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The Monastery of the Holy Archangels ( sr, Манастир Светих Архангела, Manastir Svetih Arhangela; al, Manastiri i Arkangjelit të Shenjtë) is a
Serbian Orthodox The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches. The majority of the population in ...
monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
located in
Prizren ) , settlement_type = Municipality and city , image_skyline = Prizren Collage.jpg , imagesize = 290px , image_caption = View of Prizren , image_alt = View of Prizren , image_flag ...
,
Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
. The monastery was founded by the Serbian Emperor
Stefan Dušan Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан, ), known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr, / ; circa 1308 – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Tsar (or Emperor) and autocrat of the Serbs, Gr ...
(reigned 1331–1355) between 1343 and 1352 on the site of an earlier church, part of the Višegrad fortress complex. It was the burial church for Emperor Dušan, and represented the culmination of the Serbian ecclesiastical architectural style, that led to the birth of the
Morava school Morava architectural school ( sr, Моравска школа архитeктуре/Moravska škola arhitekture), also known as the Morava style (Моравски стил/Moravski stil), or simply as the Morava school (Моравска школа/M ...
style. The complex, which ranges over 6,500 , includes two churches, the main one is dedicated to the Holy Archangels (where Dušan's tomb lied), and the second one is dedicated to
St. Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day Demre ...
, both built in the Rascian architectural style. The monastery was looted and destroyed after the
Ottomans The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922). Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...
arrived in 1455, and in 1615 it was razed to the ground and its material was used for the construction of the Sinan Pasha Mosque, Prizren. The entire complex was archeologically explored in 1927, and its remains were conserved after the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. During the last decade of the 20th century, work on the reconstruction was continued, and in 1998 it again became an active male monastery. After the
1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
and retreat of the Yugoslav army forces, reconstructed objects were burned and looted in June 1999, by members of the
Kosovo Liberation Army The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA; , UÇK) was an ethnic Albanian separatist militia that sought the separation of Kosovo, the vast majority of which is inhabited by Albanians, from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and Serbia during the ...
(KLA), after the
Kosovo Force The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO-led international NATO peacekeeping, peacekeeping force in Kosovo. Its operations are gradually reducing until Kosovo Security Force, Kosovo's Security Force, established in 2 ...
(KFOR) arrived. During the
2004 unrest in Kosovo The 2004 unrest in Kosovo is the worst ethnic violence case in Kosovo since the end of the Kosovo War, 1998–99 conflict. The violence erupted in the partitioned town of Mitrovica, Kosovo, Kosovo Mitrovica, leaving hundreds wounded and at least ...
, the monastery was burned and looted again. The entire monastery complex is under protection of the
Republic of Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia ( Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hung ...
, as a
Monument of Culture of Great Importance Immovable Cultural Heritage of Exceptional Importance ( sr, Непокретна културна добра од изузетног значаја/) are those objects of Immovable cultural heritage that enjoy the highest level of state protection ...
. One priest lives in the monastery which is under constant protection of Kosovo police in a special protection zone.


Location

The monastery complex is built in the smaller plateau in the
Prizrenska Bistrica The Lumbardhi i Prizrenit or Prizren Bistrica ( sq, Bistrica e Prizrenit; sr, Призренска Бистрица / ''Prizrenska Bistrica'') is a river in Kosovo. It flows through the villages of Sredska and Prizren, and empties into the Whit ...
canyon, approximately 2.5 km southeast of Prizren. The plateau is in a peninsula, surrounded by the river from the three sides, while on the fourth southeastern side it is surrounded by sharp
rocks In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks form the Earth's ...
, on top of which is the fortified
citadel A citadel is the core fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of "city", meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. In ...
of
Višegrad Višegrad ( sr-cyrl, Вишеград, ) is a town and municipality located in eastern Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It rests at the confluence of the Drina and the Rzav river. As of 2013, it has a population of 10,668 ...
. At the time of its construction there was a caravan road nearby the Prizrenska Bistrica, which connected
Skopje Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
with Prizren (then capital of Serbia), over Kačanik, Sirinićka Župa and Sredačka Župa, and it is likely that the road was passing right through the monastery.


