The monastery of Valevska Gracanitsa is rapidly sinking into the water. Panorama Gracanica (monastery). Virtual tour of Gracanica (monastery). Attractions, map, photo, video Gracanica Assumption
Gracanica Monastery (Serb. Manastir Gracanica) is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the Serbian enclave of Gracanica in the autonomous region of Kosovo, near the city of Pristina. Dedicated to the Dormition Holy Mother of God. July 13, 2006 included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition, the monastery is included in the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger.
The monastery was founded by King Stefan Milutin in 1315 on the ruins of a 13th-century church, which in turn was built on the foundations of an early Christian three-aisled basilica from the 6th century. The narthex and the church tower were built several decades later, also to protect the frescoes on the western façade. The narthex was seriously damaged by the Turks between 1379 and 1383, but was rebuilt in 1383. The next sacking of the monastery by the Ottomans followed after the Battle of Kosovo in 1389.
During the Turkish rule, Gracanica became an important cultural center. During the reign of Metropolitan Nikanon (1528-1555), several new icons were painted for the altar. In addition, there was a printing house that produced in a large number liturgical and spiritual literature. The Royal Doors were created in 1564 under Metropolitan Dionysius, whose death is also depicted on the frescoes in the vestibule. Thanks to the efforts of Patriarch Makariy Sokolovich, major restoration work was carried out in the monastery and new frescoes were created in the monastery church. Under Patriarch Paisios, the church was covered with a lead roof, and a massive cross was erected in the iconostasis.
During the Great Turkish war the monastery was again plundered by the Turks, who thus tried to take revenge on the Serbs for supporting the Christian side. The Ottomans removed the cross, floor plates, and also captured the treasures hidden here by Patriarch Arseniy III.
After the Second World War, the nuns returned here. Currently, there are 24 icon-painting nuns here, agriculture, sewing and other monastic obediences.
After the end of the war in Kosovo in 1999, Bishop of Raška and Prizren Artemy transferred his see from Prizren to this monastery, so that at present the monastery is not only the spiritual, but also the national and political center of the Serbian people in Kosovo.
In 1977, the Serbs in the United States purchased a plot of land on which they built a monastery, called New Gracanica. The church of the American monastery outwardly repeats the ancient Kosovo building, however, it is slightly larger in size.
In 2000, on the Crkvina Mountain in Trebinje, in the Republika Srpska, the Hercegovacka-Gracanica Monastery was founded, the main church of which is also a copy of the Kosovo Gracanica.
The main building of the monastery is the cross-domed five-domed Assumption Cathedral, built in 1315-1321. The outer vestibule was completed somewhat later and is open on three sides like a portico.
The monastery is known for its unique frescoes. In the XIV century, the following murals were created: in the apse - liturgical scenes, in the naos - the Great Feasts, the Passion of Christ and the miracles of Christ, Parables, in the narthex - portraits of ktitors, the Genealogy of the Nemanichs, the Last Judgment, the Monthly Book. The frescoes of the outer vestibule were painted in 1570. Serbian icons and manuscripts of the 14th-16th centuries are kept in the sacristy of the church.
It was these frescoes that were used in the design of the book "Songs of the South Slavs", which is included in the Library of World Literature (volume 11 of the 1st series).
Initially, there was an early Christian basilica on the site of the modern church of Gracanica. Before the conquest of the region by Bulgaria in - the centuries the temple was the chair of the Byzantine bishopric of Dardania.
In the era of the First Bulgarian Kingdom and after the conquest by Byzantium of the power of the comitopuls () - the center of the Lipenian or Liplyan diocese (from the name of the Roman city of Ulpiana (Serb. Liplyan), located near Gracanitsa), which in the -XII century was part of the Ohrid Archdiocese.
As a Serbian monastery, Gracanica arose no later than the reign of St. box Stefan the First-Crowned (1197-1228), since Stefan Urosh II Milutin in a decree (letter) mentions the existence of the monastery at the time of "parent and ancestor". The resumption of the monastery under Milutin is evidenced by his letter from Bishop. Ignatius, made in the year in the fresco technique on the western wall of the deacon of the monastery cathedral. The center of the Liplian diocese continued to be located in the monastery, sometimes its bishops were titled Grachanitsky, this title was preserved in the middle of the 16th century, when Grachanitsa became part of the Metropolis of Novobrda.
