Moraca monastery
Encyclopedia
Morača is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the valley of the Morača River in central Montenegro
. It is one of the best known medieval monuments of Montenegro. It was founded in 1252 by Stefan
, son of Vukan Nemanjić, the Grand Prince of Zeta, the grandson of Stefan Nemanja
. This is written above the western portal.
It consists of an assembly church, devoted to the Assumption of Mary, a small church, devoted to Saint Nicola, and a lodgings for travellers. The main door has a high wall which has two entrances. The assembly church is a big one-nave building in the Rascian style. It is different from the seaside
churches. The main portal is in the romantic style.
Beside the architecture, its paintings are of special importance. There is one painting preserved from the 13th century with 11 compositions from the life of the prophet Elias. This painting is in much better condition than all the others from the 16th century. Other paintings were ruined in the first part of 16th century when the Ottomans
occupied the monastery and devastated it. They also carried away the lead roof.
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. It is one of the best known medieval monuments of Montenegro. It was founded in 1252 by Stefan
Stefan Vukanović Nemanjić
Stefan Vukanović Nemanjić was a Serbian Prince, the son of Vukan Nemanjić and the nephew of King Stefan II the First-Crowned. He built the Morača monastery.-Life:...
, son of Vukan Nemanjić, the Grand Prince of Zeta, the grandson of 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...
. This is written above the western portal.
It consists of an assembly church, devoted to the Assumption of Mary, a small church, devoted to Saint Nicola, and a lodgings for travellers. The main door has a high wall which has two entrances. The assembly church is a big one-nave building in the Rascian style. It is different from the seaside
Pomorje
Pomorje or Primorje is a term used in historical contexts to describe one of the two geographical divisions that constituted Serbia in the Middle Ages...
churches. The main portal is in the romantic style.
Beside the architecture, its paintings are of special importance. There is one painting preserved from the 13th century with 11 compositions from the life of the prophet Elias. This painting is in much better condition than all the others from the 16th century. Other paintings were ruined in the first part of 16th century when the Ottomans
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...
occupied the monastery and devastated it. They also carried away the lead roof.