The Church of St Peter and St Paul (), commonly referred to as the Osijek Co-cathedral (), is a

neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...

co-cathedral A co-cathedral is a cathedral church which shares the function of being a bishop's seat, or ''cathedra'', with another cathedral, often in another city (usually a former see, anchor city of the metropolitan area or the civil capital). Instances o ...

of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek, located in

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

. The multi-tiered 94-metre spire is one of the city's landmarks. The church was built in 1898 on the initiative of the Bishop of Đakovo

Josip Juraj Strossmayer Josip Juraj Strossmayer, also Štrosmajer (; ; 4 February 1815 – 8 April 1905) was a Croatian prelate of the Catholic Church, politician and benefactor (law), benefactor. Between 1849 and his death, he served as the Bishop of Đakovo, Bishop ...

. The church is entered via two small doors to the side of the main portal, overlooked by a trio of

gargoyle In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed Grotesque (architecture), grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from ...

s. The interior is a treasure trove of neo-Gothic ornamentation, with a succession of pinnacled altars overlooked by exuberant

stained glass window Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

s. The interior was finished off in 1938–1942 when leading Croatian painter Mirko Rački covered the walls and ceilings with brightly coloured

frescoes Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...

illustrating famous episodes from the Old and

New Testament The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...

Trivia

* This is the tallest building in Slavonia. * Capacity of the church during the mass is over 3000 people. * The church is built of three and a half million bricks, and has a colored stone altars. * The four tower bells weigh 2665 kg, 1552 kg, 740 kg. and 331 kg. * In 1991, during

Croatian War of Independence The Croatian War of Independence) and (rarely) "War in Krajina" ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Рат у Крајини, Rat u Krajini) are used. was an armed conflict fought in Croatia from 1991 to 1995 between Croats, Croat forces loyal to the Governmen ...

the church was heavily damaged. Stara župna crkva sv. Petra i Pavla u Osijeku.png, Older baroque church that was demolished in order to construct new neo-gothic co-cathedral Konkatedrala Osijek izgradnja 1.png, Construction of the co-cathedral in 1897 Konkatedrala Osijek izgradnja.png, Construction of the co-cathedral in 1898 Konkatedrala Osijek izgradnja 2.png, The top of the co-cathedral before mounting Posveta konkatedrale u Osijeku.png, Consecration of the co-cathedral on May 20, 1900 Konkatedrala sv. Petra i Pavla Osijek 1.jpg, Co-cathedral today Alen Kopunovic Legetin Uskrsni koncert na konkatedralnim orguljama Sv Petra i Pavla 2023 M6II 0249 03.jpg, Easter concert on the cathedral organ, 2023

References

External links

{{Osijek Roman Catholic churches completed in 1898 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Croatia Buildings and structures in Osijek 1898 establishments in Austria-Hungary Roman Catholic cathedrals in Croatia Tourist attractions in Osijek-Baranja County Culture in Osijek

Co-cathedral A co-cathedral is a cathedral church which shares the function of being a bishop's seat, or ''cathedra'', with another cathedral, often in another city (usually a former see, anchor city of the metropolitan area or the civil capital). Instances o ...