Cathedral of Jesus' Heart, Catholic cathedral in Stari Grad, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Cathedral of Jesus' Heart is a Neo-Gothic building with Romanesque Revival elements, 41.9 metres long and 21.3 metres wide, with two bell towers 43.2 metres high. Above the portal are an octagonal rosette and a statue of the Sacred Heart. The main altar, designed by Josip Vancaš, is made of Grisignano marble resting on four columns of red Tyrolean marble.
Construction began in 1884 and drew inspiration from medieval French churches, particularly from architecture north of the Alps. The building was completed shortly after and reflects late 19th-century architectural trends.
The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Vrhbosna and the parish church of the parish of the same name. The side altars were donated: Emperor Franz Joseph I gave the altar of the Immaculate Conception in the western aisle, and the people of Bohemia gave the altar of Saints Cyril and Methodius in the eastern aisle. The building is also the burial place of archbishops Josip Stadler, Ivan Šarić and Marko Jozinović.
The building can be visited daily and has clear access points and paths for exploring the interior. Services are held on a regular schedule, so visitors should check opening times before planning a visit.
The organ was built by the Heferer company of Zagreb, with mechanical traction, two manuals, a pedal and 22 sound registers. Look also for the grave of Josip Stadler, the first Archbishop of Vrhbosna, carved by the sculptor Marin Studin.
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