Crna Reka Monastery
Crna reka Monastry is situated at Ibarski Kolasin, with the cave-church of Archangel Michael with the frescoes from the end of the 16th century and the relics of Saint Peter of Korisha. Crna Reka Monastery is a hermitage in the midst of the south Serbian mountains situated in the gorge of the Black River. It is surrounded by high rocks and lush vegetation. It dates from 13th century when a small church dedicated to the Holy Archangel Michael was built in a big cave. Soon the monks hermits built their cells around the church and erected a small draw bridge over the dry bed of the Black River. By a great blessing of God the river disappears underground just in front of the monastery and reappears after several hundred meters of its underground flow and thus spares the monastery from the noise. The greatest treasure of the monastery are the holy and incorruptible relics of St. Peter of Korisha, a famous Serbian ascetic from the 13th century. Even today numerous pilgrims come to the monastery to seek healing and spiritual consolation from this great miracle-worker. In the 15th century Crna Reka was home for a time to a famous hesychast St. Ioanichios, who with his monks later moved to the area of today's Devic monastery. Crna Reka was deserted for a long time. It was only in 1979 that Fr. Artemy came to live there and gathered around himself a young brotherhood. After his election as bishop he took several monks and renewed other monasteries of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren. Today there are 18 brethren in the monastery who occupy themselves with prayer, icon painting and wood carving.
In spite of its monumental archihecture and religious significance, Monastery Crna Reka was hidden as the ascetic hermitage for public, known mostly to scholars and travelling visitors. Today, when the bridge over the Ribaric Lake has been built and the approaching road has been reconstructed, this monastery, beeing the unique pearl of the Serbian medieval culture, comes to its real value and popularity, after more than 700 years of silence.
Banjska Monastery
Banjska Monastery, near Kosovska Mitrovica was built between 1313. and 1317. on the site of former Episcopal Church as the endowment and the burial place of King Milutin /Stefan Uros 2nd/, one of the most powerful rulers in Nemanjic Dynasty and the greatest builder of churches amongst all the Serb medieval rulers /there are more than forty endowments of King Milutin/. It was the “metochian” Monastery of Gracanica Monastery, dedicated to St.Stephen /the “slava” – family patron saint and protector of Nemanjic Family/ where King Milutin was buried until 1389. when his relics have been moved to Trepca and afterwards to Sofia, where they are preserved until nowadays. Queen Theodora, the mother of Tzar Dusan, was buried here, as well.
During the following centuries the Church was heavily devastated so that its former Rascian-style splendor, emulating famous Studenica Monastery, could not even be recognized : its monumental edifice with western entrance featuring two towers and facade covered in marble of three different colors, library, dining room and the royal palace comprising the window casings carved in high relief were burnt at the beginning of the 15th century, while at the end of it most probably, the Monastery was fully ravaged. The famous traveler and historian Kupresic recorded that Banjska Monastery was destroyed in the 16th century by the sultan command having been the shelter for Christian Serbian people under the Turkish attacks and slavery. In the 19th century almost totally demolished Church was turned into the mosque where Islamic prayers were performed until the First World War. The Church was conservated in 1939. and the second time in nineties of the 20th century when some reconstructions were carried out.
Banjska Monastery is one of the rare medieval spiritual places having in its possession the foundation charter in the form of manuscript book which offers the testimony about the Monastery estates comprising 75 villages, 8 cattle-breeding farms, water-mills, honey-bee-keepers and fish ponds. Church was built by Archbishop Danilo II, close King’s associate and educated nobleman who obeyed the strict King’s instructions to compose one of the most beautiful medieval Church in Serbia at the time. As per medieval records, Banjska Monastery was constructed in Raska style that was implemented in building of many rulers' mausoleums /Studenica, the endowment of King Stefan Nemanya, Holy Archangels, the endowment of Tzar Dusan/. It is an one nave basilica covered by blind dome. The eastern semicircular apse was monumental and the western entrance to the church was built in accordance to the Raska ecclesiastical style of monuments with two large towers. The three-color stone facade was remarkable outside decoration of the church engraved on stone as the polychromatic chess-board. The Romanesque tradition is enforced in combination of rich architectural encrusted fragments of the portal termination, doors and windows consoles. The monumental sitting sculpture of the Holy Virgin with the little Christ was enthroned in the Church that was the Gothic and the Romanesque influence to the Rascian style of decoration. Nowadays it is preserved in the nearby Sokolica Monastery, while some remains of stone decoration are kept in the National Museum in Belgrade and the Archaeological Museum in Skopje. The “Banjska gold”, one of the most significant proud of Banjska Monastery /of which only fragments remained/ was used in tiny leaves for fresco decoration and known from the epic songs. All other parts of brilliant treasuries recorded in the founding charter of King Milutin are lost. In 1915. by accidental excavations of the Queen Theodora tomb, two golden rings were found : one is engraved with the two-headed eagle and title : “Who carry it – let God help him !” Architect Dj. Boskovic took some preservation and reconstruction works in 1938.
Comprehensive reconstructions started in the most difficult time for Serbian people. Thanks to the prayers of blessed and saints, Archdeacon St. Stephan, King Milutin and all the saints, after 520 years it retrieved its former glory. The spiritual celebration took place on Aug, 15th, 2004. in Banjska Monastery, when Divine Liturgy was held by His Grace Serbian Patriarch Pavle and Clergy accompanied with many faithful people.
