevo;commonly referred as theSarajevo Cathedral(Sarajevska katedrala/Сарајевска катедрала), it is the largestcathedralinBosnia and Herzegovina.It is the seat of theArchbishop of Vrhbosna,currentlyTomo Vukšić,and center of Catholic worship in the city. The cathedral is located in the city'sOld Town district.

History

Sacred Heart Cathedral was built in honor of theSacred Heart of Jesus,an importantCatholicconcept. The building is in theNeo-Gothicstyle, withRomanesque Revivalelements. The building was awarded to the Viennese contractor Baron Karl Schwarz with supervising architectJosip Vancaš.He modeled it after the Notre-Dame in Dijon (France). Work began on 25 August 1884, and was completed on 9 November 1887. TheBishop of Dubrovnikwas present for the consecration on 14 September 1889.

Peace demonstration in front of the cathedral in September 1991 prior to the outbreak of theBosnian War.

The building was damaged during theSiege of Sarajevo,but not completely destroyed, and the damage has since been repaired. The building is often considered as a symbol of the city: The design above the door to the cathedral is part of the flag and seal ofSarajevo Cantonand the Romanesque towers are featured on the flag andcoat of arms of Sarajevo.

Exterior

The cathedral is 41.9 meters long and 21.3 meter wide. It was constructed inNeo-Gothicstyle; The two bell towers are 43.2 m high. Above the portal is an octagonalrosetteand a statue of the Sacred Heart.

Interior

• Themain altarwas designed byJosip Vancašand made from Grisignano marble. It rests on four small columns of red Tyrolean marble. The seven niches behind the altar depict in the central position: Sacred Heart of Jesus; on the left side:St. JosephandSt. Francis of Assisi;on the right side:St. Michaeland the prophetElijah;on the extremities: statue of an angel.
• Side altars:in the western aisle is an altar dedicated to theImmaculate Conception(a donation of EmperorFranz Joseph I). In the eastern aisle, an altar dedicated to the apostles of the Slavs,St. CyrilandSt. Methodius(a donation of the people ofBohemia).
• Pulpit:the pulpit is mounted on a richly decorated pedestal. The enclosure shows in the central part Jesus as teacher, flanked on each side by two Evangelists.
• Frescoes:in 1886 the frescoes were commissioned toAlexander Maximilian Seitz(1811–1888). Due to his deteriorating health he could only finish the designs in 1887. The execution was undertaken by his assistantAlberto Rohden.
  • on the wall of the western bell tower: theCoronation of Mary.The lower part of the fresco shows a father, mother and child in national dress, surrounded by St. Francis of Assisi andSt. Dominic.
  • on the wall of the eastern bell tower: theResurrection of Jesus.
  • in the vault: a depiction of theSermon on the Mountand a depiction ofMosesreceiving theTen Commandments,both byAnte Martinović(replica on canvas of the fresco by A.M. Seitz).
  • in the indentations above the vaults: oil paintings inchiaroscuroof the Doctors of the Church, done on canvas in Rome byLodovico Seitz(1844-1908), son of Alexander Seitz.
• Organ:manufactured by the Heferer Company of Zagreb. It has mechanical tractions, two manuals, pedal and 22 sound registers.
• Grave of archbishop Stadler,the first archbishop ofVrhbosnaby the sculptorMarin Studin.
• The five stained-glass windows in the apse were designed by Josip Vancaš and executed by the Tiroler Glasmalerei of Innsbruck.
• The stained-glass windows in the side aisles were executed by the Vienna workshop of the Tiroler Glasmalerei.

Burials

• Ivan Šarić
• Josip Stadler
• Marko Jozinović

Gallery

• 
  Interior
• 
  Rose window
• 
  Stained glass
• 
  Pulpit
• 
  Nave and apse
• 
  Side altar of the Saints Cyril and Methodius
• 
  View of Cathedral
• 
  Cathedral in winter 2018.

See also

• History of Sarajevo
• Catholic Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina

References

• Msgr. Ante Meštrović: A short guide to the cathedral in Sarajevo (2011), booklet on sale in the cathedral.

External links

• Katolička Tiskovna Agencija(in Croatian)