The Serbian Orthodox church in Podujevo / Podujevë—recorded as the Church of St Elias (St Elijah) in ecclesiastical sources and in the 2005 RIC tender list (#12), and as the Church of St Andrew in the RIC Sites catalogue (#11) and 2007 tender lists—is a single-aisled domed church built in 1929/1930 and last reconstructed in 1971. In March 2004, the church was looted and burned and its eastern apse was blown up with explosives. Under the Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC), the blown-up apse, roof, and perimeter walls were rebuilt in 2005, comprehensive roof, facade, marble floor, and belfry works were executed in 2007, and the project was recorded as 'Completed' in 2008.
Historical and Architectural Significance
Set on a hill overlooking Podujevo (written in RIC bilingual records as Podujevë/Podujevo or Podujeve/Podujevo), the parish church is a single-aisled structure crowned by a central dome with an adjacent belfry. According to the May 2009 archival dossier of the Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC), the church was initially built in 1930 (with construction beginning in 1929 according to historical records), and its last major reconstruction prior to the end of the 20th century took place in 1971.
A critical documentary feature of this site is the dedication and naming discrepancy within the primary RIC records themselves. In Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raška and Prizren records and secondary literature (including the Wikipedia entry preserving early Council of Europe references), the monument is dedicated to Saint Elias / Elijah the Prophet (Crkva Svetog proroka Ilije / Church of St. Elijah, Podujevë). Crucially, in the official 2005 RIC Tenders List, the site is explicitly recorded under that dedication as Ref. No. 12: Church of St. Elias, Podujeve/Podujevo / Crkva Svetog Ilije, Podujevo.
However, on the RIC home page (), in the RIC Sites catalogue entry #11, and across three 2007 tender notices (43000-07-001-5-2-1, cancelled 43000-07-013-5-2-1, and 43000-07-022-5-2-1), the exact same church is consistently named the Church of St. Andrew / Saint Andrew (Crkva Svetog Andreja). Because both names unequivocally refer to the same interwar domed church in Podujevo, this dossier documents both designations side by side so researchers can cross-reference the 2004–2005 assessment and tender records with the 2007–2009 RIC catalogue.
Destruction and Recorded Damage (March 2004)
During the March 2004 unrest (18 March 2004), the church in Podujevo suffered severe explosive and fire destruction, captured in the 23 March 2004 documentary photograph included in this dossier. According to the 2004 Damage Assessment in the RIC dossier, the church was looted and burned down, and its eastern apse was blown up with explosives.
The blast and fire heavily damaged the floors, internal wall surfaces, and joinery, while part of the roof covering over the nave and dome was torn off and removed. Outside the church, the concrete-block boundary wall enclosing the compound was demolished, and the adjacent Orthodox cemetery was desecrated.
Reconstruction and Conservation Works (2005–2009)
Reconstruction of the Podujevo church under the Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC) was carried out in two main work seasons—emergency reconstruction of the blown-up apse and site enclosure in 2005, followed by full interior, facade, roof, marble floor, and belfry reconstruction in 2007—reaching 'Completed' status in the 2008 section of the RIC dossier.
| Year | Completed Works and Interventions | Stage Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Protective interventions: clearing of the church interior, full structural reconstruction of the blown-up eastern apse, repair of the roof, replacement of the entrance gate, doors, and windows, and reconstruction of the perimeter walls. | Completed |
| 2006 | No structural or conservation interventions carried out on the site during 2006. | Completed |
| 2007 | Reconstruction works: roof repairs, facade repairs, completion of internal plasterwork, laying of a new marble floor, and electrical installation (Contract 001); belfry reconstruction following re-tender (Tender 013 cancelled; implemented under Contract 022). | Completed |
| 2008 | Final completion of all scheduled reconstruction works on the church and belfry (recorded in the RIC dossier as 'Completed'). | Completed |
The first phase of intervention in 2005 was tendered as standalone Ref. No. 12 (Church of St. Elias, Podujeve/Podujevo). Because the explosive demolition of the altar apse in March 2004 had left the eastern end of the nave open and structurally compromised, the 2005 contract went beyond simple boarding-up: contractors cleared the interior debris, rebuilt the blown-up semicircular apse from the foundations, repaired the roof, installed a new gate, doors, and windows, and reconstructed the demolished perimeter walls. No RIC works took place in 2006.
