Gracanica monastery
Encyclopedia
Gračanica is a Serbian Orthodox monastery
located in Kosovo
. It was founded by the Serbian king Stefan Milutin in 1321. Gračanica Monastery was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance
in 1990, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia, and on 13 July 2006 it was placed on UNESCO
's World Heritage List under the name of Medieval Monuments in Kosovo
as an extension of the Visoki Dečani site which was overall placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Gračanica Monastery is one of King Milutin's last monumental endowments. It is situated in the village of Gračanica
, a Serb enclave
5 km (3.1 mi) from Pristina
. The monastery is in the close vicinity of Lipljan (ancient Roman town of Ulpiana
), the old residence of bishops.
, which was built on the ruins of a 6th century early Christian three-naved basilica. On the southern wall of the chapel is written the king's charter, including the following words:
"I have seen the ruins and the decay of the Holy Virgin's temple of Gračanica, the bishopric of Lipljan, so I have built it from the ground and painted and decorated it both from inside and outside".
Of the former monastic compound, only the church has survived. The narthex
and the tower were added a few decades later, in order to protect the frescoes on the west facade. The narthex was heavily damaged by the Turks several times between 1379–1383, when the tower was burned and the fire devoured a rich collection of manuscripts and other precious objects. The narthex was reconstructed in 1383. Again, Gračanica suffered damages at the time of the Battle of Kosovo
(1389).
During Ottoman
rule Gračanica became an important cultural center. In the time of Metropolitan Nikanor (1528–1555) several icons were painted on the altarpiece
. Also, because of the printing press, Nikanor obtained numerous service books and objects for the monastic use. The royal doors were commissioned in 1564 by Metropolitan Dionisije, whose death is represented on a fresco in the narthex. Major restoration took place through efforts of Patriarch Makarije Sokolović
. All the openings on the external narthex were walled up and new frescoes were completed in 1570. Thanks to Patriarch Pajsije, the church got its leaden roofing, and in 1620 the large cross with the Crucifix
was made on the iconostasis. The monastery was exposed to new damages toward the end of the 17th century, in the war between Holy League and the Turks
, after the second siege of Vienna
- in which the Serbs
took part on the Christian
side. Turks removed the leaden cross and pulled out the floor tiles, together with the treasure hidden in the church by Patriarch Arsenije III
.
After the Second World War it was renewed by nun
s and has been serving as a convent
since. Today there are 24 sisters in the monastery who are active in icon painting, agriculture
, sewing
and other monastic obediences.
After the Kosovo war of 1999 Bishop of Raška
and Prizren
Artemije transferred his official seat to this Monastery from Prizren and since then the monastery has become not only the most important spiritual but also the national and political center of the Serbian people in Kosovo.
of building in the Byzantine tradition. The church has the form of a double inscribed cross, one inside the other, the inner one providing for a vertical silhouette so as to raise the central dome upwards on a graded elaboration of masses. The dome
rests on four free-standing pillars
. Above the spaces between the cross-shafts, four smaller domes give a regular structure to the whole crowning complex. Three three-sided apse
s (the central one being the largest) put a mild distinction on the altar
space externally. The diaconicon
and the prosthesis
are separated by full walls. Between the nave
and the narthex
there are wide, heavy pillars
and the catholicon is on a level higher. The church was built in alternate courses of brick and stone. At the end of the 14th century an exonarthex
was added with double arcade
s, but these were blinded in the 16th century.
In the church three kinds of painting
can be discerned. The earliest is found in the nave
, whereas two later ones can be recognized in the narthex
. The fresco
es were painted in 1321–1322. The painting works have been well-preserved. The compositions in the nave deal with the earthly life of Jesus
and the ecclesiastical calendar.
The focal paintings of Gračanica include the Festival Cycle
, the Passion and the miracles of Christ
. Inside the narthex, there are portraits of the founders: King Milutin
and Queen Simonida, Queen Hélène d'Anjou (king's mother) as a nun
and King Milutin as a monk
. Of particular importance is the Nemanjić dynasty
genealogy, the first ever painted, which starts with Stefan Nemanja
and ends with Milutin. Also in the narthex, there is an exhaustive illustration of the Last Judgment
. The scenes from the life of St. Nicholas are in the north parecclesion
, while the walls of the south one display scenes from the Old Testament
and the lives of Christ
and the Mother of God. The master painters supposedly were Michael and Eutihije with their assistants.
