MORAVIAN SERBIA SERBIA Between East and West Rise of Serbian Empire on European Defensive Wall
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www.serbia.travel The solemn and rejoicing Sopoćani figures Ascension of the Mother of God, Sopoćani monastery, At the beginning of XIV century, King Dečani monastery, XIV century The powerful empire of the Serbian Middle Manasija monastery, XV century of SERBIA of exude internal beauty and dignified fresco, detail, XIII century Milutin relocated the capital of Serbia Ages fell after Emperor Dušan’s death. ORGANISATION expression. That is the antique concept of to Prizren (Kosovo) and went to conquer After the Turks had penetrated into NATIONAL TOURISM NATIONAL art, a sort of Renaissance celebrating the Byzantium’s southern territories. A five- the Balkan Peninsula, the state center beauty of human nature. Sopoćani is the year-old Byzantine princess, Simonida, relocated to the west, to the valley of the Sistine Chapel of the Serbian Middle Ages. who, as the guarantor of peace, was Morava. However, besides the chaotic married to Milutin, brought to Serbia political circumstances, in Prince Lazar’s Constantinople’s education, ceremonies, and his son Despot Stefan’s state, culture manner of dressing and food culture, and unusually flourished. the Serbian culture transformed in a direct contact with Imperial Byzantium. Monasteries Map Monasteries STARI RAS KOSOVO AND METOHIJA MORAVIAN SERBIA SERBIA Between East and West Rise of Serbian Empire On European Defensive Wall MONASTERIES – PAINTING PERFECTION IN THE SPIRIT OF Faced with the Islamic invasion in a long FAMOUS DECORATIVE BACKBONE OF IDENTITY The monumental Beli Anđeo (White BYZANTIUM and almost incessant warring during the SCULPTURES last decades of XIV and in the first half of As the Byzantine power weakened in Angel) in the monastery of Mileševa In his life, King Milutin built more than The Moravian churches Lazarica, XV century, the monasteries became real XIII century, an opportunity arose for is the most beautiful example of that 40 endowments. Throughout Kosovo, Ravanica, Ljubostinja and Kalenić are a fortifications. Ravanica and Manasija Nemanja’s successors to build the state extraordinary style based on harmony famous builders from Constantinople new type of church, where decorative are belted by the great walls fortified and cultural identities of their country. and the classical ideals of beauty. In and Thessaloniki built churches in the sculpture had a significant place. On the with tall towers for defending from the In Žiča, Stefan the First-Crowned was Sopoćani, built a little later, that style form of a cross in a square, with one or portals, windows, rosettes and arches, Pećka Patrijaršija monastery, XIII century Turks’ attacks. Within the monasteries’ crowned king, and Sava Nemanjić reached perfection. The solemn and five domes, whose exteriority was richly interweaving bands and fantastic walls, Serbia defied the enemy with made the monastery the center of the rejoicing Sopoćani figures exude internal decorated with stones and bricks. The animals as well as human figures its culture, which was the ultimate independent Serbian Archbishopric. The beauty and dignified expression. That masterpiece of that style is Gračanica, MONASTERIES – CENTRES come one after another. The Moravian defense. Despot Stefan accommodated idea of an ideal Christian blend of the is the antique concept of art, a sort of a harmonious and dynamic building OF EDUCATION AND ornament is a brand novelty and a proof the learned, writers and artists from Church and the state was embodied Renaissance celebrating the beauty of making you feel it is lightweight and CULTURE of the epoch’s creative power. conquered countries. In Manasija, the in the monasteries – they became the human nature. Sopoćani is the Sistine sky-rocketing, where the Byzantine idea After Milutin’s death, conquering Resava Manuscript School worked hard, spiritual, political and cultural centers, Chapel of the Serbian Middle Ages. of the church as a picture of universe is continued in the south and, LAVISH PAINTING OF A and, there, the despot himself wrote his and, there, the most important pages of perfectly realized. King Milutin brought simultaneously, estate-owners and LYRICAL ATMOSPHERE Studenica monastery, XIII century “Slovo ljubve”, one of the most beautiful the Serbs’ history were being written. distinguished Byzantine painters ecclesiastical circles abruptly gained On the Morava School’s frescoes, the poems of the Serbian medieval poetry. Michael and Euthychios to decorate greater power. They became new great Byzantine painting tradition The thriving of the Serbian monasteries blazed for the last time. Manasija’s started with Stefan Nemanja, the EAST-WEST CONNECTION his endowments. Their extraordinary donators and built more