History


Prehistory of the complex

During archeological excavation of the monastery complex, the oldest findings are dated from the Eneolithic age, while it is evident that in the
early Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
there was a settlement. During classical period, settlement was disbanded, and later during the 4th, 5th and 6th centuries was again founded and it was late classical period or early Byzantine village, which was surrounded by a late antique wall, but that still has not been scientifically confirmed. After this period, there are findings from the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries, when it is considered that the original medieval fortress (which then included only the five-cornered citadel on the hill above the monastery) was built in the 12th century. Dušan's grandfather,
King Milutin Stefan Uroš II Milutin ( sr-cyr, Стефан Урош II Милутин, Stefan Uroš II Milutin; 1253 – 29 October 1321), known as Stefan Milutin ( sr-cyr, Стефан Милутин, Stefan Milutin), was the King of Serbia between 1282&nd ...
(1282–1321), donated a small fort of
Višegrad Višegrad ( sr-cyrl, Вишеград, ) is a town and municipality located in eastern Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It rests at the confluence of the Drina and the Rzav river. As of 2013, it has a population of 10,668 ...
with a church dedicated to Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Prizren. It was donated as a refuge in case of war, as, later,
Maglič Maglič ( sr-Cyrl, Маглич, ) is a 13th-century castle about south of Kraljevo, Serbia. The castle is located atop a hill around which the Ibar river makes a curve, about above the river. The fortress protected the only road that connec ...
was a shelter of the
Serbian archbishop This article lists the heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church, since the establishment of the church as an autocephalous archbishopric in 1219 to today's patriarchate. The list includes all the archbishops and patriarchs that led the Serbian Ortho ...
from
Žiča The Žiča Monastery ( sr, Манастир Жича, Manastir Žiča, or ) is an early 13th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery near Kraljevo, Serbia. The monastery, together with the Church of the Holy Dormition, was built by the first King of ...
. Later, Dušan gave three villages to a bishop of Prizren in return from the fortress of Višegrad, which was subsequently submitted to a monastery, connecting them into a whole with a
defensive wall A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
.