There are also considerable frescoes from 1570 in the exonarthex, commissioned by Patriarch Makarije Sokolović
. There are some paintings in the narthex that date back to the late 14th and early 15th centuries, including the Baptism of Jesus
, parts of the Virgin's Acathistus Hymns and the Ecumenical Councils. Two subjects, however, dominate the narthex of Gračanica: the Doxology
to the Holy Virgin and the procession of the Serbian archbishops from Saint Sava
to Patriarch Makarije Sokolović
. A historical composition of the death of the Metropolitan of Gračanica Dionisije covers the southeastern part of the narthex.
The paintings of Gračanica rank highest among the achievements of Milutin's period, characterized by influences of the Byzantine
splendiferous and luxurious style called the Paleologan
Renaissance. In terms of style, they are also related to the art of the other of Milutin's foundations.
, a suburb of Chicago
, is home to the New Gračanica
church and monastery complex, which houses a detailed replica of the Gračanica monastery in Kosovo. The church is dedicated to the feast of the "Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God". Built on land that the Most Holy Mother of God Serbian Association purchased in 1977, the New Gračanica Church and the main building on its grounds were completed and consecrated in 1984. It is an impressive architectural replica of the original Gračanica of Kosovo, but built in a scale eighteen percent larger than the original. New Gračanica is richly attired with detail such as hand-carved wooden
entrance doors depicting twenty-three monasteries and churches from various regions of Serbia.
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
located in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
. It was founded by the Serbian king Stefan Milutin in 1321. Gračanica Monastery was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance
Monuments of Culture of Exceptional Importance (Serbia)
Cultural Monuments of Exceptional Importance are the monuments in the Republic of Serbia that have the highest level of the State protection, and some of them are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites....
in 1990, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia, and on 13 July 2006 it was placed on UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's World Heritage List under the name of Medieval Monuments in Kosovo
Medieval Monuments in Kosovo
Medieval Monuments in Kosovo is a World Heritage Site consisting of four Serbian Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries which represent the fusion of the eastern Orthodox Byzantine and the western Romanesque ecclesiastical architecture to form the Palaiologian Renaissance style...
as an extension of the Visoki Dečani site which was overall placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Gračanica Monastery is one of King Milutin's last monumental endowments. It is situated in the village of Gračanica
Gracanica, Kosovo
Gračanica is a town and municipality in central Kosovo, and a Serb enclave centered around the Gračanica monastery, located ten kilometers away from Pristina...
, a Serb enclave
Kosovo Serb enclaves
Kosovo Serb Enclaves are the areas of Kosovo where Serbs form a majority, except for North Kosovo. While North Kosovo is connected to the rest of Serbia and mostly functions as a part of it, the enclaves are surrounded with areas of Albanian majority....
5 km (3.1 mi) from Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
. The monastery is in the close vicinity of Lipljan (ancient Roman town of Ulpiana
Ulpiana
Ulpiana was an ancient Roman city located in what is today Kosovo. It was also named Justiniana Secunda. Ulpiana is situated in the municipality of Lipljan...
), the old residence of bishops.
History
Gračanica was constructed on the ruins of an older 13th century church of the Holy VirginTheotokos
Theotokos is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its literal English translations include God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God. Less literal translations include Mother of God...
, which was built on the ruins of a 6th century early Christian three-naved basilica. On the southern wall of the chapel is written the king's charter, including the following words:
"I have seen the ruins and the decay of the Holy Virgin's temple of Gračanica, the bishopric of Lipljan, so I have built it from the ground and painted and decorated it both from inside and outside".
Of the former monastic compound, only the church has survived. The narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
and the tower were added a few decades later, in order to protect the frescoes on the west facade. The narthex was heavily damaged by the Turks several times between 1379–1383, when the tower was burned and the fire devoured a rich collection of manuscripts and other precious objects. The narthex was reconstructed in 1383. Again, Gračanica suffered damages at the time of the Battle of Kosovo
Battle of Kosovo
The Battle of Kosovo took place on St. Vitus' Day, June 15, 1389, between the army led by Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Sultan Murad I...
(1389).
During Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule Gračanica became an important cultural center. In the time of Metropolitan Nikanor (1528–1555) several icons were painted on the altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
. Also, because of the printing press, Nikanor obtained numerous service books and objects for the monastic use. The royal doors were commissioned in 1564 by Metropolitan Dionisije, whose death is represented on a fresco in the narthex. Major restoration took place through efforts of Patriarch Makarije Sokolović
Makarije Sokolovic
Makarije Sokolović was the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church from 1557 to 1571. He was the first patriarch of the restored Serbian Patriarchate, after its lapse in 1463 that resulted from the Ottoman conquest of Serbia...