The Holy Virgin of Hvosno Monastery
The Monastery of Hvostno Virgin is located at the foot of Mokra Mountain, near the village of Vrelo, 20 km north-east of Pec. The earliest buildings on this location date from the mid 6th century. Within a Byzantine fortification there was a three nave basilica with narthex belonging to the early Byzantine period. From the medieval times this area, the part around Decani and Pec, is also known as Old Hvosno /4.684 sq km/, covered with a network of large and rich monasteris built by Serbian kings and a significant number of late medieval churches erected by local Serbian noblemen /Velika Hoca, Orahovac, Crkolez, Vaganes, Zocistem Dolac.../. It became part of the independent Serbian Archdiocese in 1219. and the Hvosno region came under special Hvosno Diocese with the seat in the Monastery. /With the Serb Orthodox Church being elevated to the level of the Patriarchate, the Prizren Diocese acquired the status of a Metropolitanate and The old Hvosno and Lipljanska Dioceses, i. e. that of Gracanica /Novo brdo/ were added to the Prizren Diocese after 1766/. When the region of Hvosno became part of the newly established Serbian kingdom in the 12th century many new churches were built. The ruins of the Byzantine basilica were reconstructed in the third decade of the 13th century and a new cathedral of the Holy Virgin was constructed with adjoining monastery buildings. The church base was shaped as a single-nave basilica with a transept, dome and the altar space which was semi-circular from the inside and rectangular from the outside. The exonarthex was on the west as well as the rectangular vestibule. It was built in the tradition of the medieval Serb school of Raska with characteristic influences of the Romanesque architecture which flourished in the nearby Zeta /Montenegro/. The church was called Mala Studenica /Small Studenica/ or Studenica Hvostanska with association to the famous Serb Orthodox monastery of Studenica in central Serbia, built in the similar architectural tradition. The cathedral was also painted with frescoes after the architectural works had been completed. A smaller church of a single-nave design, with a semi-circular apse and semi-spherical arch ceiling was constructed on the south of the main church in the middle of the 14th century. It was promoted to the Metropolitanate in 1381. From 1221, when Prochorus, the first Bishop of Hvosno is mentioned, to 1635, when the Monastery is last mentioned in written documents, the names of 17 Bishops who resided in this Monastery are mentioned in the Church records. The second part of the 16th century was the period of the spiritual and artistic activities flourishing in the monastery and the last Metropolit Victor was mentioned in 1635. The monastery was deserted and began to decay most probably at the time of Velika Seoba /Great Migration/ in 1690. when large number of Serbs led by their Patriarch Arsenios left Kosovo and the southern parts of Serbia fleeing before Turkish retaliations which ensued after one unsuccessful Christian uprising. Since the Monastery was deserted, local Albanians in Vrelo village began using the stone from this church which made the entire complex deteriorate rapidly, similarly to the Monastery of Holy Archangels near Prizren. The ruins of the monastery complex were explored in 1930 and from 1966 to 1970 when conservation works are carried out on the remains of the church. Beside the church, living quarters, Monastery refectory and other facilities have been found.
Just before the Kosovo war 1998-1999 Bishop Artemije planned reconstruction of this holy site and founding a new monastery. Entire complex is now without any protection and there are reasons for fear that the local Albanians will destroy even existing ruins of this Monastery.
Ćelije Monastery
Colije Monastery is situated on the glade above the Gradac river near Valjevo. As the endowement of King Dragutin Nemanjic, it is built in 13th century and reconstructed in 18th century. Several times during its turbulent history was devastated, afterwards rebuilt in its full peace and glory. Nowdays vestals operate the unique icon school in traditional techniques of artistic style, also running publishing activities.
Djurdjevi Stupovi Monastery, dominating from the tranquil woody hill over Novi Pazar is the ecclesiastical complex where the heart of the Serbian medieval state was maintened between 11th and 14th century. It is the endowment of the Great Zupan (ruler) Stefan Nemanya comprising the Church of St. George, the refectory, dormitories, the water tanks and walls with the entry tower built from 1167 until 1171. The external appearance of this single-nave temple with a tripartite sanctuary, a nave with lateral vestibules and a narthex, flanked by two towers, emanates a spirit of western Romanesque building. The frescoes are rendered in the best tradition of the Comnenus style and skillfully adapted to the architecture of the temple, which is especially pronounced in the all-embracing cupola with an elliptic basis. With the addition of the apse on the eastern side in 1282/83, the entry tower was transformed into a chapel and the tomb of King Dragutin in 1316. The Monastery was heavily destroyed in 1690. when Serbian people were persecuted by the Turks and had to leave their origin. In addition to painting frescoes depicting historical scenes in the interior of the chapel, the work carried out on the monastery at the end of the 18th century also included the building of a new refectory, dormitories and paintings in the narthex of the catholicon. Archaeological and restoration works on monastery complex reconstruction are still in process.
As part of the Stari Ras /Old Ras town/ which was the most important stronghold on the eastern border of Serbian lands in the early Middle ages and the royal family residence, together with the Sopocani complex, it has been on the World Heritage List since 1979.
Devic Monastery is founded in 1434. year in a wooded hills of Drenica, in the central part of Kosovo and Metohija, on the place where St. Joanikije lived in the highest ascetic manner within one hermitage pump in the 15th century. He was heailing ill people and had been making miracles. It ranks amongst the most significant Christian shrines in the Balkans featuring the traditional rules form the ancient history. Devic is a endowment of Despot’s Djurdje Brankovic who built it in the memory of the healing of his ill daughter – virgin (devica), which is how the name came. Since the 16th till the 19th century in this monastery the books were being prescribed and decorated. In the period of the Turkish regency, it was burnt down, ruined and reestablished several times. In 1941. Albanians abolished it and burnt it completely in 1941., so it was reconstructed again in 1950. The chapel of St Joanikije was enabled, two new churches were constructed as well as two dormitories and one belfry. Looted and vandalized in june 1999, with it's nuns taken away, isolated and humiliated, ethnic Albanians wanted to drive Serbian people from Kosovo. Finally, in March of 2004., the Monastery was burnt and destroyed utterly. KFOR Representatives announced how they had succeeded to extricate the relics of St Joanikije, the great miracle worker from devasteted ruins of the shrine.