Foundation and early history

The Monastery was the pious endowment of Emperor Dušan, built at the site of an older church dedicated to the Holy Archangels, that had been known for its miraculous powers. Metropolitan Jacob (Jakov Serski) was responsible for the construction of the monastery, which began planning in 1343, according to Dušan's St. Peter of Koriša-charter dated 19 May the same year. After Dušan's recovery from a serious illness, he decided to raise the Monastery on this site, as a place of healing and in gratitude to Christ and the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. It was consecrated in the fall of 1347, as Dušan prepared a trip on 1 August to attend the consecration, and in December he was at
Mount Athos Mount Athos (; el, Ἄθως, ) is a mountain in the distal part of the eponymous Athos peninsula and site of an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism in northeastern Greece. The mountain along with the respective part of the penins ...
. The church construction began in 1348, supervised by Metropolitan Jacob, who later became a
bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
in
Serres Sérres ( el, Σέρρες ) is a city in Macedonia, Greece, capital of the Serres regional unit and second largest city in the region of Central Macedonia, after Thessaloniki. Serres is one of the administrative and economic centers of Northe ...
. The main work was finished early in 1348, as known from a letter from a Venetian merchant from Trepča, dated 24 March 1348, where he complained that he could not sell the
lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...
from the Trepča mine, since the head of the mine received direct order that he, by the cost of his life, could not sell lead to anyone, except the abbot of the Monastery to cover the roof. The founding charter accompanied the
Dušan's Code Dušan's Code ( sr-cyr, Душанов законик, ''Dušanov zakonik'', known historically as ''Закон благовјернаго цара Стефана'' – Law of the pious Emperor Stefan) is a compilation of several legal systems th ...
, upon its promulgation at a state council on May 21, 1349, in Skopje. It is believed that the construction of the monastery church, supporting facilities and protective walls ended in 1352, and at the time of its establishment, it housed some 200 monks and the Metropolitan. In the founding charter, Dushan gave to the monastery tax farming rights over 93 villages, 7 churches and their congregation and property (fertile land,
vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
s, and oil-lamps), an iron mine in Toplica, 467 ''
Vlach "Vlach" ( or ), also "Wallachian" (and many other variants), is a historical term and exonym used from the Middle Ages until the Modern Era to designate mainly Romanians but also Aromanians, Megleno-Romanians, Istro-Romanians and other Eastern ...
'' households (shepherds), 8
Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
''katund'', and a number of craftsmen, including goldsmiths. The households and communities which were to pay taxes to the monastery lived in an area that stretched from the
Šar Mountains The Šar Mountains ( Serbian and mk, Шар Планина, Šar Planina, colloquially also ) or Sharr Mountains ( sq, Malet e Sharrit), form a mountain range in the Balkans that extends from Kosovo and the northwest of North Macedonia to nort ...
to the
Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...
. Although the number of granted villages were less than those of King Milutin to his endowment at Banjska, the Archangels' Monastery had a territory that was richer and more advanced. The Prizren customs and market's revenue belonged to the Monastery, and cooking oil arrived from Bar and fish from Skadar and Plav, as well as
salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
,
silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...
,
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
,
honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
and
wax Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic, malleable solids near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to giv ...
. Master builders such as Petros, Vojislav, Srđan, Noš and Vojihna were given to the Monastery, and are believed to have participated in the building of the Monastery. A
hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
was also built within the complex. The charter stated the provision of compulsory treatment of sick people. The Monastery represented the culmination of the Serbian ecclesiastical architectural style that led to the birth of the
Morava school Morava architectural school ( sr, Моравска школа архитeктуре/Moravska škola arhitekture), also known as the Morava style (Моравски стил/Moravski stil), or simply as the Morava school (Моравска школа/M ...
style. Inside the complex, which ranges over approximately 6,500 , are two churches, dedicated to the Holy Archangels (which was Dušan's tomb), and
Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greeks, Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-da ...
, both built in the Rascian architectural style, although, like
Visoki Dečani The Visoki Dečani Monastery ( sr, Манастир Високи Дечани, Manastir Visoki Dečani, sq, Manastiri i Deçanit) is a medieval Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery located near Deçan, Kosovo. It was founded in the first half of ...
monastery, regarding time of the construction, and some architectural elements, it may belong to the Vardar architectural style. After his death on 20 December 1355, Emperor Dušan was buried in a separate tomb, located in the southwestern part of the
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
of the Church of the Saint Archangels, which is a unique solution of the Serbian architecture. During the
fall of the Serbian Empire The fall of the Serbian Empire was a decades-long process in the late 14th century. Following the death of childless Emperor Stefan Uroš V in 1371, the Empire was left without an heir and the magnates, '' velikaši'', obtained the rule of its pr ...
, the monastery served as a refuge for
Ragusan Ragusan may refer to: * citizen of the Republic of Ragusa hr, Sloboda se ne prodaje za sve zlato svijeta it, La libertà non si vende nemmeno per tutto l'oro del mondo"Liberty is not sold for all the gold in the world" , population_estimate ...
merchants from Prizren, who left town in fear of
Nikola Altomanović Nikola Altomanović ( sr-Cyrl, Никола Алтомановић; died after 1395) was a 14th-century Serbian župan of the House of Vojinović. He ruled the areas from Rudnik, over Polimlje, Podrinje, east Herzegovina with Trebinje, reaching ...
(1366–1373), and two years later it came to the settlement of the Serbian and
Ecumenical Patriarch The ecumenical patriarch ( el, Οἰκουμενικός Πατριάρχης, translit=Oikoumenikós Patriárchēs) is the archbishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), New Rome and '' primus inter pares'' (first among equals) among the heads of th ...
. Then the grave of Dušan Serbian and Greek priests performed a joint service and remove the
Anathema Anathema, in common usage, is something or someone detested or shunned. In its other main usage, it is a formal excommunication. The latter meaning, its ecclesiastical sense, is based on New Testament usage. In the Old Testament, anathema was a cr ...
from the Dušan, and the monastery dwelt at one time and
Serbian Patriarch This article lists the heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church, since the establishment of the church as an autocephalous archbishopric in 1219 to today's patriarchate. The list includes all the archbishops and patriarchs that led the Serbian Ortho ...
Ephraim Ephraim (; he, ''ʾEp̄rayīm'', in pausa: ''ʾEp̄rāyīm'') was, according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Joseph ben Jacob and Asenath. Asenath was an Ancient Egyptian woman whom Pharaoh gave to Joseph as wife, and the daughte ...
(1375–1380, 1389–1392). In one
Chronicle A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
were mentioned fields from other quarters 15th century and, according to the monastery's church there under the sun''straight'' to her artistic process and the beauty beyond Church of Christ Pantocrator in Dečani, and especially emphasizes it is covered under the
mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
s the highest reach of the Serbian medieval architecture in this field. The same record states that are then discussed to no longer anywhere to be found ''Pathos of Prizren, Dečani church,
Peć Peja (Definiteness, Indefinite Albanian language, Albanian Albanian morphology#Nouns (declension), form: ''Pejë'' ) or Peć ( sr-Cyrl, Пећ ) is the fourth largest List of cities and towns in Kosovo, city of Kosovo and seat of Peja Municipali ...
narthex, Banjska gold and Resava writings'', which are symbolically represented the most significant limits of the Serbian state at the time.