. All the openings on the external narthex were walled up and new frescoes were completed in 1570. Thanks to Patriarch Pajsije, the church got its leaden roofing, and in 1620 the large cross with the Crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
was made on the iconostasis. The monastery was exposed to new damages toward the end of the 17th century, in the war between Holy League and the Turks
Great Turkish War
The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
, after the second siege of Vienna
Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
- in which the Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
took part on the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
side. Turks removed the leaden cross and pulled out the floor tiles, together with the treasure hidden in the church by Patriarch Arsenije III
Arsenije III Carnojevic
Arsenije III Čarnojević was the Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of Serbs from 1674 to 1691 and Metropolitan of Szentendre from 1691 to his death in 1706.-Family:Arsenije was born to the Cetinje clan of Old Montenegro...
.
After the Second World War it was renewed by nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s and has been serving as a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
since. Today there are 24 sisters in the monastery who are active in icon painting, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, sewing
Sewing
Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era...
and other monastic obediences.
After the Kosovo war of 1999 Bishop of Raška
Raška (region)
Raška is a region in south-central Serbia and northern Montenegro. It is mostly situated in the Raška District. The southern part of Raška is also known as Sandžak and is divided between Serbia and Montenegro....
and Prizren
Prizren
Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...
Artemije transferred his official seat to this Monastery from Prizren and since then the monastery has become not only the most important spiritual but also the national and political center of the Serbian people in Kosovo.
Architecture
Gračanica represents the culmination of the Serbian medieval artSerbian art
Serbian art refers to the art of the Serbs and Serbia.The territory of today's Serbia has been inhabited since pre-historical times. Indeed, Sirmium is one of the oldest settlements in Europe with archaeologists tracing some form of urban life as far back as 5000 BC.The Romans conquered Sirmium in...
of building in the Byzantine tradition. The church has the form of a double inscribed cross, one inside the other, the inner one providing for a vertical silhouette so as to raise the central dome upwards on a graded elaboration of masses. The dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
rests on four free-standing pillars
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
. Above the spaces between the cross-shafts, four smaller domes give a regular structure to the whole crowning complex. Three three-sided apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
s (the central one being the largest) put a mild distinction on the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
space externally. The diaconicon
Diaconicon
The Diaconicon is, in the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches, the name given to a chamber on the south side of the central apse of the church, where the vestments, books, etc, that are used in the Divine Services of the church are kept .The Diaconicon contains the thalassidion...
and the prosthesis
Prosthesis
In medicine, a prosthesis, prosthetic, or prosthetic limb is an artificial device extension that replaces a missing body part. It is part of the field of biomechatronics, the science of using mechanical devices with human muscle, skeleton, and nervous systems to assist or enhance motor control...
are separated by full walls. Between the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and the narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
there are wide, heavy pillars
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
and the catholicon is on a level higher. The church was built in alternate courses of brick and stone. At the end of the 14th century an exonarthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
was added with double arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
s, but these were blinded in the 16th century.
Art
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
can be discerned. The earliest is found in the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, whereas two later ones can be recognized in the narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
. The fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es were painted in 1321–1322. The painting works have been well-preserved. The compositions in the nave deal with the earthly life of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and the ecclesiastical calendar.
The focal paintings of Gračanica include the Festival Cycle
Liturgical year
The liturgical year, also known as the church year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and which portions of Scripture are to be read. Distinct liturgical colours may appear in...
, the Passion and the miracles of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. Inside the narthex, there are portraits of the founders: King Milutin
Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia
Stefan Uroš II Milutin was a king of Serbia , and member of the House of Nemanjić.-Early:...
and Queen Simonida, Queen Hélène d'Anjou (king's mother) as a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
and King Milutin as a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
. Of particular importance is the Nemanjić dynasty
House of Nemanjic
The Nemanjić was the most important dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages, and one of the most important in Southeastern Europe. The royal house produced eleven Serbian monarchs between 1166 and 1371. It's progenitor was Stephen Nemanja, who descended from a cadet line of the Vukanović dynasty...
genealogy, the first ever painted, which starts with Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja was the Grand Prince of the Grand Principality of Serbia from 1166 to 1196, a heir of the Vukanović dynasty that marked the beginning of a greater Serbian realm .He is remembered for his contributions to Serbian culture and...
and ends with Milutin. Also in the narthex, there is an exhaustive illustration of the Last Judgment
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord in Christian theology, is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the...
. The scenes from the life of St. Nicholas are in the north parecclesion
Parecclesion
Parecclesion or parakklesion is a type of side chapel found in Byzantine architecture.Examples of existing parecclesions:* Chora Church* Pammakaristos Church...
