The Medieval Monuments in Kosovo ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Средњовековни споменици на Косову, Srednjovekovni spomenici na Kosovu, ) are a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

consisting of four Serbian Orthodox Christian churches and

monasteries 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 m ...

which represent the fusion of the eastern Orthodox

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

and the western Romanesque ecclesiastical architecture to form the Palaiologian Renaissance style. The construction was founded by members of Nemanjić dynasty, the most important dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages. The sites are located in

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

. In 2004,

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

recognized the Dečani Monastery for its outstanding universal value. Two years later, the site of patrimony was extended as a serial nomination, to include three other religious monuments: Patriarchate of Peć Monastery,

Our Lady of Ljeviš Our Lady of Ljeviš ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Богородица Љевишка, Bogorodica Ljeviška; ) is a 14th-century Serbian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox church in the town of Prizren, in southern Kosovo. Since 2006, the church is part of the ...

and

Gračanica Monastery Gračanica () may refer to: Places Bosnia and Herzegovina * Gračanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a town and municipality in Tuzla * Gračanica (Bugojno), a village in Central Bosnia * Gračanica, Gacko, a village in Republika Srpska * Gračanica, ...

. In 2006 the property was inscribed on the

list of World Heritage in Danger The List of World Heritage in Danger is compiled by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) through the World Heritage Committee according to Article 11.4 of the World Heritage Convention,Full title: ''Conv ...

due to difficulties in its management and conservation stemming from the region's political instability.

UNESCO controversy

There is an ongoing controversy over Kosovo's bid to join the UNESCO, which would result in the sites being listed as part of Kosovo and not Serbia. These monuments have come under attack, especially during the ethnic violence in 2004, during Kosovo's UNMIK rule, when the

was heavily damaged. In October 2015 Kosovo was recommended for membership by the UNESCO Executive Board. The bid for membership was voted at the UNESCO General Conference in November 2015.

has not accepted

as a member, the proposal failed to gain a two-thirds majority at the organization's General Conference in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

on November 9, 2015. One of primary reasons for this rejection of Albanian request is 2004 unrest in Kosovo, when 35 Orthodox churches were desecrated, damaged or destroyed, including

which is a

. The church is subject to constant looting - even of its construction material, specifically valuable lead has repeatedly been stolen from the roof.See the link:

Gallery

File:Visoki Dečani, exterior view (Julian Nyča).jpg,

Visoki Dečani The Visoki Dečani Monastery is a medieval Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery located near Deçan, Kosovo. It was founded in the first half of the 14th century by Stefan Dečanski, List of Serbian monarchs, King of Serbia. Dečani is by far t ...

File:Pecka apside.jpg, Patriarchal Monastery of Peć File:Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Ljevis, Prizren, Kosovo, 2014-04-16, DD 05.JPG,

File:Gračanica.jpg, Gračanica

References

External links

Medieval Monuments in Kosovo
at the official UNESCO site
Mediaeval monuments in Kosovo
National Tourism Organisation of Serbia
Medieval Monuments in Kosovo
'Learn the World' {{Kosovo topics History of Kosovo Monuments and memorials in Kosovo Medieval history of Serbia World Heritage Sites in Danger

UNESCO controversy

Gallery

See also

References

External links