Srpska pravoslavna crkva, Serbian Orthodox church in Subotica, Serbia

Srpska pravoslavna crkva is a single-nave Serbian Orthodox church with a semicircular apse, a transept to the east, and a narthex with a bell tower to the west. Its west front has a shallow central risalit, a Baroque tower, and a two-leaf wooden portal framed by stone columns and a rounded pediment. Pilasters with volute and acanthus capitals rise to the cornice.

The church was built between 1723 and 1726 by merchant Nikola Dzelebdzija and underwent several transformations in later periods. A major renovation cycle occurred in the early 1900s that shaped its current appearance.

The iconostasis dates from 1910, carved by Johannes Lukeš under the supervision of Paja Jovanović, with gilded carving by the Ratai and Benedek workshop of Pest. It was funded by a 10,000-crown donation from Marijeta Manojlović, recorded in the socle beneath the icon of Jesus Christ. The older 1766 iconostasis was given to the church of Saint Demetrius in Aleksandrovo.

The church stands in the centre of Subotica, and its west front with the baroque tower and the two stone columns of the portal is the easiest side to recognise from the street. Major restoration ran from 2010 to 2018, when the dome and roof covering were replaced, the walls cleaned of soot and new stained glass installed, so some parts may still look freshly renewed. Look for the eight windows with figures of saints, the stained glass made by the Innsbruck firm Tiroler Glassmalerei.

The old iconostasis painted in 1766 was given in 1909 to the smaller Church of Saint Demetrius in Aleksandrovo and replaced by the present one, made in 1910 by Johannes Lukeš under the supervision of Paja Jovanović. The wealthy Subotica citizen Marijeta Manojlović contributed 10,000 crowns, recorded in the socle beneath the icon of Jesus Christ.