3 MOST BEAUTIFUL SERBIAN MONASTERIES THAT YOU HAVE TO VISIT

Žiča monastery, source

Real cultural and historical treasure of Serbia are monasteries. They represent centers of keeping tradition and customs, but also ortodox fate. When you visit Serbia it is not meter are you believer or not, all it maters is to enjoy the beauty of this temples which are mostly built in middle age century.

• 1. ŽIČA MONASTERY 

The monastery of Žiča is a monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church located near the town of Kraljevo. The monastery, together with the Church of the Savior, was built by the first king of Serbia, Stefan Prvovenčani (Stefan the Firstborn). The monastery was destroyed in the 13th century by Turks, but it was rebuilt by King Stefan Milutin at the beginning of the 14th century.

The history of the Žiča monastery began at the moment when seven-year-old prince Rastko Nemanjić (1174-1236) decided to leave the court of his father Stefan Nemanja and dedicate himself to monastic life in the Holy Mountain of Atos. At the beginning of the 13th century, he returned from the Holy Mountain to Serbia with the relics of his holy father, Simeon Mirotočivi.  St. Sava (that was the spiritual name of prince Rastko), together with his brother Stefan, decided to build the monastery Žiča as a Serbian imperial lair. 

Žiča, source

The place where the monastery was built was equally distant from both Constantinople and Rome, which was interpreted in a way that Serbia is at a crossroads between the Orthodox East and the Roman Catholic West. 

In the third decade of the 13th century, the church was overlaid and painted in red. Believing that the church rests on the blood of the martyrs, which was seebn in the Holy Mountain, in the red-colored face of temples such as Lavra and Vatoped.

• 2. STUDENICA MONASTERY

Studenica, source

Studenica Monastery is one of the largest monasteries in Serbia. Monastery was founded by Serbian king Stefan Nemanja in 1190.

Studenica was built at the end of the 12th century. It is dedicated to the Dormition of the Holy Theotokos. The first phase of the works was completed in the spring of 1196, when Stefan Nemanja left the throne to his son Stefan Prvovenčan and retreated to his endowment. When he later went to the Hilandar Monastery, Stefan the Firstborn took care of Studenica. There, Nemanja became monch and receive the name Simeon. Saint Simeon died in Hilandar in 1199. 

Studenica from above, source

The monastery church was built as a family tomb, or crypt. To the right, in the naos is a tomb with the relics of the ktitor and the mayor of Nemanjići dinasty, Saint Simeon. In front of the altar barracks, on the right side there are relics of St. Simon (Stefan the Firstborn), and on the left there are the relics of St. Anastasia, the mother of Saint Sava.

Since 1986, the Studenica Monastery has been under the protection of UNESCO.

• 3. OSTROG MONASTERY 

Ostrog, source

This monastery is not on the territory of Serbia, but of Montenegro. Serbia and Montenegro used to be one country. But still this monastery is respected from Serbs, Montenegrins, Russians and many more who come to this place every day to pray to Saint Vasily and to see this unic monastery hidden in the rocks.

It is located in the area of Bjelopavlic, belongs to the municipality of Danilovgrad and is located in a vertical rock, which offers a view of the plain of Bjelopavlic. It was founded by the Herzegovinian Metropolitan Vasily in the 17th century. He was buried there and later canonized. 

Saint Vasily is very famous for his miracles. People all over the world come there to heal themselves. 

Beauty of Ostrog, source

St. Vasily is a great miracle creator whose miraculous works are well known outside the borders of the Serbian Orthodox Church. His sacred body rests entirely on the island of Ostrog, incompatible with the law of rotting, for more than three hundred years...

Monastery from far away, source

These are just tree monasteres from plenty of  those you should visit. There will be more texts on this theme! :)