Ottoman rule

After the capture of Prizren and its surroundings in 1455 by the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, the monastery was looted and destroyed. The monastic community did not stop, but the complex had lost its old glory and was in constant decline. At the beginning of the 17th century, a systematic demolition was conducted on the monastery churches as to obtain construction material for
Sofi Sinan Pasha Sofi may refer to: *Sofi (mascot), the Mascot for 2010 ISF Women's World Championship *Sofi Marinova (born 1975), Bulgarian singer SOFI may refer to: * Swedish Institute for Language and Folklore * Spray-On Foam Insulation, used on the Space Shut ...
's Mosque in the center of Prizren, which was finished in 1615, and is part of
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
's
Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance Immovable Cultural Heritage of Exceptional Importance ( sr, Непокретна културна добра од изузетног значаја/) are those objects of Immovable cultural heritage that enjoy the highest level of state protection ...
-heritage list, added in 1990. During the following centuries I site was further destroyed the remaining delivery of construction materials for the building, as buildings in the Prizren, and ordinary houses and time are the remains of former buildings buried layers of the country. Nonetheless, the position remained famous monasteries in the surrounding people, so that the entire area to be hit occasionally found
robbery Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the perso ...
from which ruins were dig up in search of hidden treasures of the monastery. Some of the folk traditions of the monastic treasures are crossing the border
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
and the other recorded the legend of
gemstone A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, ...
that decorated the top of
cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...
and the central dome. According to her, he sparkled so great, that man could by dark night thirty kilometers to go to North but, to the Švanjski Bridge, which is located at old fort, as in the middle of broad daylight. Local Serb population is gathered twice a year in the monastery ruins in summer (26 June) and autumn (21 November) on monastery
Slava Slava may refer to: Ships * ''Slava'' class cruiser, a modern Russian warship ** Soviet cruiser Slava (1979), now Russian cruiser ''Moskva'', a ''Slava'' class guided missile cruiser sunk during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine * Russian ba ...
day (Holy Archangels). According to one travel writers, the service began during the
night Night (also described as night time, unconventionally spelled as "nite") is the period of ambient darkness from sunset to sunrise during each 24-hour day, when the Sun is below the horizon. The exact time when night begins and ends depends o ...
and so that only
Light Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 tera ...
provided the burning
candle A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time. A person who makes candles i ...
s, while the people and clergy in the
prayer Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deified a ...
welcomed the dawn.


