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1. Carske dveri 2. Crkvena riznica 3. Ikone i srebrni putiri
1. Imperial doorway 2. Church treasury 3. Icons and silver chalices
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S ummer in Belgrade is not com- plete if you don’t spend at least one Sunday drinking post-Liturgy cof- fee and socialising in the port of the Temple of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul on Topčider. That would certainly al- so be recommended by its founder, Prince Miloš Obrenović; how else can we explain the great space and amphitheatre around the church as anything other than encour- agement to come together, socialise and pray to God. As a founder and benefactor, Prince Mi- loš erected over 30 churches and residences in Serbia. Nevertheless, among all of his en- dowments he seemed to love this Topčider Church the most. According to folk legend, the prince raised this temple as a sign of his
own salvation and gratitude to God, because it was there that he escaped the wrath of Karađorđe, due to the Turkish army’s fail- ure at the Emperor’s Bridge (Careva Ćuprija) in Topčider. According to another version, Prince Miloš was to be executed for oppos- ing Karađorđe at the place where the church now stands. Legend has it that this was the first time Karađorđe’s musket failed to fire. Upon gaining power, the prince fulfilled his vow and promise to build this church be- side his summer residence, in close prox- imity to the residence of the Metropolitan Bishop of Serbia. And confirmation that this strict and practical ruler desired to look at God is provided by the view from the win- dow of Miloš’s courthouse in Topčider Park. There where the prince rested, smoked his
pipe and drank coffee the window provides a beautiful view of the church and its dome. The church was built in 1834 and is im- portant for the spiritual life of Belgrade, as it spent a short time as the city’s only church. It was only 15 years later that the Saborna Cathedral Church and the Residence of Prin- cess Ljubica were built and sanctified, also under the patronage of Prince Miloš. The temple of the apostles Peter and Paul was a church of the royal court until 1863. The church elder, priest Vladimir Marković, re- minds us that Prince Miloš was particularly attached to this neighbourhood. - Topčider was strategically important, because it was beyond the range of Turkish cannons. During the battles of the popular uprising for the liberation of Belgrade, Prince
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