Church of Christ the Saviour, Pristina
Church of Christ the Saviour | |
---|---|
General information | |
Address | Agim Ramadani, Vreshtat |
Town or city | Pristina |
Country | Kosovo[a] |
Coordinates | 42°39′31″N 21°09′49″E / 42.6585°N 21.1636°E |
Groundbreaking | 1995 |
Owner | Serbian Orthodox Church[1] |
The Cathedral church of Christ the Saviour (Serbian: Саборни храм Христа Спаса у Приштини/Saborni hram Hrista Spasa u Prištini; Albanian: Kisha serbe në oborrin e UP-së / Kisha e Millosheviqit) in Pristina, Kosovo[a] is an unfinished Serbian Orthodox Christian church whose construction began in 1995.[2] Due to have been completed in 1999, its construction, on the campus of the pre-war University of Pristina, was interrupted by the Kosovo War.[2]
History
Built in the vicinity of the University of Pristina and the National Library of Kosovo in 1992, at a time when Albanian students and professors were expelled from the university buildings and there was an extensive campaign of serbization going on in Kosovo.[3] Its construction was not welcomed by the predominantly Muslim population of Kosovo,[4] and its future remains uncertain.[4] Ownership of the building and the land on which it is located is disputed between the current University of Pristina and the Serbian Orthodox Church.[4]
Seen as a symbol of the rule of Slobodan Milošević,[5] various Kosovo Albanian intellectuals have called for its demolition.[6] In response for calls for its demolition, the church has been heavily desecrated and vandalised. Throughout 2016 the church was set on fire[7] and turned into a public toilet and dumpsite.[8] In 2016 the University of Pristina failed in a four year bid to take ownership of the land on which the church was built on through judicial proceedings.[9] The Kosovo Appeals Court granted land ownership rights of the church grounds to the Serbian Orthodox Church, however the University of Pristina continues to block attempts to refurbish the church.[10]
Notes and references
Notes:
References:
- ^ "Kosovo Court Upholds Serbian Church's Right to Land". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
- ^ a b "Christ the Saviour Cathedral - Sightseeing in Pristina". Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Vinca, Agim (22 September 2016). "Kisha djallëzore në Universitetin e Prishtinës dhe debati rreth saj". Retrieved 15 April 2018.
- ^ a b c Demolli, Donjeta (2012-10-31). "Kosovo Mulls Fate of Milosevic-era Cathedral". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- ^ Godwin, Martin (23 September 2012). "Bad religion: A Place Beyond Belief reaches Kosovo - in pictures". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ "Albanian Intellectual: Demolish 'bad religion' Serbian Orthodox Temple". eBritić. 21 October 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ "Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Pristina set on fire". Orthodox Church Info. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
- ^ "Pristina: Orthodox chapel turned into public restroom". Serbian Orthodox Church. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
- ^ "Kosovo Court Upholds Serbian Church's Right to Land". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
- ^ "Kosovo Court Upholds Serbian Church's Right to Land". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 2018-09-27.