In the 1380s, before the Ottoman conquest, Gracanica was a major book-writing center associated with the princely court of Vuk Branković in Pristina and possibly with the Serb monastic scriptoriums of Athos. By order of the (arch)ep. Simeon in the year the service Menaion for April was written here, in the year - for October. In addition, a number of manuscripts were rewritten in the scriptorium, including several. sets of archaic minaine Ceremonial.
Architecture and decoration
The representative five-domed temple - the cathedral church of local bishops - is distinguished by stepped vaults and complexly dissected forms of the final parts. The masonry uses stone and brick. This is the last work of the court artel of King Milutin, headed by Mikhail and Evtikhiy.
Gracanica Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the Serbian enclave of Gracanica in the autonomous region of Kosovo, near the city of Pristina. Dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. July 13, 2006 included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition, the monastery is included in the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger.
The monastery was founded by King Stefan Milutin in 1315 on the ruins of a 13th-century church, which in turn was built on the foundations of an early Christian three-aisled basilica from the 6th century. The narthex and the church tower were built a few decades later, also to protect the frescoes on the western façade. The narthex was seriously damaged by the Turks between 1379 and 1383, but was rebuilt in 1383. The next sacking of the monastery by the Ottomans followed after the Battle of Kosovo in 1389.
During the Turkish rule, Gracanica became an important cultural center. During the reign of Metropolitan Nikanon (1528-1555), several new icons were painted for the altar. In addition, there was a printing house that produced a large number of liturgical and spiritual literature. The Royal Doors were created in 1564 under Metropolitan Dionysius, whose death is also depicted on the frescoes in the vestibule. Thanks to the efforts of Patriarch Makariy Sokolovich, major restoration work was carried out in the monastery and new frescoes were created in the monastery church. Under Patriarch Paisios, the church was covered with a lead roof, and a massive cross was erected in the iconostasis.
During the Great Turkish War, the monastery was again plundered by the Turks, who thus tried to take revenge on the Serbs for supporting the Christian side. The Ottomans removed the cross, floor plates, and also captured the treasures hidden here by Patriarch Arseniy III.
After the Second World War, the nuns returned here. Currently, there are 24 nuns engaged in icon painting, agriculture, sewing and other monastic obediences.
After the end of the war in Kosovo in 1999, Bishop of Raška and Prizren Artemy transferred his see from Priren to this monastery, so that at present the monastery is not only the spiritual, but also the national and political center of the Serbian people in Kosovo.
In 1977, the Serbs in the United States purchased a plot of land on which they built a monastery, called New Gracanica. The Church of the American Monastery outwardly repeats the ancient Kosovo building, but is slightly larger in size.
The main building of the monastery is the cross-domed five-domed Assumption Cathedral, built in 1315-1321. The outer vestibule was completed somewhat later and is open on three sides like a portico.
The monastery is known for its unique frescoes. In the XIV century, the following murals were created: in the apse - liturgical scenes, in the naos - the Great Feasts, the Passion of Christ and the miracles of Christ, Parables, in the narthex - portraits of ktitors, the Genealogy of the Nemanichs, the Last Judgment, the Monthly Book. The frescoes of the outer vestibule were painted in 1570. Serbian icons and manuscripts of the 14th-16th centuries are kept in the sacristy of the church.
It was these frescoes that were used in the design of the book "Songs of the South Slavs", which is included in the Library of World Literature (volume 11 of the 1st series).
Grachanitsa, female monastery in honor of the Dormition of St. Mother of God of the Rashsko-Prizren Eparchy of Serbia Orthodox Church(SPC). It is located in the village of the same name, 9 km from the city of Pristina (Kosovo and Metohija).
History of the monastery
Initially, on the site of modern church G. was early Christ. basilica. Before the conquest of the region by Bulgaria in the IX-XI centuries. the temple was a Byzantine pulpit. the bishopric of Dardania, in the era of the First Bulgarian Empire and after the conquest of the power of the comitopoulos by Byzantium (1018) - the center of the Lipenian or Liplyan (from the name of the Roman city of Ulpian (Serb. Liplyan), located near G.) diocese, to-paradise in XI-XII centuries was part of the Ohrid Archdiocese (Snegarov I. History of the Ohridskata Archdiocese. Sofia, 1924. S. 25-26, 56, 62, 136, 162, 174, 184-185, 190, 193). Like a Serb. mon-ry G. arose no later than the reign of St.. box Stefan the First Crowned (1197-1228), since Stefan Urosh II Milutin in a decree (letter) mentions the existence of the monastery at the time of "parent and progenitor" (Markoviћ, p. 93). The resumption of the monastery under Milutin is evidenced by his letter from Bishop. Ignatius, made in 1321 in the fresco technique to the west. the wall of the deacon of the monastery cathedral (ed. see: Grachanichka poveya. Beograd, 1994). The center of the Liplian diocese continued to be located in the mon-re, sometimes its bishops were titled Grachanitsky, this title was preserved in the middle. 16th century, when G. became part of the Metropolis of Novobrda.