The Church of Ascension of the Holy Virgin is the only remained part of the medieval Gracanica Monastery,the church from the 13th century, as the seat of the bishop of Lipljan built on the remains of the former early Christian basilica dating from the 6th century. The construction and painting of the present-day church was completed by the year 1321. It was built as the endowment of King Milutin and dedicated during the Middle Ages to the Annunciation while, today, it celebrates the Ascension of the Holy Virgin. The church has the shape of a developed and inscribed cross, one inside the other, with five domes, including an open outdoor narthex that was soon appended to the church probably together with a bell-tower on the western side. Gračanica represents a masterpiece of the late Byzantine architecture, captivating the onlooker with its unity of structural and decorative elements. Particularly notable is the arrangement of the masses and ornamentation on the facade of the church, emphasizing vertically. The dome rests on four free-standing pillars. Above the spaces between the cross-shafts, four smaller domes give a regular structure to the whole crowning complex. The diaconicon and the prosthesis are separated by full walls. Between the nave and the narthex there are wide, heavy pillars and the catholicon is on a higher level. The church was built in alternate courses of brick and stone. At the end of the fourteenth century an exonarthex was added with double arcades, but these were blinded in the 16th century. The frescoes were painted in 1321-22. and have been well-preserved. In the church three kinds of painting can be discerned. The earliest is found in the nave that is the work of the so called “King Milutin’s court school” whose achievements belong to the best trends of the classical art in the period of the Paleologues, whereas two later ones can be recognized in the narthex. The compositions in the nave deal with the earthly life of Jesus and the ecclesiastical calendar. The theologically knowledgeable, eloquent Gračanica painting has been best preserved inside the church itself, while in the esonarthex which was closed and painted again in 1570, this has been achieved to a slightly smaller extent. The master-painters supposedly were Michael Astrapos and Eutichios with their assistants. Having been quite damaged by the Turks as early as the period 1379-1383, the church was restored in 1383. After the final fall of these regions under Turkish power, the monastery had a difficult history filled with looting and plundering. In 1688 the Turkish Yegen-pasha looted Gracanica Monastery when needed nine horses to take all the valuables to Constantinople. It grew poor particularly during the course of the 18th and 19th centuries. Of the once famous treasury there are only several precious icons left, dating from the 16th-17th centuries, several manuscript books, including an octoteuchos, however, printed in 1539 in the printing house operating in Gračanica at the beginning of the 16th century.
The monastery was several times hit by grenades launched by Albanian terrorists during the years 1998-1999. and undergone a devastations of the facades. It is inscribed on the List of UNESCO World Heritage in Danger.
Gradac monastery is situated on the wooded slopes of Mt. Golija, built in late XIII century, on the ruins of an earlier church as an endowment of Queen Jelena Anzujska /Helen Anjou/, the wife of king Uros I. that resulted in the gothic architectural influence. In the template there is marble sarcophagus where the St. queen is buried. The fresco decoration of the interior is considerably damaged but the endower’s composition is still visible and the original iconostasis is preserved in primary edition. Gradac Monastery is nowdays functioning as a nunnery and in its glorious beauty represents one of the most attractive medieval Serb cultural and historical monuments and spiritual centers.
The Gorioc Monastery was dedicated to St Nicolas who healed the burned /blind/ eyes of St. King Stefan Decanski after whom the name of the monastery refers - "gori" to burning and "oci" to eyes. It is located in the north-west Kosovo and Metohija, near the little town Istok on White Stone and is the "metoh" of the Decani Monastery. The Church yard consists of the little church of St Nicolas, dormitory and belfry. The church was built probably in the 14th century but is not preserved. It was reconstructed in 16th, 18th and in the beginning of the 20th century. It keeps 11 icons painted during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The Monastery used to keep a rich collection of Serbian medieval books, including several Serbian manuscripts from the 14th and 15th century, which the Russian Consul and historian A. Gilferding took from the Monastery to preserve them form devastation. Today, they are kept in the Public Library in St. Petersburg. 
The Monastery is presumably founded by despotes Vuk Branković in 1471. during so-called “preturkish” period and is dedicated to St. Nicolas. The first iconostasis is done by Jakov Orfelin and the second one by one of most famous Serbian painter Uroš Predić, that represents the most valuable feature of the Monastery. Privilege document that Austrian Emperor Leopold I gave to bishop Isaija Đakovic in 1691. is held in this monastery. The most important issue in Grgeteg monastery is true copy of Hilandar wonder icon – Mother of God with three hands, transferred from Atos Mt, remaining as the icon-protector of the Fruška Gora Mt. and its monasteries.
Founded in the heart of the Fruska Gora Mt. on the ramparts of an earlier church, in early 16-th century as the legacy of despotes Djordje Brankovic. It used to be a strong cultural and educational center, for certain period of time center of the episcopate and Monastery School, and residence of famous cultural inventor and writer Dositej Obradovic. Monastery Hopovo is one of largest and for its architectural values and monumental fresco paintings ranks amongst the most important structures of the era.
The Jazak Monastery is established by despotes Jovan Brankovic at the end of XV century and the tall bell-tower was finished in 1803. beside the church to make a strong contrast with the Serbian medieval architecture. The fresco paintings took place in two periods, in 1761. and 1892. The rich iconostasis was done by baroque painter Dimitrije Bacevic in a mixture of traditional post-byzantine painting and the new tendencies coming from the West. The relics of St.Uros, the second Serbian emperor, brought to the Monastery from Kosovo in 1706., made it well known throughout.
