GRADNJA I OPREMANJE VARAŽDINSKE PRAVOSLAVNE CRKVE 1884. GODINE
ORTHODOX CHURCH IN VARAŽDIN - CONSTRUCTION AND FURNISHING IN 1884

Summary/Abstract: The Orthodox church of St George in Varaždin is one of the youngest Orthodox sacral buildings constructed in Croatian urban areas in the 19th century. After the 1781 Edict on Tolerance issued by Joseph II, first larger Orthodox churches started to be built in towns and cities of West Croatia (Karlovac, Zagreb, Rijeka, Bjelovar, Koprivnica). A complete removal of limitations for non-Catholic religions in the 1850s and 1860s led to a new wave of church construction immediately after the mid-19th century (Otočac, Ogulin). Since the Varaždin Orthodox community was rather small, the church was constructed fairly late, in 1884, primarily owing to the circumstances such as the Orthodox religion of the officials who then had high positions in the county and city administration: Ognjeslav Utješenović Ostrožinski was the head of the Varaždin County and Milan Vrapčević was the mayor of the city of Varaždin. Belonging to the political and cultural elite of Croatia of the time, they ensured all necessary permits and funds for the church construction. Their efforts were also supported by the very emperor Franz Joseph I.

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