In the 80s. In the 14th century, before the Ottoman conquest, Greece was a major book-writing center associated with the princely court of Vuk Brankovich in Pristina and, possibly, with the Serb. monastic scriptoria of Athos. By order of the (arch)ep. Simeon in 1383, a service Menaion was written here for April (Stojanoviћ. Records. Књ. 1. No. 154), in 1388 - for October (GIM. Khlud. 146). In addition, a number of manuscripts were rewritten in the scriptorium, including several. sets of a menaine Solemn (KhAZU Archive. III c 22. III c 24; the library of the Dečany Monastery, No. 98 (Cernice. 1979); Vindob. Slav. 33) of archaic composition (for their content, see: Mo š in V Ćirilski rukopisi Jugoslavenske Akademije, Zagreb, 1955, pp. 165-175, no. 112, 113).
During the tour invasion of 1379-1383 the priprirat of the church was destroyed, the sacristy was plundered. In 1383, the archbishop updated the pripraty. Simeon. During the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, G. suffered again. It was in the church of G. that the prince who fell in battle was buried. Lazar, in 1391 his coffin was transferred to Ravanitsa.
Nov 21 1402 near G., on the river of the same name, in the battle between the troops of the Serb. despot Stefan Lazarevich, who was returning after the battle of Angora (now Ankara) from the K-field through Zeta, and his brother Vuk, on the one hand, and their nephew George Brankovich (see Art. Brankovichi) and the Ottoman Turks allied with him - from another, Stefan trashed the tour. the army and was able to return to their possessions, which the allies especially wanted to prevent, but Vuk Lazarevich was defeated by the forces of George.
In the 30s. 15th century G. for a short time enjoyed the patronage of Prince. Georgy Brankovich, who buried his son Theodore (1428), who died early here, the fresco image of the youth is located above his tomb in the cathedral. After tour. G.'s conquest soon ceased to be the center of the diocese, but the monastery was still in operation ( Subotin-Golubov. S. 122). In the 16th century, before the restoration of the Pech Patriarchy, G. experienced an upsurge under the patronage of Metropolitan. Novobrdosky Nikanor. In 1539, a printing house was opened, where the printer Dimitri worked. Of her products, the Oktoich of the 5th-8th tones (1539) is known, modest in design, with a sheet engraving - a realistic image of the Cathedral of G. ("Metropolia Gradchanitsa") in the upper part and St. melodic authors (John of Damascus, Cosmas Mayumsky and Joseph the Songwriter) - at the bottom. Books invested in G. Met. Nikanor, were used as models for correspondence: in 1567, an unknown book scribe listed 12 "Nikanur's books" of liturgical content, which he copied (Stojanoviћ. Zapisi. Књ. 1. No. 675). Judging by this entry, at that time the monastery was again known as a book-writing center. In con. XVI - beginning. 17th century books were put into the monastery Novobrdosky Metr. Vasily (1591), Patriarchs of Pech Gerasim (1580) and Paisiy (Janevac; 1614-1647). A small collection of manuscripts has been preserved from the monastery's library; in the 20th century the last copy of Oktoikh, printed in mon-re in 1539, disappeared. Now approx. 10 handwritten books and the same number of fragments of the XIV-XVI centuries, as well as several. early printed books, mainly of the 16th century.
In 1564 Metropolitan Dionysius I, whose death is depicted on a fresco in the outer priprita, made the royal gates with his own hands. Thanks to Patriarch Macarius (Sokolovich) of Pech, G. was reconstructed: the windows of the outer chapel were laid, and the walls were closed by September 3. 1570 painted again. Patriarch Paisiy (Janevac) of Pech covered the church with tin and crowned the iconostasis with the Crucifixion in 1620.