The Kalenić monastery is a foundation of wealthy patron-protovestiar (high Byzantine title) Bogdan, treasurer to the court of despotes Stefan Lazarevic, recognized as the unique example of Morava school of architecture for its refined decoration. The church, dedicated to the Presentation of the Holy Virgin, was built and painted between 1407 and 1413. The freso decoration is the masterpiece of one of the greatest Serbian artists of the first part of XV century, master Radoslav and his company. After repeated Turkish assaults it was abandoned in the late XVII century. The monastery was restored in 1766, but during the rebellion against the Turks, in which the Kalenic monks took part, 1788-1791, the monastery was burned. The monks came back towards the end of the century. From 1815 until 1839 the church hosted the holy relics of King Stefan the First-Crowned, afterwards transferred to Studenica Monastery. In monastery building exists museum exposition of Sumadija diocese. It is vestal monastery.
Krušedol Monastery is a Serbian Ortodox Monastery situated on the Fruška Gora Mountain, province Vojvodina. The monastery was built in 1509-1515 by Bishop Maksim Brankovic /earlier despotes Djordje/ and his mother Angelina, wife of the blind despotes Jovan, who was the last ruler of Serbia from this lineage. His son Djordje was a ruler without a country but had vast estates in South Hungary already settled by the Serbs persecuted by the Turks. The monastery church is dedicated to the Annunciation, built mostly in Morava architectural style, later renewed in baroque style, when high bell tower was added. From the beginning it had a great importance, as the seat of Srem bishopric in 18th century, as well as now days : it is the mausoleum with graves of despotes Brankovic, Arsenije3rd., Arsenije4th, King Milan, Princess Ljubica Obrenovic and famous Duke Supljikac.
Koporin Monastery is located in Koporin stream Valley at the foothill of Koporin Hill near Velika Plana in Central Serbia. The Monastery Complex includes the St. Stephen's Church, the Bell-tower with the souvenir shop, the Dormitory for guests' accommodation, the Economic building, the healing spring, green garden, vineyards and forests. This significant monument of Serbian Medieval History is the endowment of the Despot Stefan Lazarevic, the son of King Lazar and the Queen Milica, who lived from 1376 until 1427. The Monastery is devoted to the movement of St. Stephen's Apostle relics that is celebrated as the Summer St. Stephen Feast on 1st August. The Monastery Church was built during the reign of Stefan Lazarevic whose portrait with the Noble Dignitary awarded after the famous Angora Battle in 1402. is painted within. From 1932 until 1958 in Koporin Monastery there were monks while after 1958 it is female Monastery. There are many legends about the building of this tranquil spiritual place hidden in inaccessible area....
The church was build in 1929 in the center of Lelić, declared to be monastery in 1997. In this church the Bishop Nikolaj Velimirović, Orthodox theologian, philosopher and writer of 20-th century is laid to rest. His remains were transported from USA in 1991 and he is proclaimed as saint. Monastery owns a museum of rare books and manuscripts and a chapel.
The legends says that the monastery was built on a site where Princess Milica met Prince Lazar for the first time; and that had happened on the day of St Archdeacon Stefan to whom the earlier chapel on the same place had been dedicated. The construction of this foundation of Princess Milica and Prince Lazar started in 1388-89. After the battle of Kosovo, when Lazar was killed, Milica became a nun, as many widows of the Serbian soldiers did at that time.
Architecturally, the church dedicated to the Dormition of the Holy Virgin, belongs to the Morava School, especially rich in exterior decoration. with sculptured windows, lunettes and rosettes. It is extended westward into a rectangular narthex with a blind calotte. In the church stand the graves of Queen Milica herself, the nun Jefimija and of her son Ugljesa. Ljubostinja Monastery is situated in the valley of Ljubostinja River, 17 km north of Vrnjacka Banja Spa.
Kaona Monastery, 100 km far from Belgrade, was built as legacy of Ikonia, the sister of Milos Obilic. The witness of the ancient time , today is rebuilt and became a spiritual center and gathering place of the orthodox population.
Since the end of 11th century, when the monastery was for the first time mentioned, the church was destroyed end reconstructed several times. In the surrounding of the beautiful landscape, nearby the Baptistery building, there is a healing water spring (with water as one of the best quality in Serbia) passing through the monastery field and creating the specially tranquil lakes of magnificent beauty. The present church was built in early Christian stile, the first in Serbia after the seven centuries as a prototype of Baptistery from Theba of Thesaly.
Mileseva Monastery
The Mileseva monastery was founded between 1234 and 1236 by Serbian King Vladislav, grandson of King Stefan Nemanja. The monastery is situated in a valley of the Mileševa river, near Prijepolje. Mileseva became one of the most important Serbian sanctuaries and spiritual centers when in 1236. it received the body of St.Sava who died during Vladislav’s reign. The Church, dedicated to the Ascension of Our Lord, architecturally belongs to the Raska School whose ground plan is unique. In this monastery Bosnian Ban Tvrtko Kotromanić was crowned king in 1377. In 16th century the celebrated printing shop with liturgical books and manuscripts operated spreaded the spirituality throughout the Serb lands and beyond. One of most beautiful frescoes in Mileseva is White Angel on Christ grave, dating from the time of foundation, today representing one of the symbols of Serbia. These thirteenth century frescoes may be considered to be the supreme achievement of all the painting in Europe of that time.
A remarkable number of monasteries are situated on the small geografical region, close to Čačak, on the left bank of the river Zapadna Morava. They were mentioned for the first time in 16-th century: Annunciation, St.Eliah, Purification of the Virgin Mary, St.Nicolas, St.John, Transfiguration, Visitation of our Lord, Holy Trinity, Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Ascension. Most of them are well-preserved and under the government protection, representing the monuments of great cultural value and nowdays this region is known as “ Serbian Holy mountain”.
