| Registration Classification | cultural heritage |
| Registration Criteria | (1), (2), (4), (6) |
| Year of registration | 1986 |
The Studenica Monastery in central Serbia is one of the largest Serbian Orthodox monasteries. They were founded in the late 12th century by Stefan Nemanja, founder of the medieval Serbian kingdom. The site includes two cathedrals, the Cathedral of the Living Goddess and the Cathedral of the King, known for their stunning 13th- and 14th-century Byzantine frescoes.
Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why the Studenitsa Monastery is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about the Studenitsa Monastery!
What is Studenica Monastery?
The Studenica Monastery, located in the county of Raška in central Serbia, was founded near the Studenica River in the late 12th century by Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the medieval Kingdom of Serbia.And he himself is laid to rest here. And St. Sava, son of Stefan Nemanja, founded a Serbian Orthodox church here in 1219. This makes Studenica Monastery an important monastery in Serbia.
The well-preserved Serbian Orthodox monastery is surrounded by a circular wall, with a cathedral in the center and facilities built along the walls. The Cathedral of the Living Goddess in the center is a fusion of Romanesque and Byzantine styles.Inside the domed chalk building are frescoes that are masterpieces of Byzantine art, and the “Crucifixion of Christ” painted in the 13th century is one of the greatest masterpieces of Serbian art.
The Cathedral of the Kings, located northwest of the Cathedral of the Living Goddess, was founded by King Milutin in 1314.It is cruciform when viewed from above and built of limestone. The interior is decorated with frescoes by court painters, including one of King Milutin holding a model of the royal cathedral.
For what reason is the Studenitsa Monastery on the World Heritage List?
The Studenica Monastery was recognized for
Registration Criteria (i)
The point is that the frescoes in the Cathedral of the King are icons of high perfection.
Registration Criteria (ii)
The Cathedral of the Living Goddess of Mercy is a Raška School’s structure, a medieval style of church architecture in Eastern Europe, and that it became a model for subsequent church buildings.
Registration Criteria (iv)
The fact that inside the circular walls is a cathedral, dining hall, and lodgings, representing a Serbian Orthodox monastery.
Registration Criteria (vi)
This is the point where the Serbian Orthodox Church was founded and where the Studenica Monastery remained a symbol until the 19th century.
Conclusions and Impressions of a World Heritage Maniac
The Cathedral of the Living Goddess and the Cathedral of the King are still well preserved and the highly finished frescoes are still visible today. It means that the building was also a prominent building as an architectural style called Raška School. And since the Serbian Orthodox Church was established here, it had an important position within the Serbian Orthodox Church.
It is hard to grasp the image of a monastery, and an Eastern European monastery at that…but it is a World Heritage site because it is a monastery that is positioned as an “amazing monastery” in Serbia.
*The contents here are considerations derived from research by World Heritage enthusiasts.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the media.
