Morača Monastery

Kolašin, Montenegro

Morača Monastery is one of the best known medieval monuments of Montenegro. The founding history is engraved above the western portal. Stefan, a son of Vukan Nemanjić, the Grand Prince of Zeta (r. 1190-1207), founded the monastery in 1252, possibly on his own lands (appanage). The region was under the rule of the Nemanjić dynasty.

Monastery was burned by the Ottomans for the first time in 1505, during a turbulent period of insurgency in Montenegro. The monks took shelter in Vasojevići. It was abandoned for the next seventy years. Thanks to moderate political climate established by Sokollu Mehmed Pasha rebuilding started in 1574 and ended in 1580.

The assembly church is a big one-nave building in the Rascian style (The style spanned 1170-1300 and differs from the seaside churches), devoted to the Assumption of Mary, including a smaller church devoted to Saint Nicholas, as well as lodgings for travellers. The main door has a high wall which has two entrances, in the romantic style.

Beside the architecture, its frescoes are of special importance; the oldest fresco depicting eleven compositions from the life of the prophet Elias date to the 13th century, while the rest, of lesser condition, date to the 16th century. The 13th-century fresco shows conservative traits, with late-Comnenian figure-schemes, with architectural motifs of heavy and solid blocks, similar in manner to the frescoes of Sopoćani. Out of the later frescoes, Paradise and the Bosom of Abraham and Satan on the Two-Headed Beast are notable Last Judgement depictions, dated to 1577-8. The Ottoman Empire annexed the region in the first half of the 16th century, and the monastery was occupied and damaged, including most of the art.

References:

Comments

Your name



Address

E65, Kolašin, Montenegro
See all sites in Kolašin

Details

Founded: 1252
Category: Religious sites in Montenegro

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Peter Misovic (13 months ago)
Very nice monastery, quite place, clean, you can buy souvenirs inside. No photos allowed in monastery.
ziv tirosh (2 years ago)
A stunning church surrounded by a lovely garden. If you're fortunate, the gate near the picnic table might be unlocked, granting access to the waterfalls below
Rene Teeäär (2 years ago)
Very very beautiful little monastery. The road from Podgornica to the monastery is one of the most picturesque roads I have ever been.
F SB (2 years ago)
Very impressive monastery with very beautiful and elaborate frescoes. Unfortunately, you don't feel particularly welcome on the site, but you can take a look at everything in peace. Photos are not allowed inside.
Michał Kiełczyński (3 years ago)
Beautiful Monaster and garden, almost 800 years old.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.