The Monastery of Poganovo with its Church dedicated to St.John the Theologian is built in the last decade of 14th century by the mighty Serbian noble Master Konstantin following some of the patterns of Morava school. The fresco paintings ranks amongst the real Balkans masterpieces of that time, done by masters from North Greece. The so-called “twin icon”, one of the most beautiful 15th century work of art, has been hidden in the monastery until the First World War, the gift from the Empress Jelena, the wife of the last Byzantine Emperor Konstantin The Paleologist. Now days this icon is performed in the Icon Museum in Sofia, Bulgaria, as well as the excellent example of iconostasis from 17th century, taken during the First World War. It is located 25km southeast from Pirot in Jerma River Canyon, one of the most impressive in Serbia.
The Monastery Complex of the Patriarchate of Pec is located at the very entrance of the Rugova Gorge near Pec along the Pec Bistrica River. This unique complex of four churches used to be the gathering place of educated and spiritual people and artistic talented monks who preserved and decorated Serbian Archbishops' headquarters for centuries. Thanks to its historical significance it remained the Serbian spiritual seat and the Mausoleum of Serbian archbishops and patriarchs. The Church of the Holy Apostles was built by Archbishop Arsenije I /St. Sava's successor/, in the third decade of the 13th century, when the Bishopric seat was transferred to Pec, the mountainous hermitage at the edge of the fertile Metohija plateau. It is the oldest church within the complex, planned and built according to the plans of St. Sava and fresco-painted in 1250 . In the complex of the latter Patriarchate of Pec, northward, the adjacent Church of St. Demetrius was built by Archbishop Nikodim in 1320., while Archbishop Danilo II built the churches of the Holy Archangels dedicated to Virgin Hodegetrios and the small Church of St. Nikola’s on its southern side.
Along the fronts of the three mutually adjacent churches, a monumental narthex with a tower in front of it was erected by Archbishop Danilo II. During the time of Archbishop Joanikije, in 1345, the Church of St. Demetrius was painted. In the 14th century repairs were carried out in the Holy Apostles so those parts of the church were painted afterwards. The frescoes date from different periods but entire history of the styles of medieval wall painting can be seen on the walls of the Pec churches. The frescoes on the south and west walls, probably commissioned by King Milutin, include the portraits of Stefan the First-crowned and Uros I.
During the early Turkish occupation and the War between the Turks and Austrians, Pec Patriarchate complex was seriously damaged several times and have been renovated and repainted so to regain its premium spiritual and political role. The treasury was transported to Gracanica and hidden in one of its domes. In 1690. patriarch Arsenije III Carnojevic had to leave his throne before the Turkish offensive spearheaded by the Tatar and Albanian irregulars, and flee to safety in Belgrade. After the Turks took Belgrade, in October 1690, he had to pass on the Hungarian side and withdraw, with about 30.000 Serbian refugees, in Buda and St. Andrew, a small town near the Hungarian capital. The Turks and Albanians plundered and desecrated the monastery, and also many other Serbian sanctuaries. The Patriarchate was abandoned in another war with the Turks, 1737.-1739, when Patriarch Arsenije IV Jovanovic left for Srem, taking along the monks and the valuables. Yet another demolition the monastery suffered by the Aslan Pasha of Bosnia in 1831.
The Church of St Demetrius was founded by Archbishop Nikodim /1317-1324/. Not big in size, it has the form of a shortened cross with a spacious dome. It was built in alternate courses of brick and stone. The entrance is framed with a harmonious stone portal. Joanikije is to be credited for the frescoes painted towards the middle of the 11th c. The were renovated in early 17th c. They consist of valuable portraits of Emperor Dusan, his son Uros 5th and Patriarch Joanikije, and also a worthy composition of two Serbian Councils on a vault in the western part. The church houses the relics of patriarchs Jefrem and Sava IV.
The Church of the Virgin Hodegetria was built next to the southern side of the Holy Apostles, c. 1300. It was commissioned by Danilo II, to counterpart the church of St Demetrius. The ground plan has the form of a floral cross with an octagonal dome borne by four free standing pillars. The temple is devided into three longitudinal spaces. Its two-light windows on the east and south facades have certain Gothic elements. The church was painted in 1330s. The founder composition on the west wall testifies to the fact that Danilo II had commissioned those works as well.
The narthex was erected by Archbishop Danilo II in early 1330s, as an ante-church to the three adjacent temples. As first, it was open to three sides, and inside, due to the large span, there used to be five buttresses to carry the whole mass. Since the narthex had gradually deteriorated and became insecure, the arched openings were walled up within the restoration in 1560s. Little has been preserved of the original frescoes that had adorned the whole narthex in the time of Danilo II. Noteworthy is the genealogy of the Nemanjic Dynasty beginning with Nemanja and ending with King Dusan. Among the individual figures, the representation of the Breast-feeding Mother of God stands out. The facade of the narthex used to be painted, too. Before 1375, above his stone throne, St. Sava was painted on a pilaster in the doorway of the Holy Apostles, but signed as a patriarch instead of an archbishop which his actual rank. Other frescoes on the vaults were painted in 1565, after the renewal of the Patriarchate, commissioned by the Patriarch Makarije Sokolovic, 365 figures illustrating each day of the Calendar. The painters employed included monk Longin, the most famous Serbian painter of the latter half of the 16th c.
