Basic info
The Church of St. Archangels Michael and Gabrielis situated in the church port of the Ortodox Cathedral Temple. Until the sanctification of the Cathedral in 1878, this church was a Cathedral Temple of Nis eparchy.
Location
Prijezdina br. 7
More info
The Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel church was built during the Ottoman rule in 1819. Because of good relations between the then Metropolitan Makarije III and the Ottoman city commander Hurshid-Pasha, the construction of the Orthodox church was allowed in 1815.
As the Ottoman law then required, the church had to be partially buried in the ground so that it wouldn’t overtop any mosque in the city. It is located in the churchyard of the present-day Cathedral and until the new Cathedral was consecrated in 1878 it was the cathedral church in the eparchy of Niš.
A simple exterior of the church is complemented by a lavish iconostasis with seventy two icons which are some of the most beautiful works of art in this region from the beginning of the 19th century. An icon of Jesus and Marry the Mother of God deserves special attention; it was painted before the completion of the church, in 1815.