Church of St. George, Takovo

Church of St. George in Takovo
Црква Светог Ђорђа у Такову
The Church of St. George in Takovo, 2019
Religion
AffiliationSerbian Orthodox Church
ProvinceEparchy of Žiča
RiteByzantine Rite
OwnershipSerbian Orthodox Church
LeadershipInstitute for Cultural Heritage Preservation Kraljevo
PatronSaint George
Location
LocationTakovo, Moravica District
MunicipalityGornji Milanovac
CountrySerbia
Location within Serbia
Interactive map of Church of St. George in Takovo
Coordinates44°02′50″N 20°23′22″E / 44.04722°N 20.38944°E / 44.04722; 20.38944
Architecture
ArchitectsMaster craftsmen from Osat, eastern Bosnia
TypeWooden church
StyleVernacular architecture
Completed1795 (1795)
MaterialsOak, stone
TypeMonument of Culture of Exceptional Importance
Designated28 June 1983
Reference no.SK 502
Website
Official website

The Church of St. George (Serbian: Црква Светог Ђорђа, romanizedCrkva Svetog Đorđa) is a Serbian Orthodox wooden church in Takovo, Serbia; it is located in the Gornji Milanovac municipality of the Moravica District. The church is included in the list of Monuments of Culture of Exceptional Importance of the Republic of Serbia (SK 502).[1][2][3][4]

History

The church in Takovo, dedicated to Saint George, was built in 1795, shortly after the end of the Koča's Frontier revolt, on the site of another church dating back to 1726.[3]

The church owes its fame to the fact that Miloš Obrenović launched the Second Serbian Uprising against the Ottomans there. This important historical event, known as the Takovo Meeting, took place on 23 April 1815, on Palm Sunday; after receiving communion, the other insurgent leaders, in front of the church, took a solemn oath of loyalty to Miloš and the Serbs, "by the Honorable Cross and Golden Freedom" (Serbian: на крст часни и слободу златну, romanizedna krst časni i slobodu zlatnu).[3]

Architecture

The very simple Church of St. George consists of a single nave extended by a semicircular apse.[5] It has a stone base on which the oak walls rest; the steeply sloping roof is covered with oak wood shingles. The whole is the work of master craftsmen from the Osat region in eastern Bosnia; these craftsmen are also responsible for a rich decoration, with doors and beams adorned with geometric or floral motifs characteristic of the influence of Islamic art.[3]

Paintings

The iconostasis of the church was donated by Jovan Obrenović, brother of Miloš. Painted at various times, it lacks any real stylistic unity. The Annunciation and the portraits of the Four Evangelists were painted in 1808 by Jeremija Mihailović, who was part of Hadži-Ruvim's artistic circle; the Crucifixion dates from the 1830s; other icons, in rather poor condition, date from the first half of the 20th century.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Spisak nepokretnih kulturnih dobara od izuzetnog značaja". heritage.gov.rs (in Serbian). Republički zavod za zaštitu spomenika kulture Beograd. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Gornji Milanovac". zzskv.rs (in Serbian). Zavod za zaštitu spomenika kulture Kraljevo. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Takovo". spomenicikulture.mi.sanu.ac.rs (in Serbian). Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Crkva brvnara". kultura.rs (in Serbian). Navigator za pretragu srpske kulturne baštine. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Crkva brvnara u Takovu". muzejgm.org (in Serbian). Muzej rudničko-takovskog kraja. Retrieved 20 August 2025..