The church is located next to the Patriarchate Court and it is the central church of the Eparchy of Srem. Historically it also served as a central church for the Metropolitanate and Patriarchate of Karlovci. The building was constructed in period between 1758 and 1762 during the term of Pavle Nenadović.[2] Nenadović commissioned a project for the new representative baroque building during one of his multiple trips to Vienna.[3]Zaharije Orfelin worked on the project in part related to baroque ornamentations of the two towers during his stay in the town in 1761–1762.[3]
There was an older church dedicated to Saint Nicholas as well at the same location which was demolished prior to the beginning of the construction of the contemporary building.[1] The new building was heavily damaged in blaze of 1799 with restoration lasting until 1805.[1] The next general restoration took place in the early 20th century between 1909 and 1910.[1]
Bogdan Janjušević (2017). Saborna crkva Svetog oca Nikolaja u Sremskim Karlovcima = The Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas in Sremski Karlovci. Pokrajinski zavod za zaštitu spomenika kulture Petrovaradin. ISBN9788685869853.