Transromanica in Serbia

Admiration for a quality or an art can be so strong that it deters us from striving to possess it.

(Friedrich Nietzsche)

The European culture stands in silent testimony of its common origin, albeit it has gone along different social, religious and historical pathways, marked by certain diachrony though, it somehow blends into harmony firmly rooted in the eternal and the timeless, and still it is the one that seems to connect the points remote in time and space whilst remaining deeply anchored in art all along. With that idea in mind, Serbia seems to have joined the very same route in 2007, in the wake of the Romanesque style, embracing both painting and architecture from its outset and complete with other regions of European continent it seems to have integrated into one of the most beautiful and culturally most significant tourist routes of today. Apart from its geographic elements, the Transromanica Route tends to connect cultures as well, particularly the one created as part of Roman Catholic and Ancient Rome discourse and the other one, with almost like a sibling’s affection for it due to their common descent, which is part of Byzantine and Orthodox culture. The monasteries of Medieval Serbian Royal Dynasty, particularly the ones which belong to the Raska School architectural style, are incorporated into the lengthy list of invaluable European and world heritage.

Transromanica map, photo source: www.transromanica.com

First and foremost there is Studenica Monastery, which was constructed in 1190 by its patron and founder and one of the most important Serbian rulers who established the Nemanjic’s Dynasty , which used to be the symbol of might , power and prosperity of Serbian State in the Middle Ages . The whereabouts of the monastery complex are near Kraljevo consisting of the fortress where four churches are located. The first one is carved in marble – Bogorodicina crkva (the Holy Mother`s Church), the second is Kraljeva crkva (the King`s Church), Nikoljaca Crkva (the St Nicola`s Church) and the church the foundations of which were salvaged only . Studenica is the most famous for its frescos, partly from the 13th century, of which the most beautiful one is the fresco of Christ`s Crucifixion in the nave of the Church.

Studenica monastery, Photo source: www.manastirstudenica.rs