During the great migration of the Serbs in 1690, part of the inhabitants left the monastery, many were taken from the sacristy. valuable items. G. fell into disrepair and up to the 1st floor. 20th century acted as a parish church. During World War I, Nov. 1915, Bulgarian. troops plundered G., and many others. manuscripts and icons ended up in the museums of Sofia (see: Mladenoviћ). After the Second World War, several nuns settled in G. Before the January. In 1946, after the agrarian reform, Mon-Rue owned 18 hectares of arable land and 100 hectares of forest land, after the reform - 20 hectares of arable land and 30 hectares of forests. In the 90s. XX century., During hostilities, mon-ry several. once attacked by Albanians. extremists. In present time is under the protection of the military forces of KFOR. Approx. 10 sisters, abbess - igum. Euphrosyne. The relics of primch are kept in G. Stephen the New.
Of the bishops who occupied the department in G., known
Mavroyan (1190-1220; see: Jankoviћ M. S. 29), Barnabas (XIII century), Anthony (1299), Ignatius (1314-1316), Savva (XIII century), Elijah (c. 1321), Simeon (1383-1388), Dositheus (1426-1449), Benedict (Tsrepovich; 1455), Hilarion (after 1455), Nikanor (1528/29 - after 1551), Dionysius I (Sokolovich; 1564-1570), Dionysius II ( 1586), Vasily (1587-1595/98), Ananias (1598-1612), Paisios (Janevac; until 1614, after - Patriarch of Pech), Longinus (1616), Sylvester (1633-1635), Euthymius (1642-1649) , Gregory (1649).
In 1999, the chair of Met. Rashsko-Prizrensky Artemy (Radoslavlevich). The title "Lipliansky" is borne by the vicar of the Metropolitan Rashsko-Prizren Bishop. Theodosius (Shibalich), whose department is located in the monastery of Dechany.
Architecture and murals of the church of the monastery
The temple was built ca. 1315 on the site of a 1-nave church, which replaced in the 30s. 13th century early christ. 3-nave basilica. This is one of the most beautiful Serbian church buildings. medieval and late Byzantine. architecture. It is assumed that its builder was Nikola, who had previously worked in Prizren (the Church of the Mother of God Levishki) and in Staro Nagorichino (the Church of the Great Martyr George).
Rectangular in plan, the temple belongs to the type of an inscribed cross; its cruciform core (naos) is surrounded by a bypass, which is used as a narthex in the west and ends with parecclesions in the north and south; 3 apses with trapezoidal plans protrude from the east. Crowned with 5 domes (above the middle cross and over 4 corner cells), the temple is a slender pyramidal composition due to the elevated arms of the planned cross and lowered corners. The façades of the facades have a blackout coating and are surrounded by profiled archivolts. The facades of the temple and the apse are decorated with narrow windows placed in niches surrounded by archivolts. The domes of the temple have helmet-like ends on high 8-sided drums with narrow windows on each side, mounted on 4-sided bases, decorated with semicircular kokoshniks.
The interior is dominated by a central space with a dome resting on 4 pillars. Additional supports installed along the north-south lines with central pillars, as well as piers between the naos and the narthex, divide the interior into separate cells covered with cylindrical vaults. Above zap. choirs are part of the temple.
The exonarthex, attached to the temple from the west (c. middle of the 14th century), did not violate the beauty of the old building with light, strict forms. This is a rectangular room, completed with zakomaras and crowned with a dome on a low drum, open from the west, north and south thanks to arches resting on columns with lunettes above them.
Church, painted in 1320-1321. in the style of the early Paleologian art of Serbia, is one of the monuments of this period. The painting program is one of the most difficult in Orthodoxy. 14th century world It combines themes related to the consecration of the temple, the royal tomb and the cathedral, and uses the schemes of monumental paintings characteristic of the art of the Palaiologos era. The influence of liturgical symbolism is seen both in individual iconographic compositions and in the arrangement of scenes.
In the conch of the altar there is an image of Christ Emmanuel surrounded by cherubs, below - the Mother of God "Broader of heaven" with the archangels Michael and Gabriel; in the next register - the composition "Communion of the Apostles", under it - a row of half-length images of saints, and in the lower register - "Service of St. fathers" (or "Adoration of the Sacrifice"). The composition “Ascension” is placed on the vault, in the arches and on the walls from the cycle dedicated to the Mother of God, the compositions “Rejection of Gifts”, “Return of Joachim and Anna from the Temple”, “Annunciation to Joachim”, “Nativity of the Virgin”, “Blessing of the Priests”, "Entering the Mother of God into the Temple", "Prayer of Zechariah", "Joseph receives the Mother of God", "Reproaches of Joseph", "Water of Rebuke". Under the compositions of the Theotokos cycle, Old Testament plots are placed: “St. Trinity", "Abraham's Sacrifice", "Abraham Meets 3 Angels", "The Fleece of Gideon", "The Old Testament Tabernacle" and "Wisdom Built Her Temple".
