The Sacred Heart Cathedral is a Catholic church in Sarajevo. I t is the largest cathedral in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sacred Heart Cathedral was built in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an important Catholic concept. The building is in the Neo-Gothic style, with Romanesque Revival elements. The building was awarded to the Viennese contractor Baron Karl Schwarz with supervising architect Josip Vancaš. He modeled it after the Notre-Dame in Dijon (France). Work began on 25 August 1884, and was completed on 9 November 1887. The Bishop of Dubrovnik was present for the consecration on 14 September 1889.
The building was damaged during the Siege of Sarajevo, but not completely destroyed, and the damage has since been repaired. The building is often considered as a symbol of the city: The design above the door to the Cathedral is part of the flag and seal of Sarajevo Canton and the Romanesque towers are featured on the flag and coat of arms of Sarajevo.
The cathedral is 41.9 meters long and 21.3 meter wide. It was constructed in Neo-Gothic style; The two bell towers are 43.2 m high. Above the portal is an octagonal rosette and a statue of the Sacred Heart.
The main altar was designed by Josip Vancaš and made from Grisignano marble. It rests on four small columns of red Tyrolean marble. The pulpit is mounted on a richly decorated pedestal. The enclosure shows in the central part Jesus as teacher, flanked on each side by two Evangelists. In 1886 the frescoes were commissioned to Alexander Maximilian Seitz (1811–1888). Due to his deteriorating health he could only finish the designs in 1887.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.