8/12/2019 Karta Manastira Srbije Eng 1 edition

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REPOSITORIES NATIONAL TOURISMORGANISATIONof SERBIA

SERBIAN MONASTERIES STARI RASBETWEEN EAST AND WEST

KOSOVO AND METOHIJARISE OF SERBIAN EMPIRE

In the picturesque gorge ofthe WestMorava, on the precipitous slopesofOvar and Kablar mountains,there is aunique community ofmonas-teries knownas the SerbianHoly Mountain.The monasteries were beingbuiltinXIV andXVcenturies, inthe turbulenttimes whenthe Turkish Em-pire putthe Serbianterritory under control.Retreatingfrom the Turkishconquerors,Serbianmonks foundasolitary andisolatedspotinthe gorgeandstartedbuildingthe monasteries.Traditionhas it,thatthere weremore thanforty monasteries on that small space, and today there areten: Blagovetenje (Annunciation), Vavedenje (Presentationof Mary),Vaznesenje (Ascension), Ilinje, Jovanje, Nikolje, Preobraenje (Trans-figuration), Sretenje (Presentationof Jesus atthe Temple),Uspenje (As-sumption) and Svete Trojice (The Holy Trinity) monasteries.For centu-ries,those monasteries preservedthe orthodox spirituality andnationalawareness ofthe Serbs.Refugees alsohidhere - inthe gorge andnearbycaves.Cultural andartistic activities were never discontinuedinthe Ser-bianHoly Mountain- eveninthe mostdifficultoftimes.In XVI century,schools for copyingbooks worked there,churches were decorated withfrescoes,icons were paintedand valuable objects were designed.

MONASTERIES OFOVARKABLAR GORGEHARBOUR OF SERBIAN CULTURE

FRUKA GORASERBIAN HOLY MOUNTAIN

MORAVIAN SERBIAON EUROPEAN DEFENSIVE WALL

FREEISSUE

nSerbia,there are more thantwo hundredmon-aste rie s, 54 of w hic h, have b e en d e cl are d c ul-tural monuments,while StariRas (OldRas) withSopoani, Studenica and the medieval Serbian

monasteries inKosovo and Metohija,namely Deani,Graanica,Peka patrijarija(Patriarchate ofPe) andBogorodica Ljevika(Our Lady ofLjevi) have beenin-scribedonto the UNESCO world cultural heritage list.Notedfor their importantcultural and spiritual herit-age which are ofpermanentvalue toEuropean history,andindeed, the whole world.

Hiddenin woodedareas, under cliffs or on the moun-tain rivers sources,the monasteries enshrine the se-renity ofmonasticlife. Close by refectories,temporary

lodgings andrepositories were built,and stone wallsprotectedthem. Yet,historically, the Serbian monas-teries have not isolatedthemselves from the rest ofthe world.They have always been places for people togather,as is the case today andtheir gates remainopentowelcome visitors.

In the Middle Ages,monasteries were very significant:As the Europeanculture was developingunder the ae-gis ofthe church,places for prayingandpilgrimage be-came national anchorages andhotbeds for educationandart. Knowingandunderstandingtheir role andsig-nificance,all Serbianrulers withoutexception,startingwith the Nemanjifamily,builtnumerous monasteries.Insteadof buildingsumptuous palaces,these fightersfor high principles builtmonasteries as their pledge forthe future.Their endowments testify to their donatorsfaith, perseverance anddevotionto spiritual values,andalso tothe creative energy ofthat era.

The thrivingpopularity ofthe Serbian monasteries startedwith StefanNemanja,the founder of the Serbianstate,in the secondhalfofXII cen-tury.In the vicinity ofthe firstresidence, the townof Ras,the monaster-ies Sv.Nikola (St.Nicholas) inKurumlija, Sv. Bogorodica (Our Lady)inToplicaand urevistupovi (GeorgesPillars) emergedone after an-other;however,in later eras,they were unfortunately heavily stricken.Asachurch builder,Nemanjalaidthe foundations for acenturies-longrulerstradition,and his laste ndowment,the monastery ofStudenica,was agreatbuildingthat future builders identifiedwith.

As the Byzantine power weakenedin XIII century,an opportunity arosefor Nemanjas successors tobuildthe state and cultural identities oftheircountry.In ia,Stefan the First-Crownedwas crownedking, and SavaNemanjimade the monastery the centre ofthe independent Serbian

Archbishopric.The ideaof anideal Christianblendof the Church andthestate was embodiedinthe monasteries as such,they became spiritual,political andcultural centres.It was here thatthe mostimportantpagesinSerb history were written.

InXIII century,followinga critical pointin terms of interests andinflu-ences,Serbiacreatedits national art,which resultedfroma blendofin-fluences typical ofthe Romanesque andByzantine arts. The originality ofsuch an art blendwas manifestedin the Bogorodinacrkva (Our LadysChurch) in Studenica,permeated with the Romanesque style inthe dec-orationof the marble faades andinthe sculpture onthe portals andthewindows;however,its interiority is spiritually Byzantine andthe walls arepaintedwith frescoes ofsurreal beauty.