In the skufia of the central dome there is an image of the Lord Almighty, surrounded by the composition "Heavenly Liturgy", in the drum - the figures of the prophets, in the sails - the evangelists, between which - "The Savior Not Made by Hands" and "Keramion". The vaults and lunettes of the domed cross are occupied by compositions of the Twelfth Feasts; on the walls of the naos, register below, there is a cycle of Christ's teachings and parables: "Christ talks with the apostles after the Transfiguration", "Christ teaches in Judea", "Midpart", "Peter, you are a stone", "Peter and Ananias", "The Parable of Publican and Pharisee”, “The Parable of the 10 Virgins”, “Christ at Martha and Mary”, “Christ Teaches the Jew”, “Christ Speaks of the End of the World”, “Christ Forgives the Harlot”, “Christ Calls Matthew”, “The Expulsion of Merchants from temple”, “Christ reads the Book in the synagogue”, “Christ talks with the apostles”, and “Christ blesses the boy”. The next tier of painting is formed by the compositions of the expanded Passion cycle, ending with the scene “St. Joseph of Arimathea asks Pilate for the body of the Lord. In zap. parts of the naos - a cycle of Christ's deeds and parables ("Marriage in Cana of Galilee", "Christ talks with a Samaritan woman", "Healing of the paralytic", "Healing of the one suffering from dropsy", "Christ in the house of Simon the Pharisee", "Healing of the withered hand" and several more. unidentified scenes), as well as scenes from the expanded cycle "Assumption of the Mother of God". To the south and sowing walls are presented gospel events after the resurrection of Christ: “The myrrh-bearing women with the Mother of God at the tomb of the Lord”, “The appearance of an angel to the myrrh-bearing women”, “The appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene”, “The myrrh-bearing women and the apostles”, “Peter and John at the tomb of the Lord”, “Christ with Luke and Cleopas", "The Supper at Emmaus", "Luke and Cleopas Conversing with the Apostles", "The Appearance of Christ to the Apostles", "Peace be with you", "Christ Eating Fish and Honeycomb", "Christ on the Lake of Tiberias", "Assurance Thomas", "Christ talking with Peter and John", "Christ with the apostles on a mountain in Galilee". Below the register are half-length images of 40 martyrs of Sebaste, in the lower tier - St. warriors, healers, as well as Saints John the Baptist, ap. John the Theologian, Savva Serbian, Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena, ap. Andrew and the archdeacon. Stephen. On the pillars in the naos are placed the composition "Annunciation", images of the Old Testament forefathers and righteous people, part of the minology, some of the 40 martyrs of Sebaste; in lower register - images of saints, among which, next to the place where the episcopal throne was located, is St. Ignatius, the namesake saint of the Bishop of Grachanytsya.
In the side aisles to the narthex in the upper tier - Minologii, under it - half-length images of saints, below - full-length holy martyrs and wives; in the central aisle - portraits of ktitors.
In the narthex, in the domes, there are half-length images of St. Mark (in the southwest) and ap. Matthew (in the northwest) surrounded by angels, in the drums - the forefathers and prophets, on the vaults - Minologii, in the center of the vault - "The righteous and angels in the Hand of the Lord." All app. and partly sowing. the wall is occupied by the composition "Last Judgment". To the east wall - plots of the Old Testament history: "Elijah beats the priests of Baal" and "Job on the dung", under them - half-length images of the saints, in the next register - portraits of the Serbs. box Urosh and his wife Elena, parents of the ktitor Kor. Milutin; in the south parts of the same wall are depicted genealogical tree Nemanjić (for historical reasons, there is no image of Stefan Dečanski). On the vaults of the choir are "Introduction to the Temple" and, probably, "The Presentation" (poorly preserved); on the walls of the choir - the prophets Samuel, Aaron, Moses and Zechariah, below - the monks, including the pillars.
