The Bishop’s Palace was built in 1901 on the site of the old one which was destroyed in 1849 in the bombing. It is located at the end of Zmaj Jovina street and is a masterpiece of architecture and the famous architect Vladimir Nikolic. The project was made in 1899, but Vladimir Nikolic did not sign it because the former patriarch was George Brankovic, Nikolic’s best man, and the public would think that the patriarch favors his godson. The project was therefore signed by Ferenc Raichle and Bishop’s Palace is known as his project.
A palace is a combination of several different stylistic influences and therefore it has a very attractive appearance. Decorative elements in the court are the Byzantine and Eastern origin, but there are also elements that are reminiscent of the facade of Serbian medieval monasteries. The iconostasis court chapel is the original work of Russian painter Andrei Avceneva, a large dining room was painted by Vladimir Predojevic with scenes from the New Testament.
In 1984, in front of the palace was placed a bronze monument to the most famous children’s poet Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj. This architectural monument, Bishop’s Palace, is now protected as a cultural monument, and its function is the residence of the Bishop of Backa, Irinej Bulovic, who is a professor at the Theological Faculty in Belgrade.
