Vraćevšnica Monastery
The Monastery of Vracevsnica, dedicated to St.George, is situated on the southern slopes of the Rudnik Mountain. Vracevsnica Monastery lies on the road connecting Gornji Milanovac and Kragujevac, hidden in the heart of thick forests and meadows, so is visible only when approached. The legend says that as the young man, Radic Postupovic, one of the most powerful nobleman of Despot Stefan Lazarevic, prayed to St.George for his safe return from Kosovo battle and founded the monastery in 1431 when his prayers were fulfilled.
Vracevsnica Monastery is small type of Morava school of architecture. Monastery is one nave structure without dome with apse which is semi circular from inside and five-sided from outside. The Church of Vraćevšnica Monastery is covered with stone and decorated with the double layer of arcades. The rich history of the Monastery is certified by its turbulent devastation and reconstruction. Vracevsnica Monastery was several time destroyed and rebuilt afterward. Monks from Decani Monastery stayed in Vracevsnica Monastery from 1805 until 1813 when they kept the Holy relics of King Stefan Decanski. In 1842 the high bell tower was built in the western side of the Vracevsnica monastery building. During the reign of Prince Milos Obrenovic Vracevsnica Monastery was totally renewed. Monastery was cultural and political center of the entire Rudnik Mountain region.
The entire complex of Vraćevšnica Monastery is enriched with three hospices-dormitories dating from the various historical periods. The oldest Dormitory has been built during the construction of the Monastery church and was rebuilt in 1834. The second Dormitory of Vracevsnica Monastery is most interesting in terms of architecture, and had been built by Prince Miloš Obrenovic in 1825. This Dormitory experienced fire in 1920, and had been restored in 1966. Next to the old Dormitory of the Monastery, another one has been built in 1868, with the bell tower, and the corridor and the entrance gate beneath it. “Baba Višnja”, mother of Prince Miloš Obrenovic was buried In the Vraćevsnica Monastery yard, which is commemorated by the monument from 1901.