In the dome of the south parekklision is a half-length image of an. John the Theologian, surrounded by Heavenly Forces, in the drum and on the walls of the domed space - seraphim and saints; in the conch of the apse - Rev. Mother of God, below - a row of saints and the “Service of St. fathers." On the walls - "The Annunciation" (twice), "The Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth", "The Repentance of David", "Three Youths in the Furnace of Fire", "Prop. Elijah in the Cave", "Flight into Egypt", "The Burning Bush", "Christ Talks to the Jews about the Resurrection", "Christ Blesses the Child", "Christ Forbids the Winds and the Sea" and "The Vision of Peter of Alexandria". Register below - images of St. bishops and hermits; Theodore "(mid-XIV century) and a portrait of Feodor Brankovich (1429).
In the dome parekklision dedicated to St. Nicholas of Mirlikiysky, - half-length image of ap. Luke, surrounded by Heavenly Forces, saints and seraphim, in the conch - the image of St. John the Baptist, below - half-length images of saints, in the next register - the Service of St. fathers. Almost the entire space of the walls of the 2nd tier is occupied by the life cycle of St. Nicholas, the compositions “Nativity of St. Nicholas", "Ordination of St. Nicholas", "Warriors in the dungeon", "Apparition in a dream to Tsar Constantine and Eulavius", "Liberation of the innocent from the sword", "Miracle at sea" and "Destruction of idols in the temple of Artemis", in the lower tier - the figures of the saints.
The exonarthex was painted in 2 stages. Frescoes 1st floor. 16th century partially preserved: the monumental Baptism, scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist, composition "In the tomb of the flesh", Christ the Angel of the Great Council, Deesis and Akathist to the Mother of God. Some frescoes were rewritten in 1570 by the Serb. artists led by Andrey and Longin. In the iconographic program, scenes from the Theotokos cycle stand out: the image of St. The Mother of God with Christ and the archangels is included in the plot "Above the prophets of Thee foreshadowing", located on the east. on the wall above the entrance, on other walls there are compositions “The Cover”, “The Burning Bush”, as well as the Akathist to the Mother of God; Serbs are depicted in the lower tier. Saints Savva, Simeon, Arseniy, Ephraim, Ioanniky and portraits of contemporaries of the mural: Patriarch Macarius and Metropolitans Anthony and Dionysius, the customer of the mural, as well as the scene of the death of Met. Dionysius.
In the painting of the church in 1320-1321, the author of which was the master from Thessaloniki Michael Astrapas, the influence of ancient traditions, reworked in the spirit of late Byzantium, can be traced. classicism. The compositions and individual faces are carefully worked out, the slightly elongated proportions of the figures are harmonious. The best frescoes include compositions on the walls in the under-dome space - "Assumption of the Virgin", "Descent into Hell", images of the Mother of God (in the southern parekklision) and St. John the Baptist (in the northern parekklision), "The Nemanich Tree".
A small collection of G.'s icons is associated with the name of Met. Nicanora. "The Virgin surrounded by prophets" and "Christ on the throne" are in the iconostasis. The icon "Christ on the Throne" has 2 registers, the lower one represents the consecration of Metr. Nicanor, to whom an angel brings a miter, next to him are the philosopher Pythagoras and a Persian. prophet propy (?). By order of Mr. Dionysius made icons for the royal gates (1564, the scene "Annunciation" was rewritten in the 19th century), images of the Deesis tier (Jesus Christ and the 3 Apostles), the icons "Entrance into the Temple" and "Savior the Unsleeping Eye". The patron of 2 crosses (XVII century) over the iconostases was Patriarch Paisios. The icons of St. Nicholas with life, Jesus Christ on a red background and the icon of St. Fevronia with a life, the donor of which was in 1607/08 Metropolitan. Victor, his image is placed in the lower left corner of the icon. In the XVIII century. the meeting was replenished several times. baroque icons (Jesus Christ, prophet Elijah, etc.) and Russian. images (“The Lord Almighty”, “Theotokos with the Child”, etc.).
