Dating

1745 – 1747

Names and historical functions

Orthodox bishop's residence. In 1865, at the hierarchical separation between Romanians and Serbians, the complex remained in the Serbian community’s possession. Today, the Serbian Vicariate is established here.

Architectural style

The building was done in the Austrian Baroque style. In the first half of the nineteenth century, the main axis was marked at the roof level by a Baroque fronton. Around the 1900s, the fronton no longer existed, possibly because of damage done to the building following the 1849 siege.

Following the owner’s order, architect László Székely rebuilds the building’s façade in the so-called “neo-Serbian” style, building permit August 16, 1905, use permit October 7, 1906. Determinant for the building’s plastic expression is the fronton that sets out at the roof level the axis of symmetry, using some more traditional details of Serbian and Russian religious architecture.

Other information

It has a rich collection of bibliophily (Matica Srpska Library) and art (18th to 19th century Orthodox religious art collection).

Legends

It is said that the bishop had a wooden residence, near the former Seidi Ahmend mosque, and near the “Turkish wall”. The residence would have burned in the 1738 fire and together with it the bishop’s treasury was also consumed in flames. Because of this, he presumably sued the authorities of that time. Legend does not tell who won the trial.