The monumental Beli Aneo(White Angel) inthe monastery ofMileevais the mostbeautiful example ofthat extraordinary style basedon har-mony andthe classical ideals ofbeauty. In Sopoani,builta little later,thatstyle reachedperfection.The solemnand rejoicingSopoani figuresexude internal beauty with dignifiedexpression.Thatis the antique con-ceptofart, a sortof Renaissance celebratingthe beauty ofhumanna-ture.Sopoani is the Sistine Chapel ofthe SerbianMiddle Ages.

The mostbelovedSerbian Queen,Jelena Anujska(HelenAnjou), was theone tobringthe touch of the Gothicstyle toSerbia.The French princess,marriedto KingUro I,is fondly rememberedtohave beena greatben-efactress,andthe first female donator inSerbia. Her endowmentGradacwas built on the example of Studenica, with the interweaving of theFrench Gothicstyle elements.

Atthe beginningofXIVcentury, KingMilutinrelocated the capital ofSer-biatoPrizren (Kosovo) andwenttoconquer Byzantiums southernterrito-ries.A five-year-oldByzantine princess,Simonida,who,as the guarantorofpeace, was marriedto Milutinandbrought toSerbia Constantinopleseducation,ceremonies,dress,food andculture, andas such,the Serbianculture was transformedindirect contrastwith Imperial Byzantium.

Inhis life,KingMilutinbuiltmore than40endowments.ThroughoutKos-ovo,famous builders fromConstantinople andThessaloniki builtchurch-es inthe formof across ina square,with one or five domes,whose exte-rior was intricately decoratedwith stones andbricks.The masterpiece ofthatparticular style is Graanica, a harmonious anddynamic building,where the Byzantine ideaofthe church as apicture of universeis perfect-ly realized.KingMilutinbroughtthe distinguishedByzantine painters Mi-

chael andEuthychios to decorate his endowments.Their extraordinaryfrescoes in Bogorodica Ljevika, as well as inother royal endowmentsrepresentthe mostbeautiful Constantinoples pieces ofart ofthat era.

After Milutins death, the conquering continued in the south and, si-multaneously,estate-owners and ecclesiastical circles abruptly gainedgreater power.They became the new donators andbuiltmore and moremonasteries.Peka patrijarijawas the spiritual center ofthe state andalsothe place where the Serbianstate reached the peak ofits fame inPe,Stefan Duanwas crownedEmperor andSerbiabecame anempire.ThroughoutDuans vastempire,monasteries were alsosignificantedu-cational andcultural centres.There, books were translatedand copied,schools andbig libraries established,and, in the imperial monastery ofDeani,there was also the renownedschool for icon-painting.

KOSOVO is currently administratedby UNMIKbased onUnited NationsSecurity Council ResolutionNo.1244.

The powerful empire of the Serbian Middle Ages fell after EmperorDuans death.After the Turks hadpenetratedinto the BalkanPeninsula,the states rulingcentre relocatedto the west,tothe valley ofthe Mora-va.However, besides the chaoticpolitical circumstances,in the state ofPrince Lazars andhis son DespotStefans,culture surprisingly flourished.Facedwith the Islamic invasionin a longand almost incessantwar-ringduringthe lastdecades ofXIV andinthe firsthalfofXVcentury,themonasteries became real fortifications.Ravanica and Manasijaare sur-roundedby the great walls fortifiedwith tall towers for defendingfromthe Turksattacks.Withinthe monasterieswalls,Serbiadefiedthe enemywith its culture,which was the ultimate defence.Despot Stefanaccom-modatedthe learned, writers and artists from conqueredcountries. InManasija,the Resava ManuscriptSchool worked hard, and,there,thedespothimself wrote his Slovoljubve,one of the mostbeautiful poems

ofthe Serbianmedieval poetry.

The Moravian churches Lazarica, Ravanica, Ljubostinja and Kaleniwere a new type ofchurch,where decorative sculpture hada significantplace.Onthe portals,windows,rosettes andarches,interweavingbandsandfantastic animals,as well as humanfigures come one after another.The Moravianornament is abrandnovelty andproofof the epochs crea-tive power.

Onthe Morava Schools frescoes,the greatByzantine paintingtraditionblazed for the last time. Manasijas and Kalenis elegant aristocraticpaintingexudes lyrical atmospherics andsophistication.Divine clothes,precious jewels,shiningvessels and unusual hoods followingthe fashionofthat time,transformed the walls ofthe Moravianchurches intoa his-torical document for understandingthe spiritof the time which disap-pearedfor goodwith the fall ofSmederevo,in 1459,and the decline oftheSerbianmedieval state.

