One of the most important Serbian Orthodox monasteries
Serbian Valley of the Kings
Many other Serbian monasteries are built on the model of this one. It was built in the late 12th century by the prominent Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the dynasty Nemanjic. Apart from religious functions, the monastery was a cultural and medical center of the medieval Serbian state, and the mausoleum of the dynasty.
The monastery was built in a specific style of architecture, known as “Raska school”, which combines the influence of Western Romanesque and the Eastern Byzantine tradition. The Romanesque decoration of Saint Marry’s church in Studenica monastery represents one of the richest programmatic and stylistic creations in the Serbian Medieval art. Frescoes inside churches are considered as the finest portraits of the middle ages and the master-pieces of the Byzantine art. Because of its great importance and extraordinary beauty, UNESCO places Studenica monastery on the List of the World Cultural Heritage, in 1986.
The monastery is located in central Serbia, 200 km south of Belgrade in the so-called “Valley of the Kings”. It is surrounded by breathtaking mountains, rippling water and preserved nature.