, while the walls of the south one display scenes from the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and the lives of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
and the Mother of God. The master painters supposedly were Michael and Eutihije with their assistants.
There are also considerable frescoes from 1570 in the exonarthex, commissioned by Patriarch Makarije Sokolović
Makarije Sokolovic
Makarije Sokolović was the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church from 1557 to 1571. He was the first patriarch of the restored Serbian Patriarchate, after its lapse in 1463 that resulted from the Ottoman conquest of Serbia...
. There are some paintings in the narthex that date back to the late 14th and early 15th centuries, including the Baptism of Jesus
Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of Jesus Christ's public ministry. This event is recorded in the Canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In John 1:29-33 rather than a direct narrative, the Baptist bears witness to the episode...
, parts of the Virgin's Acathistus Hymns and the Ecumenical Councils. Two subjects, however, dominate the narthex of Gračanica: the Doxology
Doxology
A doxology is a short hymn of praises to God in various Christian worship services, often added to the end of canticles, psalms, and hymns...
to the Holy Virgin and the procession of the Serbian archbishops from Saint Sava
Saint Sava
Saint Sava was a Serbian Prince and Orthodox monk, the first Archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Church, the founder of Serbian law and literature, and a diplomat. Sava was born Rastko Nemanjić , the youngest son of Serbian Grand Župan Stefan Nemanja , and ruled the appanage of Hum briefly in...
to Patriarch Makarije Sokolović
Makarije Sokolovic
Makarije Sokolović was the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church from 1557 to 1571. He was the first patriarch of the restored Serbian Patriarchate, after its lapse in 1463 that resulted from the Ottoman conquest of Serbia...
. A historical composition of the death of the Metropolitan of Gračanica Dionisije covers the southeastern part of the narthex.
The paintings of Gračanica rank highest among the achievements of Milutin's period, characterized by influences of the Byzantine
Byzantine Greeks
Byzantine Greeks or Byzantines is a conventional term used by modern historians to refer to the medieval Greek or Hellenised citizens of the Byzantine Empire, centered mainly in Constantinople, the southern Balkans, the Greek islands, Asia Minor , Cyprus and the large urban centres of the Near East...
splendiferous and luxurious style called the Paleologan
Palaiologos
Palaiologos , often latinized as Palaeologus, was a Byzantine Greek noble family, which produced the last ruling dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. After the Fourth Crusade, members of the family fled to the neighboring Empire of Nicaea, where Michael VIII Palaiologos became co-emperor in 1259,...
Renaissance. In terms of style, they are also related to the art of the other of Milutin's foundations.
Chicago Replica
Third Lake, IllinoisThird Lake, Illinois
Third Lake is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,355 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Third Lake is located at ....
, a suburb of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, is home to the New Gračanica
New Gracanica Monastery
New Gračanica is a Serbian Orthodox monastery complex is located in Third Lake, Illinois, USA, a suburb of Chicago. The complex houses a scaled up replica of the Gračanica monastery in Kosovo...
church and monastery complex, which houses a detailed replica of the Gračanica monastery in Kosovo. The church is dedicated to the feast of the "Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God". Built on land that the Most Holy Mother of God Serbian Association purchased in 1977, the New Gračanica Church and the main building on its grounds were completed and consecrated in 1984. It is an impressive architectural replica of the original Gračanica of Kosovo, but built in a scale eighteen percent larger than the original. New Gračanica is richly attired with detail such as hand-carved wooden
Wood carving
Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...
entrance doors depicting twenty-three monasteries and churches from various regions of Serbia.
See also
- Monument of Culture of Exceptional ImportanceMonuments of Culture of Exceptional Importance (Serbia)Cultural Monuments of Exceptional Importance are the monuments in the Republic of Serbia that have the highest level of the State protection, and some of them are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites....
- Tourism in SerbiaTourism in SerbiaSerbia stretches across two geographic and cultural regions of Europe: Central Europe and Southeast Europe. This boundary splits Serbia roughly in a ratio of 1:2 alongside the Danube and Sava rivers. The northern parts of the country are Central-European lowlands while the southern and central...
- List of Serb Orthodox monasteries
- Serbian Orthodox ChurchSerbian Orthodox ChurchThe Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
- Medieval Monuments in KosovoMedieval Monuments in KosovoMedieval Monuments in Kosovo is a World Heritage Site consisting of four Serbian Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries which represent the fusion of the eastern Orthodox Byzantine and the western Romanesque ecclesiastical architecture to form the Palaiologian Renaissance style...
- Serbs in Kosovo
- Podujevo bus bombing