| Studenica Monastery Студеница Манастир Studenica Manastir | |
|---|---|
| Црква Свете Богородице Crkva Svete Bogorodice | |
 Exterior view of monastery | |
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| 43°29′9.996″N20°32′12.012″E / 43.48611000°N 20.53667000°E /43.48611000; 20.53667000 | |
| Location | Studenica,Kraljevo,Serbia |
| Country | Serbia |
| Denomination | Serbian Orthodox |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Stefan Nemanja |
| Dedication | Holy Virgin |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Public access |
| Style | Raška school Byzantine |
| Years built | 1190 |
| Completed | 1190 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Eparchy of Žiča |
Historic site | |
  Location of Studenica Monastery within Serbia | |
| Official name | Studenica Monastery |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iv, vi |
| Designated | 1986(10thsession) |
| Reference no. | 389 |
| Region | Europe |
| Official name | Манастир Студеница |
| Type | Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance |
| Designated | 1979 |
TheStudenica Monastery (Serbian:Манастир Студеница /Manastir Studenica,pronounced[mânastiːrstudɛ̌nit͡sa]) is a 12th-centurySerbian Orthodoxmonastery situated 39 kilometres (24 mi) southwest ofKraljevo and 40.9 kilometres (25.4 mi) east ofIvanjica, in centralSerbia. It is one of the largest and richest Serb Orthodox monasteries.
Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the medieval Serb state, founded the monastery in 1190. The monastery's fortified walls encompass two churches: the Church of the Virgin, and the Church of the King, both of which were built usingwhite marble. The monastery is best known for its collection of 13th- and 14th centuryByzantine-stylefresco paintings.
Studenica was declaredMonument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected byRepublic of Serbia, and in 1986UNESCO included Studenica monastery on the list ofWorld Heritage Sites, with the description:[1]
The Studenica Monastery was established in the late 12th century by Stefan Nemanja, founder of the medieval Serb state, shortly after his abdication. It is the largest and richest of Serbia's Orthodox monasteries. Its two principal monuments, the Church of the Virgin and the Church of the King, both built of white marble, enshrine priceless collections of 13th- and 14th-century Byzantine painting.
The monasteryStudenica, dedicated to the Presentation of theHoly Virgin, is the mother-church of all Serbian temples. It was constructed over a quite long period of time. The first stage of works were completed by the spring of 1196, whenStefan Nemanja abdicated and took monastic vows at the monastery.[2][3] When he later left forHilandar, his son and successorStefan took over the care of Studenica.[2] Nemanja died in Hilandar in 1199. Nemanja's third sonRastko (Saint Sava), after reconciling with his brothers Stefan andVukan, moved Nemanja's relics to Studenica.[4] Under guardianship of Sava, Studenica became the political, cultural and spiritual center ofmedieval Serbia.
Studenica enjoyed continual care by the members of theNemanjić dynasty.King Radoslav added a splendidnarthex to the church in 1235.King Milutin built a small but lovely church dedicated to saintsJoachim andAnna.
Since the fall of the last of the medieval Serbian states in 1459, theTurks often assaulted the monastery. The first of the significant restorations of the damage took place in 1569, when the frescoes in the Church of the Virgin were repainted. In the early 17th century, an earthquake and a fire befell the monastery, and historical documents and a significant part of the artistic heritage were destroyed and lost forever.[2]
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The Virgin's Church is adomed single-navebasilica. At its eastern end there is a three-sidedapse, while an extendednarthex faces west; there are alsovestibules on the north and the south. In the 1230s, a largeexonarthex was added. Thefacades were built with slabs of white marble; inside, the church is revetted withtuff blocks. Externally, the Church harmoniously reconciles two architectural styles, theRomanesque and theByzantine. The blending of these two styles eventually produced a particular style of architecture known as theRaška School.
Northwest of the Church of the Virgin there is the church of saints Joachim and Anna, known after its founder King Milutin as the King's Church. The church was constructed in 1314, in the form of a compressed cross, with the exterior structure of an octagonal dome. It is built of stone and tuff, with plastered facades.
The complex of the Studenica monastery includes the Church ofSt. Nicholas, a small single-nave church frescoed inside with works from the 12th or possibly early 13th centuries. Between the Church of St. Nicholas and the King's Church are the foundations of the church dedicated toSt. John the Baptist. West of the Virgin's Church, there is an old refectory made of rubble, built during the time ofArchbishop Sava. Finally, on the western side of the monastery complex there is abell tower, erected in the 13th century. There used to be a chapel inside; now, only fragments of frescoes can be seen there. Remains of fresco painting have also been numbered on the external part of the narthex, splendidly representing theNemanjić dynasty genealogy. They obviously relate to the frescoes from the Virgin's Church which date back to 1208-1209.
Northward from the Studenica refectory is the 18th centurymonastic residence, which now houses a museum and displays a number of the precious exhibits from the Studenica treasury. However, the frequent wars and plunders have considerably reduced the depository of the Studenica treasury.
The artistic achievements of the sculpture of Studenica culminate in fourportals of the Virgin's Church, primarily the west one, inside between the narthex and the exonarthex. On the north wall under the dome, there is a window made of many square panes with medallions carved on a leaden plaque which represent eight fantastic animals - the symbols of the Virgin's virtues. There are also tworosettes denoting theDivine Eye. The masons came to Studenica most probably from theAdriatic region, perhaps fromKotor, where Nemanja used to have a palace. They left an inscription inSerbian lettering on thetympanum of the west portal.
The Virgin's Church was painted in the first decade of the 13th century. The originalfrescoes have been partly preserved in thealtar area, under the dome, on the west wall, and in the lower registers of the nave. The most splendid representation is that of theCrucifixion, painted on blue background in 1209, one of the paramount achievements inSerbian art. On the south wall there is the "founders' composition" which shows the Virgin takingNemanja (Simon) with the church model toJesus Christ as theMagistrate Impartial. The narthex was painted in 1569. Those frescoes include an exquisite representation of theLast Judgment in the upper registers and the portrait of Nemanja's wife Ana as the nunAnastasia.
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The earliest fresco painting in King's church marks the supreme achievement ofByzantine art in the region. The frescoes in Radoslav's narthex and the parecclesions originate from the 1230s and display a close relation to the painting style of the main church. The north chapel, dedicated toSt. Nicholas, contains a composition of theHetoimasia and a cycle dealing with the life of St. Nicholas. In the south chapel, one finds the portraits of Nemanja,Stefan the First Crowned and King Radoslav with his wife Ana. On the north wall of the narthex, three dignitaries of theSerbian Church are portrayed - the archbishops Sava,Arsenije andSava II (Radoslav's brother).
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