Research during the twentieth century

The first archaeological excavations of the site were carried out in 1927 by Dr Radoslav Grujić, with help of the Ministry of Religion and the army and navy. During that research, several objects were detected in the area of the Bistrica: * The main church dedicated to the Holy Archangels * A small church dedicated to
St. Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day Demre ...
* Part of the dormitory and other buildings along the rampart near the Bistrica In the area of
Višegrad Višegrad ( sr-cyrl, Вишеград, ) is a town and municipality located in eastern Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It rests at the confluence of the Drina and the Rzav river. As of 2013, it has a population of 10,668 ...
, only a small research was conducted, in which the church dedicated to St. Nicholas and several other buildings were found. Inside the main church they found the remains of the imperial tomb, in which were supposedly the bones of Emperor Dušan. Two years later Dušan's remains were transferred to
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
and buried in a separate
coffin A coffin is a funerary box used for viewing or keeping a corpse, either for burial or cremation. Sometimes referred to as a casket, any box in which the dead are buried is a coffin, and while a casket was originally regarded as a box for jewel ...
in the St. Mark's Church, up until the full restoration of the monastery. The found parts of the famous
mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
flooring, decorative plastic and
painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...
s were transferred to the Museum of Southern Serbia (now Museum of Macedonia) in
Skopje Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
, where they are still located, but it is not known where the other artifacts which are mentioned in Grujić's reports are, thus they are today considered permanently lost, In addition, parts of mosaic floor were further damaged during the transport to Skopje. Shortly before the 1926 excavations, the first
Hydroelectric power plant Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
in
Kosovo and Metohija The Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija ( sr, Косово и Метохиja, Kosovo i Metohija; sq, Kosova dhe Metohija), commonly known as Kosovo and abbreviated to Kosmet or KiM, is an autonomous province defined by the constituti ...
, '' Prizrenka'', was built next to the monastery complex, completed in 1928, which was active until the 1960s, while today it is under state protection as a
monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, his ...
. After
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, research on the complex was continued from 1961 to 1965, with parallel conservation work undergone. The research team was headed by Dr Slobodan Nenadović. During this period he researched the eastern and northeastern part of the plateau near the Bistrica river, which revealed most of the dormitory, and the dining room. Upon completion of works, a marble slab was placed on the site of Dušan's tomb. The head of the subsequent research team, Mihailo Milinković, presented serious objections to the methods of research in this period, which in his opinion, were only of the architectural character and were not in accordance with the principles of archaeological practice. In addition, he pointed out that the material were not singled out and preserved, but with the rest of the material thrown into the Bistrica. On the western entrance to the monastery complex, a stone bridge was built in 1968 which connected the monastery plateau with the main road that passes the second bank of the river, and during 1970's work on
conservation Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws. Conservation may also refer to: Environment and natural resources * Nature conservation, the protection and managem ...
and
restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...
were continued. In early 1990s, an idea about the restoration of the entire monastery complex emerged, for which one of the prerequisites for carrying out was further archaeological research in this area. During the 1992, the excavations were carried out, after which, over the next two years, an extensive systematic protection research was done, led by Dr Milinković.


Rehabilitation of spiritual life and attacks on the monastery

Restoration of the monastery guest house with a workshop and a chapel dedicated to St. Nikolaj of Žiča, began in 1995, and the work was completed in 1998 when the monastery again became an active male monastery. Restoration of one dormitory was the beginning of the reconstructional project and its complete conversion to the seat of
Eparchy of Raška and Prizren Eparchy of Raška and Prizren, al, Eparkia Rashkë - Prizren. Also known as the Eparchy of Raška-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija ( sr, / ; sq, Eparkia Rashkë - Prizren). is one of the oldest eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church, featuring t ...
. The following year, after the
NATO bombing of Yugoslavia The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
,
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
recalled security forces from the southern Serbian province. Only a few days after
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
KFOR KFOR may refer to: * KFOR (AM), a radio station (1240 AM) licensed to Lincoln, Nebraska, United States * KFOR-TV, a television station (channel 4 analog/27 digital) licensed to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States * KFOR-TV (Nebraska), a defunct ...
units had been dispatched, members of the Kosovo Liberation Army burned and looted the restored residence, and one of the monks, Father Chariton, was kidnapped in Prizren, in mid-June 1999. His decapitated body was found in the summer of 2000 in Prizren, and he was buried in the
Crna Reka monastery The Crna Reka Monastery ( sr, Манастир Црна Река, Manastir Crna Reka, lit. "Black River Monastery") is a 13th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery located in Ribariće, Tutin, southwestern Serbia. The monastery is situated at the go ...
, where he had become a monk, while his head was never found. The remaining monastic brotherhood left the monastery after his kidnapping, but returned after a month to bury his remains. The monastery refectory was restored with the help of local
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
from Sredska and Sirinić, so that the celebration of the 650th anniversary of the monastery could take place, on 26 July 2002, attended by almost 1,000 Serbs. This milestone was not without incident, since
Albanians The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...
in Prizren organized protests against their arrival, and a
bomb A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the Exothermic process, exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-t ...
exploded in the fortress of Višegrad. During the
2004 unrest in Kosovo The 2004 unrest in Kosovo is the worst ethnic violence case in Kosovo since the end of the Kosovo War, 1998–99 conflict. The violence erupted in the partitioned town of Mitrovica, Kosovo, Kosovo Mitrovica, leaving hundreds wounded and at least ...
, the monastery complex was again under attack by Albanian extremists, despite the fact that it was secured by the nearby KFOR base. The entire residence was burned and destroyed, including the bell tower and the woodcut workshop, a panel was badly damaged and the tomb of Emperor Dušan was broken and desecrated. The monastic brotherhood of the Monastery was previously evacuated, but returned in April and continued to live in a
tent A tent () is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over, attached to a frame of poles or a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using gu ...
container that KFOR provided. After that, local Serbs again helped with the restoration, finishing the southeastern part of the dormitory by November the same year. On 26 July 2005, the celebration of the Monastery ''Slava'' (patron saint protector) and the 650th anniversary of the Emperor's death was organized with the protection of KFOR forces. The celebration was attended by hundreds of Serbs, among whom were present church dignitaries and state officials, and the whole celebration was broadcast live by Serbian State Television (RTS). In addition, a large reproduction of
Paja Jovanović Pavle "Paja" Jovanović ( sr-cyr, Павле "Паја" Јовановић; ; 16 June 1859 – 30 November 1957) was a Serbian painter who painted more than 1,100 works including: '' The Wounded Montenegrin'' (1882), '' Decorating of the Bride'' ...
's "Crowning of Emperor Dušan", and a
Serbian flag The flag of Serbia ( sr, Застава Србије, Zastava Srbije), also known as the Tricolour ( sr, тробојка, ''trobojka''), is a tricolour consisting of three equal horizontal bands, red on the top, blue in the middle, and white o ...
were added to the renovated guest house. In May 2007, a published study on reconstruction of the entire monastery complex estimated about 10 years and 8.326 million
EUR The euro (symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . Th ...
for the completion of the Monastery.