and more frescoes in Bogorodica Ljeviška, as well monasteries. Pećka patrijaršija was and Kalenić’s elegant aristocratic founder of the Serbian state, in the In XIII century, located at a critical Gradac monastery, painting exudes lyrical atmosphere and XIII century as in other royal endowments, not at the spiritual center of the state and second half of XII century. In the vicinity juncture of roads, influences and sophistication. Divine clothes, precious of the first residence, the town of Ras, interests, Serbia created its national least lag behind the most beautiful also the place where the Serbian state Constantinople’s pieces of art of that era. reached the peak of its fame – in Peć, jewels, shining vessels and unusual the monasteries Sv. Nikola (St. Nicholas) art, which resulted from the blend of A TOUCH OF GOTHIC hoods following the fashion of that time in Kuršumlija, Sv. Bogorodica (Our the influences of the Romanesque and The most beloved Serbian Queen, Jelena Stefan Dušan was crowned Emperor and Serbia became an empire. Throughout transformed the walls of the Moravian Lady) in Toplica and Đurđevi stupovi Byzantine arts. The originality of the Anžujska (Helen Anjou), was the one to churches into a historical document (George’s Pillars) emerged one after blend is manifested in the Bogorodična bring the touch of the Gothic style to Dušan’s vast empire, monasteries were also significant educational and for understanding the spirit of the time another; however, in later eras, they crkva (Our Lady’s Church) in Studenica, Serbia. The French princess, married to which disappeared for good with the fall were unfortunately heavily stricken. permeated with the Romanesque style King Uroš I, is remembered to have been cultural centers. There, books were translated and copied, schools and big of Smederevo, in 1459, and the decline of As a church builder, Nemanja laid the in the decoration of the marble façades a great benefactress and the first female the Serbian medieval state. foundations for a centuries-long rulers’ and in the sculpture on the portals and donator in Serbia. Her endowment libraries established, and, in the imperial tradition, and his last endowment, the the windows; however, its interiority is Gradac was built on the example of monastery of Dečani, there was the monastery of Studenica, was a great spiritually Byzantine and the walls are Studenica, with the interweaving of the famous school for icon-painting. Manasija monastery, Holy Warriors fresco, Žiča monastery, XIII century Gračanica monastery, XIV century Kosovo is currently administrated by UNMIK based on United Nations detail, XV century paragon future builders identified with. painted with frescoes of surreal beauty. French Gothic style elements. Security Council Resolution No.1244. The most famous Serbian fresco, White Krušedol monastery, XVI century Although Fruška gora hills in Srem are In the picturesque gorge of the West Sretenje monastery, XVI century The most famous Serbian manuscript, Angel of Mileševa, was first broadcast via by far known for its beautiful nature and Morava, on the precipitous slopes of Miroslav’s Evangel, written at the court i satellite in 1963, as Europe’s greeting for noble sorts of grapes used for producing Ovčar and Kablar mountains, there is a of Prince Miroslav, Nemanja’s brother, America. A little later, the same signal was the best quality wine, it is, first of all, unique community of monasteries known around 1180, is decorated with luxurious Location Climate sent into space. known for its monasteries. as the Serbian Holy Mountain. miniatures, vignettes, and the Romanic 41° 52’ and 46° 11’ North latitude Humid continental, with style initial letters (UNESCO, program 18° 06’ and 23° 01’ East longitude warm summers with “Remembrance of the World”). temperatures up to 33°C Population Belgrade and snowy winters with 7,120,666 residents temperatures ranging from -5°C to 10°C. Language 2 Serbian 88.509 km Time zone Script CET, GMT+1 hour (March – Cyrillic and Latin October, GМТ+2 hours) Currency Dinar (RSD) MONASTERIES OF We invite you to join us on social networks: FRUŠKA GORA OVČAR-KABLAR GORGE REPOSITORIES @serbiatourism serbia Serbian Monasteries* Serbian Holy Mountain Harbor of Serbian Culture Gems of Ecclesiastical Art In Serbia, there are more than two praying and pilgrimage became national Vrdnik monastery, XVI century established there – Metropolitanate of CUSTODIANS OF Repositories emerged at the same time 31 hundred monasteries, 54 of which have anchorages and hotbeds for education Karlovci. In Fruška gora’s monasteries, SPRITUALITY with the foundation of the monasteries been declared cultural monuments, and art. Knowing well their role and the spirituality and culture of the Serbs For centuries, those monasteries since, from the distant past, donators while Stari Ras