Journey through the valley of centuries


The Tourist Organization of Kraljevo
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Studenica Monastery

The most important Serbian monastery. The place where the Serbian state was created.


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Studenicamonastery is one of the oldest and largest Serbian medieval monasteries.

It is 60 km away from Kraljevo. At the 50th kilometer from the town intoborough Usce, which is located on the highway leading to Novi Pazar, it turns right and continues for another 11 km asphalted road to the monastery.

Studenica is the endowment of the Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the Serbian state and the progenitor of the mighty ruling dynasty of Nemanjić. Under guardianship of his son Sava, who was the first hegumenof the monastery and the first Serbian archbishop, Studenica became the cultural, spiritual and medical center of medieval Serbia. In Studenica, there are the relics of Stefan Nemanja and his sons Vukan and Stefan the First-Crowned.

The monastery was built in a mixed Romanesque and Byzantine style, the combination that hasproduced a new architectural term known as the Raska School or Raska style. The walls are built of white marble and look truly monumental. Especially are interesting the murals painted by one of the best Byzantine painters at the time. Besides the Church of the Virgin, the monastery complex also includes the Church of St. Nicholas, a stone dining room built in the time of St. Sava, a large bell tower from the 13th century, as well as the remains of several small churches. North of the dining room is monastic residence that houses the treasure trove of Studenica. The monastery has been under UNESCO protection since 1986.



The Tourist Organization of Kraljevo