The Church of St Nicholas is a little church, also founded by Archbishop Danilo II. It is a single nave building with a tripartite apse, of brick and stone. The tunnel vault is strengthened by an arch resting on two pilasters. The original frescoes have not survived. The latter painting of the church, in 1673, had been commisioned by patriarch Makarije. The frescoes were created by Radul, the most famous Serbian painter of the late 17th c. The founders composition on the south wall shows St. Nicholas taking Patriarch Makarije to Jesus Christ. On the north wall there are the portraits of the Serbian saints Simon Nemanja and Sava, as well as archbishops Arsenije I and Danilo I.
After the Bishoprics of the Serbian Orthodox Church united in 1920, metropolitan Dimitrije was enthroned in Pec as the first Patriarch after 1766, of the renewed Serbian Patriarchate. Ever since, all the elected patriarchs have been enthroned ceremonially in this monastery. The Patriarchate of Pec is under the administration of the Patriarch himself as the stavropegic Monastery, and exempted from the jurisdiction of the regional bishopric.
The whole Patriarchate of Pec used to be girdled with a wall strengthened with five towers, one of the donjon additionally fortified. Of some monastic facilities, only foundations have survived. The residence at the back of the churchyard were set on fire by Albanian terrorists in 1981; the restoration begun in 1983. when the new residential quarters were erected and the reconstruction works in the northeastern part of the yard were completed in 1991.
The Treasury of the Patriarchate of Pec was one of the richest treasuries in the Serbian medieval state. In spite of the unfortunate loss of most of the precious pieces, there is the oldest Cyrillic book of whole Balkans - the "Octoich Petoglasnika", completed in Cetinje at the beginning of 1494. as the superb example of hand-written books.
Today, the monastery is still one of the most important Serbian Orthodox centers in the Region with the sisterhood of 24 nuns. After the war 1998-1999 the monastery became an important center for the remaining Serbs in the area. At the moment in Pec town only these nuns remain. They live in everyday struggle to preserve this holy site and provide necessary humanitarian assistance to the neighboring Serb enclaves of Gorazdevac and Osojane. The monastery also owns the metochion of Budisavci, near Klina where two nuns remain under the constant KFOR protection. Since 2006. it is listed in UNESCO cultural Heritage of exceptional importance in danger.
By the legend, it is founded in 13th century during the reign of Serb King Dragutin. Besides the legend, the existing church lies on the ruins of the earlier medieval monastery dating from 11th century, and got its name by monks who most probably built it and lived their ascetic life's in the nearby caves far away from the other inhabitants. The first written documents about the monastery date from 1572. The unusual way of construction and the beautifully built iconostasis certify that patron took orthodox Yermenians to have the monastery built. The very well preserved frescoes are done in 1622., presenting the portrait of patron and other historical scenes : Great feasts, The Christ Sacrifice, portraits of saints, St.John with wings, that is compared to the famous fresco of The White Angel by its mild calmness and beauty. The nuns take care and operate the life of the monastery.
The newly built Soko Monastery, constructed in 1991. in the magnificent scenery is dedicated to the St. Nikolai Velimirovic on the former place of Soko Town, only to be reached by the narrow foot path. The ruins of the former walls are still visible over which dominates the remarkable orthodox golden cross, 12 meters high, that spreads its shine even in the dark. The spring, falling from its natural settings and modern building knowledge and spirit, create the waterfalls of incomparable beauty.
Sokolica Monastery is situated on the slopes of Sokolica hill, 10 km east from Zvecan Fortification, close to Kosovska Mitrovica. It is assumed that the church was built by the Serbian nobility between the 14th and the 15th century to glorify the God's will of the miraculous healing spring close to the Monastery church, as no historical records exist about this shrine. Besides the main church all present buildings date from the more recent period. At the beginning of the twentieth century the school was operating within the Monastery. The architectural repairs and conservation works took place in 1995/1996. A new dormitories of the monks was built in the 1980's. The splendid example of the Byzantine art, the marble sculpture of the Virgin and Child dimensions 106 x 67,50 cm dating back to 1312.-1316 is kept in the Monastery. Nowadays all surroundings are settled by Albanian population as the last Serb family moved from this small village in 1967. Since 1956. it is the true monastic place of nuns significantly engaged in icon-painting and fresco-painting in their delicate devotion. Mother Makarija /Macaria/, the Abbess of Monastery, is known as one of the most prized icon-painters in Serbia for theological and artisan skills, besides her doctorate in chemistry and acknowledgments from the Theological Faculty in Thessaloniki.
Holy Archangels Monastery is the huge complex of holy shrines encompassing an area of approximately 6.500 sq m situated in the gorgeous Bistrica River gorge, 3 km south from Prizren. It is preserved by its premium strategic position on the high slope of Sara mountain and well-kept as the stronghold surrounded by walls around the whole complex that is connected with Visegrad fortification on top of the safeguarding point. A bridge across Bistrica River used to connect the Monastery Complex with Tzar Dusan's Castle at Ribnik and the Royal Palace in Prizren. It was built on the site of an older church during the period from 1343. to 1352. as the glorious endowment and the monumental burial Church of Serbian Tzar Dusan, the most powerful Balkan ruler of the age and was dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel. Within the vast Monastery Complex the smaller St.Nicola's Church was built next to the main Monastery, as well as the spacious refectory Complex including the large dining place, the large Library and the Hospital to house over 200 monks. The Monastery estate stretched from Sara Mountain to the Adriatic Sea, comprising 93 villages, mills, an iron mine in Toplica, fertile land and vineyards and the whole revenue from the rich Prizren market with privileges given to the Monastery by Tzar Dusan founding Charter /probably issued in 1348/ so made it the richest Serbian medieval Monastery. Cooking oil arrived from Bar and fish from Skadar and Plav Lakes while the salt, the silk, the wine, the honey and selected craftsmen were engaged in construction of this aristocratic place. Amongst the craftsmen given to the Monastery by the Founding Charter, there were master builders Petros, Vojislav, Srdan, Nos and Vojhina together with the first abbot, the blessed Metropolitan Jacob, responsible for the master-piece building. The monastery of the Holy Archangels, for instance, was placed under the jurisdiction of neither the Bishop nor the Archbishop, but of the Emperor himself. When Tzar Dusan died, 20. December 1355. his body was buried in monumental grave. The reconciliation of the Serbian Church and the Patriarchate of Constantinople took place in the Monastery in 1375., which was an important historian event when the Divine Liturgy was served at the tomb of Tzar Dusan.