Lit .: Markoviћ V . Orthodox monastics and monasteries in the Middle Ages of Serbia. Sremski Karlovci, 1920: Gorky Milanovac, 2002. S. 93; Pavlovic M . Grachanichka poveљa // GSND. 1928. Kњ. 3. S. 105-140; Bošković Dj . Deux églises de Milutin: Staro Nagoričino et Gračanica // L "art byzantin chez les Slaves. P., 1930. Vol. 1. P. 206-212; Radojchiћ S. Grachanitsa // Hrishchansko business. 1938. Књ. 4. T Beograd, 1966, pp. 112-120; Grujíћ R. M. The right of a stamper at South Serbia in 1539 to Kosovo Poљu at the Grachanitsa manastir // GSND, 1939 15/16, pp. 81-96; 129-137; Moshin V. Manuscripts of the Grachanice Manuscript // Old Kosovo and Metokhije. Prishtina, 1961. Књ. 1. S. 17-73; Ivanoviћ R. Zemšishni sedi grachanichkog dominion // Historical clocks. Beograd, 1961. Kњ. 11. P. 253-264; Hallensleben H. Die Malerschule des Königs Milutin. Giessen, 1963; Koraћ V. Grachanitsa - space and appearances // Zb. S. Radojchiћa. Beograd, 1969. P. 143-152; 14th century commendation: Scientific stingy in Grachanitsa, 1973. Beograd, 1978; Chanichkog (Lippanskog) Prologue-Mineja: Attribution of the Manuscript to the Powerful Reconstruction of the Scriptorium // Arkhpr. 1979. Kњ. 1. S. 133-164; Ć ur č i ć S . Gračanica - King Milutin's Church and Its Place in Late Byzantine Architecture. Univ. Park (Pennsylv.). L., 1979; aka Gracanica: History and Architecture. Beograd, 1988, 19992; Metropolia // Historical Clocks, 1983. Kњ 29/30, pp. 27-36; -208; Todiћ B. Gracanitsa: Slikarstvo. Beograd, 1988, 19992; aka. Srpsko slikarstvo at the good land of Milutin. Beograd, 1998; Zhivkoviћ B. Gracanitsa: [Crtezhi fresak]. Beograd, 1989; aka. Grachanichka poveљa. Beograd, 1992; V. V. V. Icon of the consecration and grachanichkog of Metropolitan Nikanor // ZLU, 1991/1992, Kњ. , 308, 386-389; Subotin-Golubov T . Srpsko handwritten heritage from 1557 to Wednesday. 17th century Beograd, 1999. S. 122-124.
B. Todic, Sl. Mileusnich, A. A. Turilov
a monastery located in the Serbian enclave of Gracanica in the autonomous region of Kosovo, near the city of Pristina. Dedicated to the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. On July 13, 2006, it was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition, the monastery is included in the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger.
Story
The monastery was founded by King Stefan Milutin in 1315 on the ruins of a 13th-century church, which in turn was built on the foundations of an early Christian three-aisled basilica of the 6th century. The narthex and the church tower were built several decades later, also to protect the frescoes on the western façade. The narthex was seriously damaged by the Turks between 1379 and 1383, but was rebuilt in 1383. The next sacking of the monastery by the Ottomans followed after the Battle of Kosovo in 1389.
During the Turkish rule, Gracanica became an important cultural center. During the reign of Metropolitan Nikanon (1528-1555), several new icons were painted for the altar. In addition, there was a printing house that produced a large number of liturgical and spiritual literature. The Royal Doors were created in 1564 under Metropolitan Dionysius, whose death is also depicted on the frescoes in the vestibule. Thanks to the efforts of Patriarch Macarius Sokolovich, major restoration work was carried out in the monastery and new frescoes were created in the monastery church. Under Patriarch Paisios, the church was covered with a lead roof, and a massive cross was erected in the iconostasis.
After the Second World War, the nuns returned here. Currently, there are 24 nuns engaged in icon painting, agriculture, sewing and other monastic obediences.
After the end of the war in Kosovo in 1999, Bishop of Raška and Prizren Artemy transferred his see from Prizren to this monastery, so that at present the monastery is not only the spiritual, but also the national and political center of the Serbian people in Kosovo.
In 1977, the Serbs in the United States purchased a plot of land on which they built a monastery, called New Gracanica. The Church of the American Monastery outwardly repeats the ancient Kosovo building, but is slightly larger in size.
In 2000, on Mount Crkvina in Trebinje, in the Republika Srpska, the Hercegovacka-Gracanica Monastery was founded, the main church of which is also a copy of the Kosovo Gracanica.
Architecture
The main building of the monastery is the cross-domed five-domed Assumption Cathedral, built in 1315-1321. The outer vestibule was completed somewhat later and is open on three sides like a portico.