Rudenica Monastery
Rudenica Monastery with the Church dedicated to Saint Ilija is located in the vicinity of Aleksandrovac, only few kilometers from Veluće Monastery. Rudenica Monastery is situated above the village with the same name, at the edge of forestry hill beside the spring and it is heavy accessible and thus completely lonely. The founders of the Rudenica church are noblemen Vukašin and his wife Vukosava who built their endowment in 1410 in the “Morava school of architecture”, during the reign of Despot Stefan Lazarevic.
The Church of Rudenica Monastery has a trefoil base and was built of stones, with the outer five-sided apses, that are semicircular from inside. On the western side of the Rudenica Church is the narthex, above which rises shallow callotte, while the eight-sided dome sits above the central part of the church – the nave. The manner of construction by stone and bricks has been imitated by fresco painting technique on the facades of the Rudenica Monastery church.
As the founders’ portraits in the lower zone on the western wall are depicted Despot Stefan holding the church in his hands and his brother Vuk on the southern side from the entrance. St. Constantine and Helena are depicted on the northern side from the entrance while Vukašin and his wife Vukosava whose portraits look towards Depot Stefan are presented on the southern wall. Except the founders’ names there are not many records on the building of Rudenica church. There is the legend about the construction of nearby Veluće Monastery that was built by the stone dug from the place of former ore-mine. The builder took the half of the stone intended for Veluće church and had built Rudenica Monastery. At the time when half of Veluće church was built the construction of Rudenica Monastery was finished. Because of that Despot Jovan cursed Rudenica Monastery never to become flourishing. The church of Rudenica Monastery was in ruins until 1936 when it was reconstructed. In regard with its size Rudenica church features very rich stone carved decoration. There are seven two-light windows and several rosettes on the facade of the Rudenica Monastery, rich in floral motifs and traditional elements, making its decoration of the facade very diversified.
