MOTHER OF GOD
IN THE HUNTING GROUND OF BEASTS
Founded at the end of the 12th century immediately after the abdication of Stefan Nemanja, founder of the Serbian state, the Studenica Monastery is the largest and richest Orthodox monastery in Serbia. Two main monuments – the Church of Notre Dame (Our Lady) and the white marble King’s Church – represent an outstanding collection of 13th and 14th-century Byzantine painting” UNESCO explained in its decision to add the Studenica Monastery to the UNESCO Word Heritage List in 1986.
he Studenica Monastery is the most important endowment of Great Župan Stefan Nemanja,
who chose for his resting place an “empty hunting ground of beasts”. It was built
between 1183 and 1196. In its complex are preserved three churches: the main or Catholicon
Church of Notre Dame (Our Lady), dedicated to the Mother of God Benefactress (Evergetida)
whose holiday is on August 28th – the date of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Mary; Saint Nicholas Church from the 13th and the King’s Church from the 14th century.
The
main church represents a successful connection of Romanic and Byzantine architectural
traditions in the two last decades of the 12th century.
It is believed that Stefan Nemanja brought excellent builders and stonemasons from Southern Italy to construct this church. The fresco painting in the Church of Notre Dame (Our Lady) was painted in 1209. After Nemanja left to Chilandar, his sons Stefan the First-Crowned and Prince Vukan supervised the works, but the main endower was their youngest brother Saint Sava. The paintings of that period are preserved to a small extent, but they nevertheless represent the height of European art of that time. The crucifixion on the west wall of the temple is the most famous scene in painting preserved from that period. When the church was painted for the second time in 1569, the work was given to the famous painter Longin. The painting in the parvis of King Radoslav is also valuable, but it is preserved in fragments only.
The King’s Church, whose endower is King Milutin, is dedicated to Saint Joachim and Ana. According to the inscription over the roof arch, it was built in 1314 in the form of a reduced cross with an octagonal external dome. Its valuable paintings were the work of the masters of Milutin’s court, Mihailo and Evtihije. The King’s Church is thought to be one of the most important buildings of the early 14th century.
The Church of St. Nicholas, which is also painted, is believed to be even older than the main Church of Notre Dame (Our Lady). It is a single-nave building with a semicircular apside, whose paintings have been preserved only in fragments.
Birth of the Holy Mother of God, detail, King’s Church
FIRST IN RANK
Since its founding until today, Studenica has been the highest ranked
monastery in the Serbian Orthodox Church. The monastery is located above a river
of the same name that empties into the River Ibar, about ten kilometers farther downstream.
It belongs to the Eparchy of Žica. Twelve monks and novices live in it, according
to the typicon established by Saint Sava –they pray, welcome tourists and believers,
cultivate the soil, raise cattle, make candles, paint icons and look after the monastery
and all the precious things in it.