Orthodox Church of Holy Trinity

Bjelovar is a Croatian town in central Croatia, in the fertile plain between the Bilogora hills and the Drava, and it was founded in the 18th century as a military town on the Habsburg frontier. The empress Maria Theresa had the settlement laid out in a regular grid around a large central square, and soldiers and settlers from many backgrounds were brought in to populate it. The Orthodox Church of Holy Trinity belongs to that history, as the church of the Serbian Orthodox community that has lived in the town since its early days.

Churches of Eastern Orthodoxy differ from Catholic ones in their layout and decoration. The interior is usually divided by an iconostasis, a screen covered with icons that separates the nave from the sanctuary, and walls and ceilings may carry painted saints and scenes from the Gospels. Worship follows the Eastern liturgy, with candles, incense and chanting, and the atmosphere is distinct from that of Catholic services. A visitor who looks in at a quiet time will see the colour, gold and warm light that are typical of such churches, and anyone attending a service will notice the singing, which is usually without instruments.

The church has a place in the story of Bjelovar as a multi-ethnic town. In the Military Frontier, the Habsburgs settled Serbs as soldier-farmers along the border with the Ottoman Empire, and Orthodox parishes grew in many towns and villages. In the 20th century the town's communities lived through difficult times, in particular during the Second World War and the Homeland War, and the church is one of the places where the memory of the Serbian community is preserved. Details of the building's history and architecture are not well recorded, so it is best to see it as a working parish church rather than a museum.

Access to the interior depends on services and the parish, so it is wise to ask locally and to dress modestly if you hope to go in. The church is close to the main square and the other sights of the town. The Bjelovar Cathedral, the Music Pavilion in the park and the Memorial of Barutana, a reminder of the old powder magazine, are all within easy reach, so a short walk can link them.

The church suits travellers interested in the religious diversity of Croatia, in the Military Frontier and in quiet, authentic places of worship. Allow fifteen to thirty minutes, and be respectful of worshippers.