In 2007, full architectural rehabilitation was executed through two separate procurement packages (both using the designation 'Church of Saint Andrew'). Under Contract 43000-07-001-5-2-1 (Reconstruction of the Church of Saint Andrew, Podujeve/Podujevo), contractors carried out comprehensive roof and facade repairs, completed all internal plasterwork, laid a new marble floor, and installed electrical wiring. For the belfry, the initial tender 43000-07-013-5-2-1 (Reconstruction of the belfry at the Church of Saint Andrew) was officially cancelled, and the work was subsequently re-tendered and completed under Contract 43000-07-022-5-2-1 (Reconstruction of the belfry of the Church of Saint Andrew). This sequence illustrates why individual tender notices must be cross-checked against cancellations and re-tenders in the RIC archive.
Conservation Context and Monument Condition
In the May 2009 Commission report, the section 2008-RECONSTRUCTION WORKS carries the single word Completed (Završeno), and no 2009 programmed interventions section is present because the RIC considered its reconstruction mandate at Podujevo fulfilled. Along with sites #13, #29, #32, #34, and #35, the Podujevo church is one of the monuments for which the primary May 2009 RIC site sheets explicitly document final project completion.
Secondary sources (such as Wikipedia citing contemporary reports) note an intermediate vandalism incident in May 2006—between the 2005 protective phase and the 2007 full reconstruction—when the newly installed front door and window panes were damaged before being restored in the 2007 works. While the building envelope, interior finishes, and belfry were documented as completed by 2008, subsequent post-2009 parish usage and security arrangements lie outside the primary RIC archival documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the church in Podujevo referred to both as the Church of St Andrew and the Church of St Elias?
In Serbian Orthodox ecclesiastical records and in the official 2005 RIC Tenders List (Ref. No. 12), the church is recorded under its historical dedication as the 'Church of St. Elias' ('Crkva Svetog Ilije'). However, in the RIC Sites catalogue (#11) and in the 2007 tender lists, the same building was recorded as the 'Church of St. Andrew' ('Crkva Svetog Andreja').
When was the church in Podujevo built and previously reconstructed?
According to the RIC dossier, the single-aisled domed church was initially built in 1930 (commenced in 1929) and underwent its last major pre-2004 reconstruction in 1971.
What damage was caused to the Podujevo church in March 2004?
The church was looted and burned, and its eastern altar apse was blown up with explosives. Floors, internal surfaces, and joinery were damaged, part of the roof cover was removed, and the compound boundary wall was demolished.
How were the apse and belfry reconstructed under the RIC tenders?
The blown-up apse and boundary wall were rebuilt in 2005 under Tender Ref. No. 12. In 2007, the church roof, facade, plasterwork, and marble floor were completed under Contract 43000-07-001-5-2-1, while the belfry was reconstructed under Contract 43000-07-022-5-2-1 after an earlier belfry tender (43000-07-013-5-2-1) was cancelled.
What is the final status recorded for the Podujevo church in the May 2009 RIC dossier?
Under the heading '2008-RECONSTRUCTION WORKS', the RIC dossier explicitly records 'Completed' ('Završeno'), confirming that all planned architectural works under the RIC programme at this site had been finished.
Sources and Further Reading
- EU/CoE Support to the Promotion of Cultural Diversity in Kosovo (PCDK) & Previous Reconstruction Action — Council of Europe (Directorate of Culture and Cultural and Natural Heritage) (2010–2014) · Source document ↗
- Report Submitted by UNMIK Pursuant to Article 2.2 of the Agreement Between UNMIK and the Council of Europe Related to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (ACFC/SR/II(2009)002) — Council of Europe / UNMIK (31. maj 2010.) · Source document ↗
- OSCE Mission in Kosovo Report on Cultural Heritage Protection and Reconstruction Process (Document 74597) — OSCE Mission in Kosovo (2008–2010) · Source document ↗
- Church of St. Elijah, Podujevë — Wikipedia Reference Trail — Wikipedia (English edition) (pristup: 11. novembar 2026.) · Source document ↗
