Contents about the building site for catholic cathedral and orthodox temple of st. Savo in Split in 1920s and 1930s

Rad se bavi pitanjem dobivanja zemljišta za izgradnju katoličke katedrale i pravoslavnog hrama u međuratnom Splitu. Na jasan se način govori o tome kako je Srpska pravoslavna Crkva stekla građevinsko zemljište za koje je u ime Biskupije splitske i makarske najprije bilo zainteresirano Društvo za gradnju nove stolne crkve. Dok su općinske vlasti nastojale iskazati objektivnost i ravnopravnost, nastojeći raditi u interesu obiju crkvenih zajednica, državne su vlasti u toj stvari pokazale vjersku pristranost te su isto zemljište, bez natječaja i javne rasprave, potpuno netransparentno dodijelile Srpskoj pravoslavnoj Crkvi za neznatan iznos. K tomu, doskora je rečeno zemljište, koje je od doba hrvatskih narodnih vladara pripadalo Katoličkoj crkvi, zamijenjeno daleko atraktivnijom zgradom samostana sv. Marije de Taurello. Stoga je splitski primjer gradnje katedrale i hrama dobar pokazatelj kako je tobožnja ravnopravnost vjerskih zajednica zajamčena svim konfesijama u Kraljevini SHS i Kraljevini Jugoslaviji Vidovdanskim ustavom, zapravo bila pusta želja, koja je u stvarnosti funkcionirala vjerski pristrano i doista sasvim drugačije.Contentions about the building site for Catholic cathedral and Orthodox temple arose during the 1920s and 1930s. This contention stems from the unilateral state decisions which were not in compliance with the spirit of guaranteed religious equality warranted by the Vidovdan Constitution of 1921. Namely, in the attempts of The Association for building a new cathedral to buy a part of state property next to the Theological Seminary\u27s garden, a planned building site for a Catholic cathedral, the Serbian Orthodox Church district in Split became involved. Ignoring the public offer of The Association for building a new cathedral, the Ministry of Finance, contrary to provisions of the law, without tender and auction, sold the site for an insignificant amount to the Serbian Orthodox Church. This transaction caused huge problems to the Split municipal authorities because a new urban plan had already been issued and this lot was designated for a park next to the planned Catholic cathedral. Altering this urban plan, which was the request of the Serbian Orthodox Church, would disrupt the religious harmony and weaken the already delicate municipal political balance. To the appeal of the Serbian Orthodox Church, federal authorities from Belgrade became involved with written requests to the municipal and regional authorities, urging them to solve this problem as soon as possible. Thus, the municipal and regional authorities attempted to find an appropriate building site for the Orthodox monastery and make exchange of lots with the Serbian Orthodox Church to the satisfaction of all parties involved. The exchange of the lot owned by the Serbian Orthodox Church, next to the Bishop\u27s Seminary, was suggested for the St. Marie de Taurello abbey from the 13th century, which is located in the center of the old city (within the ancient Diocletian\u27s Palace) and, as a part of Church property, was then under the jurisdiction of their church lawful endowment. Local authorities yielded under the pressure of the federal and in an attempt to resolve the dispute, they underestimated the real value of the property. The value of the lot owned by the Serbian Orthodox Church, in only six years increased 577 times, while the St. Marie de Taurello abbey in the historic city center was declared as unprosperous, and the swap was executed in secret. This swap was carried out without consultation with the Catholic Church, which was for centuries the real owner of the St. Marie de Taurello abbey and the only party who could legally dispose with the named property. In this manner, with a unilateral move by the Ministerial council in Belgrade, direct material damage was caused to the Catholic Church in favor of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Split, which thereby resolved the issue of the building site for its temple, whereas the issue of the building site for the Catholic cathedral was postponed for some future time