Saint George Monastery Temska

Temska Monastery with the church dedicated to the Holy Martyr Saint George has been built in the second half of the 16th century on the ruins of the fortification from the 11th century by Dejanovic Family members who were relatives/nephews of Tsar Dusan. Temska Monastery got its name after the particular Temac ancient settlement located nearby.

Temska Monastery has three-nave basis with the semicircular altar apse and the low eight-sided dome that sits on the arches. The monastery church itself of Saint George – Temska Monastery was constructed of the white stone and covered by stone layers. In 1654 a vault was added above the narthex instead of the wooden construction of Saint George Monastery in Temska village and the porch was painted with beautiful frescoes. The Temska Monastery fresco decoration of great quality has been performed by the Serbian fresco painters between 1567 and 1654 and represents scenes of hermits, warriors and saints as well as the scenes of Saint George’s life.

The monastery dormitory and living quarters of Temska Monastery, built in the 18th century represent the excellent examples of the local folk architecture which distinguish themselves and can not be found in any other Serbian Monastery. The entire complex of Saint George Monastery feature various objects built in the same architectural style, and a magnificent garden full of flowers that greatly contribute to the extraordinary tranquil atmosphere. The Abbot Partenius had reconstructed the Saint George Monastery in 1699, when he built a fountain which still exists. The Monastery of Saint George in Temska village was a prominent spiritual and cultural center of the Pirot region in the period between the 17th and the 19th century. A monastery school existed for a long time in the western residence of Temska complex which was one of the few educational institutions in this region of Serbia in the 19th century. Behind the Church of Saint George Monastery in Temska village there is the monument to Captain Milutin Karanovic, a hero killed in December 1877 during liberation of Pirot and Gornje Ponisavlje area from the Turkish conquest which lasted several centuries. By its architecture Monastery of Saint George in Temska village resembles the Saint John the Theologian Monastery in Poganovo village in the valley of Jerma River. In Saint George Monastery Temska various natural balm and balsams which have curative effects are produced in traditional way from medicinal herbs of Stara Planina, such are balms for curing Eczema, Psoriasis, Dermatitis, Neurodermatitis, Atopic dermatitis, Skin allergies, Acne, Burnt skin, Insect bits, Hemorrhoids, Varicose Veins, Alopecia, Sinusitis, Inflammation of the ears and Open wounds. We are always at disposal to make appointment since all asking for such medicaments and advice how to apply them need to come personally to the Temska Monastery. Monastery of Saint George in Temska village is located 10 km north of Pirot, 2 km away away from the village of Temska at the very entrance to Temstica River Canyon, on the road from Pirot direction Kalna village and town of Knjaževac, via Stara planina Mountain.