Modern

The entire complex was archaeologically explored in 1927, and its remains were conserved after the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. During the last decade of the 20th century work on the reconstruction was continued, and in 1998 it again became an active male monastery. After the
1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
and retreat of the Yugoslav army forces, reconstructed objects were burned and looted in June 1999, by members of the
Kosovo Liberation Army The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA; , UÇK) was an ethnic Albanian separatist militia that sought the separation of Kosovo, the vast majority of which is inhabited by Albanians, from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and Serbia during the ...
(KLA), after the
Kosovo Force The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO-led international NATO peacekeeping, peacekeeping force in Kosovo. Its operations are gradually reducing until Kosovo Security Force, Kosovo's Security Force, established in 2 ...
(KFOR) arrived.Без пратње само до Сиринићке жупе
' (''Глас Јавности''), 2 July 2005; accessed 8 November 2016.
During the
2004 unrest in Kosovo The 2004 unrest in Kosovo is the worst ethnic violence case in Kosovo since the end of the Kosovo War, 1998–99 conflict. The violence erupted in the partitioned town of Mitrovica, Kosovo, Kosovo Mitrovica, leaving hundreds wounded and at least ...
, the monastery was burned and looted again. The entire complex is under protection of the
Republic of Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia ( Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hung ...
, as a
Monument of Culture of Great Importance Immovable Cultural Heritage of Exceptional Importance ( sr, Непокретна културна добра од изузетног значаја/) are those objects of Immovable cultural heritage that enjoy the highest level of state protection ...
.Cultural monuments of exceptional significance
Monument of Culture in Serbia - ''Saint Archangels Monastery''
SANU.ac.rs; accessed 8 November 2016.
The monastery houses one priest and is under protection by the Kosovo police in a special protection zoneБожић прослављен у матици и расељању
glas-javnosti.rs; accessed 8 November 2016.


See also

*
List of Serbian Orthodox monasteries This is a list of Serbian Orthodox Christian monasteries in Serbia and near areas (Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, and Kosovo), also Romania, Hungary, Greece, Germany, United States of America, Canada, and Australia. ...
*
Sinaites in Serbia Sinaites in Serbia are a special group of clergy, whose name is associated, directly or indirectly, with Mount Sinai, where Moses met God, which established the ties of the Orthodox East with the Serbian lands from the time of Saint Sava, if not be ...


Annotations


References


Sources

* * * * *


External links


Манастир Светих АрханђелаRas-Prizren Diocese
{{Serbian Orthodox Church Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Kosovo 14th-century Serbian Orthodox church buildings Religious organizations established in the 14th century Stefan Dušan Cultural Monuments of Exceptional Importance (Serbia) Medieval Serbian sites in Kosovo Monuments and memorials in Kosovo Ruined abbeys and monasteries 1352 establishments in Europe Destroyed churches in Kosovo Nemanjić dynasty endowments Churches in Prizren Cultural heritage of Kosovo Patriarchate of Peć