The first time Monastery was heavily damaged was in 1455. when Turks took over Prizren. The following period of Turkish occupation gave evidence of the decline of the entire Monastery complex and in the second half of the 16th century its complete devastation begun. The Church was completely destroyed by Sinan Pasha and the material from the the destroyed monastery was used in 1615. for the construction of his mosque in Prizren /the evidences on stones used for mosque building are still easily visible/. After that, the monastic complex fell completely into ruin, and, abandoned, became largely covered with earth deposited from the hill-side, the holy shrine remained in this condition for three centuries.
After all the devastation it had suffered, only the ramparts of the monumental monastic complex have survived, triangular in base with outer ramparts running along the course of the river. Their appearance has been uncovered in excavations, when numerous architectural elements of exquisite profiles and rich sculptural ornaments were discovered. A careful analysis of all finds gives a complex picture of different ideas and stylistic influences intertwined in a specific manner in the ruler's mausoleum.
The main church, dedicated to the "strategists" and "leaders of the heavenly powers," Michael and Gabriel, was - as evidenced by the ground plan - one of the grandest monuments of Serbian architecture, a display of the sovereign's power in the epoch of the huge prosperity of the medieval state. At the same time and in the same fashion, a smaller church of St. Nicholas was erected next to it. With its position and choice of patron it corresponded to the tradition of allowing special space on the southern side - either in the edifice itself /as in the Virgin Ljeviska and Decani Monastery/ or in the form of an added chapel /as in Pec/ - to St. Nicholas, a much revered arch priest and patron whose cult was venerated in wide circles of society. The elevated model that the Emperor harbored in memories of the Byzantine capital was of the renowned, classic cross-in-square type. A large dome resting on tall piers built of stone blocks 160 cm wide topped the central portion of the nags. The numerous remains of its cross-sections - a large number of which have been incorporated into the Prizren mosque - indicate that the drum may have had twelve or even sixteen sides. The windows piercing the drum, perhaps double, measuring almost one meter in width, afforded sufficient light to the spacious and clearly articulated interior. The dome, however, after the Constantinople's practice which had left but a few traces in Serbia, was of a melon shape. Nevertheless, it is not possible to determine with more precision the height at which it stood, even when the logical proportions of the structure are taken into consideration; in all likelihood, it was not lower than the elegant Decani dome, always referred to as "lofty" /Visoki/ in epic poetry. The upper section of the church, although simply structured, was not only reduced to a high sub-domical area and barrel-vaulted cross-arms. Numerous fragments of carved stone with characteristic profiles suggest that, as in the Virgin Ljeviska and Gracanica, the lower areas, i.e. corners, were crowned with octagonal domes. Finally, one dome, in all probability blind, rose above the central of the three bays forming an open narthex. Between the pillars on the west side, as well as in the north and south, were two-light mullioned windows with parapets in the lower portions, protecting the translucent interior of the narthex on windy and rainy days.
The character of the space and its construction scheme were readily distinguishable on the face of the building in a manner characteristic of Byzantine architecture. In the interior, behind the rhythmically arranged pilaster strips were shallow pilasters supporting the construction, or the walls themselves. The arches on the gables presumably marked the construction of vaults spanning the arms of the cross. The base of the entire building was reinforced with a tall slanting socle. It prevented water from penetrating the foundations, thus protecting the interior from moisture which especially threatened the murals. The roofs also safeguarded the frescoes with lead tiles whose forms outlined all elements of the upper construction, primarily the vaults, usually the first to suffer damage. Like other endowments rulers erected with the intention of being buried in them, the Holy Archangels echoed stone facing and ornamentation in the spirit of western art, a feature characterizing a church built in Studenica by the Emperor's grandparent Stefan Nemanja. The construction of Dusan's mausoleum was also entrusted to masons from coastal towns chiefly from Kotor, some of whom had probably been engaged on the erection of Decani as well. However, the facades here did not entirely echo the exterior of that monastery. Characteristic Romanesque blind arcades from the 12th century commonly running along the horizontal and sloping terminations of the walls below the roof are not part of this shrine. In all likelihood they were replaced in the subdomical area by cornices containing densely carved slender, stooping stalks whose fragments have been found in fair numbers in the ruins. A novelty worthy of attention were horizontal, simple projecting cornices whose character and position can be determined with more certainty on the basis of the appearance of the church of St. Nicholas. They heralded the subsequent regular occurrence of cordon bands horizontally dividing the facades of churches within the decorative system of the Morava school. On the other hand, western sculptural practice introduced rose windows with radial mullions, tripled arches between them, framed with sculptural decoration. The profiles of their fragments suggest that there were two different rose windows, probably adorning the main fronts of the Holy Archangels and St. Nicholas, as was the case with churches on the Adriatic coast. It is interesting that twenty years later, although carved in a different manner, they became a common feature in stone decoration on the facades of a new stylistic trend in Serbian architecture. The portal, the appearance of which is difficult to reconstruct on the basis of surviving fragments, was executed in multicolored stone and broadly developed with projecting door-posts and arch-volts enriched by relief carving, flanked by lions which may have supported free-standing colonetts. The repertoire of ornaments framing the apertures was also characteristic of the long transitional period from the Romanesque epoch to Gothic. Apart from tiers of stylized acanthus, mazes of tendrils with foliage and flowers, bands with vegetative ornaments in shallow relief carving already announcing the approach