Oplenac | |
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Опленац | |
St George's Church
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44°15′N 20°40′E / 44.250°N 20.667°ECoordinates: 44°15′N 20°40′E / 44.250°N 20.667°E | |
Location | Topola |
Country | Serbia |
Denomination | Eastern Orthodoxy |
Website | www |
History | |
Founded | 1910 |
Founder(s) | Peter I of Serbia |
Dedication | Saint George |
Architecture | |
Status | Church |
Functional status | Active |
Heritage designation | Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance |
Designated | 1979 |
Style | Morava School |
Specifications | |
Number of domes | 1 |
Materials | Stone |
St George's Church (Serbian: Црква Св. Ђорђа) also known as Oplenac (Опленац), is the mausoleum of the Serbian and Yugoslav royal house of Karađorđević located on top of the Oplenac Hill in the town of Topola, Serbia. The church of Oplenac was founded by King Peter I of Yugoslavia. Many members of the royal house are buried in the church, in the crypt beneath the church, or in the church yard.
Apart from the two tombs inside the church (Karađorđe’s in the southern apse; and Peter I in the northern apse), there are 26 other members of the dynasty whose eternal place of rest is in this mausoleum. Six generations of the Karađorđević family have been buried in this church:
Out of the 28 tombs of the Karađorđević dynasty, six of them belong to rulers: Supreme Leader Karađorđe, Prince Alexander, King Peter I, King Aleksandar I, Prince Paul, and King Peter II. It is an important place of Serbian history. On 6 October 2012, Prince Paul, his wife Olga and his son Nikola were all buried here after their remains were exhumed from the cemetery in Lausanne, and returned to Serbia.
On 26 May 2013, Queen Maria, her sons King Peter II and Prince Andrew, and Peter II's wife Alexandra, were all buried here after their remains were exhumed from Frogmore in Britain, the Saint Sava Monastery in Libertyville, Illinois, the cemetery of New Gračanica, also in Illinois, and Tatoi Palace in Greece respectively, and returned to Serbia.