The Pridvorica Monastery ( sr, Манастир Придворица, Manastir Pridvorica) is a
monastery of the
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches.
The majori ...
, built in the 12th century, at the same time as the nearby
Studenica. It has the status of cultural monument of great importance. It is located in the village of
Pridvorica,
Ivanjica.
According to the architectural characteristics it is a typical example of medieval
Raška school Raška may refer to:
Geography
* Raška (region), geographical and historical region in modern Serbia
* Raška (river), river in southwestern part of Serbia
* Raška, Serbia, town and municipality in Serbia
History and administration
* Eparchy ...
. Church of the Transfiguration is a single-
nave, one-
dome
A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
building with a semicircular
apse at the east. The external facade is decorated with a
frieze of blind arcades.
It was built by a servant who worked at the court of
Nemanjićs around 1195. Hence the name Pridvorica. A testimony of this are minor, but valuable remains of frescoes in the upper reaches of the temple. Initially this was a
nunnery
A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican C ...
, which is confirmed by Nemanja's charter to the monastery of Studenica. The nuns were engaged in
weaving and were passing the skills to the local population, as evidenced by a fully authentic style of weaving in this region; it was then the local
Church for centuries, and since 2007 it was again declared the monastery, but a male one. Abbot of the monastery, and two
novices live in the monastery. Pridvorica is on the 28th kilometer of road from Ivanjica to Studenica.
The building itself was twice renewed, which in many ways changed its exterior: for the first time after 1557, and the second time in mid-nineteenth century. During the second renewal, an
iconostasis
In Eastern Christianity, an iconostasis ( gr, εἰκονοστάσιον) is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a Church (building), church. ''Iconostasis'' also refers to a portable icon stand t ...
was painted at the gates, signed by Sreten Protić Molerović 1835. Pridvorica monastery church is dedicated to the Transfiguration. The monastery is one of the few in Serbia who have their own
Coat of arms.
Gallery
File:03-Crkva u Pridvorici 01.jpg, ''The Church of Holy Transfiguration in Pridvorica''
File:03-Crkva u Pridvorici 04.jpg, ''West side of the church''
File:03-Crkva u Pridvorici 15.jpg, ''The coat of arms of Pridvorica monastery''
File:03-Crkva u Pridvorici 18.jpg, ''Interior of the church with the white iconostasis''
References
External links
Republic Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments - BelgradeImmovable Cultural HeritageList of Monuments
Cultural Monuments of Great Importance (Serbia)
Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Serbia
Christian monasteries established in the 12th century
12th-century Serbian Orthodox church buildings
Tourist attractions in Serbia
Landmarks in Serbia
Ivanjica
{{Serbia-stub