of Morava sculpted decoration. The Emperor's sarcophagus was built up and faced with slabs while his life-size reclining figure was posed on the upper stone lid. Regrettably, particulars about his appearance are not known for not all uncovered fragments have survived to the present day. The representation, however, was interesting because it was the first time in medieval Serbian art that a ruler was depicted - after funerary portraits in the West - in high relief. Visitors were most dazzled by the opulence of the stone pavement in the interior; it remained strongly impressed on the memory of those recollecting it from times before demolition. Praising the beauty of the church, the writer of the genealogy of the "Serbian emperors" from the outset of the 16th century stated that he did not know whether any other such church existed "under the sun," and added, making mention of works elsewhere, that such a floor was nowhere to be found. Large tiles were embellished with massive figures of beasts and geometrical designs of broad bands on a mosaic ground. The general disposition of ornaments was determined by the space structure so that the surfaces of the related sections, the naos and the subdomical area in particular, comprised separate decorative units that render it possible to conjure up with more certainty the relationship between individual elements and their rhythm. Thus, it has been noted that triangular fields bore two figures of lions, birds with the tails of snakes, winged animals and dragons, always confronting each other, and that the space between the pillars supporting the dome was paved with alternate rectangular and square slabs. The representations of beasts, occasionally inlaid into smaller fields within tranquil and firm ornaments, were impressed on the smooth surface with delicate cuts not only defining the contours but also supplementing the shapes of bodies, outlining feathers and marking the eyes. After that, the cut-in, hollowed back ground surrounding them was filled with rose-colored mortar /obtained by adding ground brick powder/, and into it were laid differently cut cubes of multicolored stones. The slabs were predominantly of light-colored slate, but also of one type of breccia of a magenta color, quite similar to that utilized in the construction of Decani. Thus, the whole attracted attention not only with its nobility of form for which the master had found excellent prototypes, but also with its pictorial richness. The church of St. Nicholas, built in the same manner but with more modest stone paving, is in a better state of preservation, thus enabling us to reconstruct its general appearance with more certainty. A simple naos is separated from the bema by two tall columns which, with corner pilasters, support powerful arches and the dome above them. The narthex with openings and leaning arches was also vaulted with a calotte, somewhat broader but certainly blind. Finally, the apertures on the north and south sides - as well as in the narthex of the Holy Archangels - were in all probability divided by columns with arches while its lower portions were covered by tiles in a manner known both in the architecture of Constantinople and Thessalonica, the latter being closer to Serbia. The parekklesion of St. Nicholas represented a remarkable achievement in the architecture of its kind, intended for special services, and of elegant proportions. Superb masonry work was utilized in its construction.
The monks whose number is unknown to us had their cells in the dormitory raised by the ramparts towards the river. According to the typikon, they gathered twice a day in the refectory which distinguished itself by its size and rather rare cruciform plan. Of its walls, only the lower sections have survived, but the dimensions and character of the structure leave no doubt that the spacious central part with a broad apse was roofed by a wooden structure supported on lateral sides - perhaps somewhat lower towards the spaces - by powerful pillars with arches. The style in which the refectory was built, however, was different - it was Byzantine, with blocks of stones, occasionally semi -dressed, interspersed with layers of brick. It is evident that the construction of this edifice, as well as of the dormitory and subsidiary structures, was entrusted to different artists.
Formerly, the refectory left a strong impression with its forms and volume, natural in the magnificent surroundings of other structures, powerful fortifications and the rocky mountain with steep sides between which, in the ravine, flowed the Bistrica river. This appearance of the monastery became deeply entrenched in people's memory and for centuries they concocted legends about it and lit candles on its ruins. Twice a year, on the feast days of the Holy Archangels, in summer and autumn, they gathered from afar at night, and waited for the sunrise praying with priests. One traveler left an exciting description of this ancient shrine in darkness, with the contours outlined solely by the candlelight of the faithful. During outrageous pogrom on 17th March 2004., when the “Tzar's town” Prizren was burnt and heavily destructed as well as many other places throughout Kosovo and Metohija settled by Serbs, The Holy Archangels Monastery was attacked in the most blasphemous manner, destroyed to the ground and set in flame by blasphemous Albanians during the six hours vandalic attack, that was witnessed by KFOR forces. Just few moments before brutal attack in order to avoid human tragedy, the Monastery was deserted and monks were forced to move to nearby village barracks.
Amongst many victims of Kosovo and Metohija tragedy, there are monks of the Holy Archangels Monastery, Fr. Chariton and Fr. Stefan who were executed by Kosovo Albanian terrorists during the bloody aftermath of Kosovo war. They were abducted and killed only because they were Orthodox Serb monks. With their martyring death they suffered for Christ together with many other killed Christian Serbs and more than 100 destroyed or desecrated Orthodox churches in Kosovo and Metohija. May they rest in peace with the Lord whom they loved so much !
Fr. Chariton Lukic was a monk in the Holy Archangels Monastery. He was born on November 21, 1960 in central Serbia and became a monk in Kosovo in 1995. Fr. Chariton was kidnapped by armed persons wearing UCK /KLA/ uniforms and insignia on June 16, 1999 in the streets of Prizren. In the time of his disappearance the German KFOR troops have already entered Prizren area. Unfortunately they were followed by armed gangs of UCK extremists who have killed and kidnapped a dozen of Serbs in the city during the first days.
The body of Fr. Chariton decapitated and severely mutilated was found near Prizren in August 2000 and his remains were burried in Crna Reka Monastery