LIFE DEVOTED TO PRAYERAND WORK

Although mostly builtin the medieval eras,the monasteries remainac-tive today too.Monks livingthere, live accordingto the ancientmonas-ticrule: prayer andwork.That is why serenity andhappiness emergingoutof the harmonious blendof the spiritual andthe physical permeatethem.Also,they are distinguishedby the familiar hospitality oforthodoxmonasticismfromthe Holy Mountainto Russia,so they will engage youwith respectand humanwarmth.The fruits ofmonasticwork vary fromspiritual,such as books,icons andprayer beads tophysical goods,suchas honey,wine, medicinal teas andnice fabrics.Enteringa monastery inSerbiamakes you feel as ifyou were steppingout fromthe race oflivinginthe real worldand instead,stepping intotranquility which,can sym-bolise thatperhaps,e ternity is nottoofar fromus.

Although the hills ofFrukaGora inSrem are by far knownfor its beauti-ful nature andnoble varieties ofgrapes usedfor producingthe bestqual-ity wine,itis,first ofall, knownfor its monasteries,whose buildingstart-edhere after the GreatMigrationof the Serbs in1690,whenthe Serbsmovedto Hungary and,exiled by the Turks,shelteredthere. Frukagorais frequently saidtobe the SerbianHoly Mountain because onits slopesthere are numerous monasteries,and consequently,the spiritual centreofexiledSerbs was establishedthere the Metropolitanate ofKarlovci.InFrukagoras monasteries,the spirituality andculture ofthe Serbs havebeenpreserved through centuries;they were alsoan importantpoliticalcentre andwere the symbol ofthe national resistance tothe Turkish Em-pire.

In the monasteriesKruedol,Vrdnikor NovoHopovo (New Hopovo),

there is the evidence ofa greatartistic renaissance thatemerged whenitcrossed with the West-Europeanculture.In FrukaGora, the authenticbaroque style was incepted,the firstprintingshops openedand Serbiangraphics were born.Very tall and decorative baroque bell-towers werebuilt to churches,along with baroque iconostases with big and richlycarvedwooden separationwalls coveredwith icons paintedby the bestSerbianpainters ofthat time inside them.While openingtowards the Eu-ropeanculture,there was a vividremembrance ofthe goldenera oftheNemanjifamily epoch,so,the specificstyle ofthe Serbian baroque cametosurface inthat blendofthe modernand the traditional.For all that,the seventeenpreserved FrukaGoras monasteries have agreatsignifi-cance inSerbias cultural andhistorical heritage.

Imprint:NationalTourismOrganisationofSerbia8ikaLjubinaStreet,11000BelgradePhone:+381116557100Fax:+381112626767E-mail:office@serbia.travel

www.srbija.travel

Forpublisher:GordanaPlamenac,directorEditor:SmiljanaNoviiText:JasminaMilovanoviTranslation:SlobodanRakiLanguageeditor:RussellStenhouseDesign:MarijanaMarkoskaPhotographs:DraganBosni,BrankoJovanovi,GoranNikoli,VladimirSretenovi,DragoljubZamuroviMappingboard:MerkurSVPrint:Komazecd.o.o.ThefirsteditioninEnglish,2012Circulation:10,000ISBN978-86-6005-223-2

CIP-,

271.222(497.11)-523.4/.6(084.3)

MILOVANOVI,Jasmina,1972-Serbia[Kartografskagraa]:monasteries

map/textJasminaMilovanovi;translationSlobodanRaki.-Beograd:TuristikaorganizacijaSrbije,2012(Inija:Komazec).-1geogr.karta:uboji;70x50cm

Tira10.000.-Sadrilegendu,spisakmanastiraikratketekstoveosrpskojsrednjevekovnojumetnostisafotografijama.

ISBN978-86-6005-223-2

a)--COBISS.SR-ID189360908

SERBIAMONASTERIES

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The most famous Serbianfresco, White Angel ofMileeva,was firstbroadcast viasatellite in1963, asEuropes greetingfor America.Alittle later,the samesignal was sentintospace.

Sopoani

Sveta Trojica Deani Miroslavs Evangel

Peka patrijarija Manasija (Resava) Ravanica (Vrdnik)

The mostfamous Serbianmanuscript, MiroslavsEvangel ,writ-tenat the court of Prince Miroslav, Nemanjas brother,around1180,is decoratedwith luxurious miniatures,vignettes, and theRomanicstyle initial letters (UNESCO,program Remembranceofthe World).

TOURISTINFORMATION

andSOUVENIRSHOPinBelgrade,ikaLjubinaStreet8,

Phone:+381116557127,info@serbia.travel

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If you visit ia, Studenica, Gradac, urevi Stupovi orSopoani,you will findyourselfon the EuropeanTransromanicaroute which links Europes Romanicheritage. Onthat importantcultural route,which makes its promotionpossible, the Serbianmonasteries are amust visit attractionowingto their originalcontributiontothe European cultural heritage legacy.

NATIONALTOURISMORGANISATIONofSERBIA

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Repositories emergedatthe same time with the foundationofthe mon-asteries as donators andnumerous pilgrims giftedvaluable artisticandliturgical objects.Today,inthe monasteriesrepositories chinacabinets,visitors cansee the monasteriesrelics, evangels,chalices, goldcrosses,ecclesiasticembroidery,silver-platedicons and many other valuable ob-jects.

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