The oldest frescoes, located in the nave and dating from 1273/4, are considered to be the peak not only of Serbian but of all European painting at the time. Their expressionist strength and gracefulness, bright colours and bold compositions keep alive the spirit of classical antiquity and predate the works of Italian Renaissance. Due to its immense cultural value the Sopoćani monastery has also been included in the UNESCO World Heritage list of protected monuments.
The oldest frescoes, located in the nave and dating from 1273/4, are considered to be the peak not only of Serbian but of all European painting at the time. Their expressionist strength and gracefulness, bright colours and bold compositions keep alive the spirit of classical antiquity and predate the works of Italian Renaissance. Due to its immense cultural value the Sopoćani monastery has also been included in the UNESCO World Heritage list of protected monuments.
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16 km west of Novi Pazar, close to the source of the river Raška, stands the medieval monastery of Sopoćani, an endowment of King Uroš I(1243-76). Only the Church of the Holy Trinity is left of the original monastery compound built during the 1260s. The outer narthex with a high bell tower was added in the first half of the 14th c. The prestige of this sanctuary was elevated by the burial of the founder, his Queen Mother Ana Dandolo, his father Stefan, the First-Crowned and Grand Duke Djordje, Uroš’s uncle. Shortly after the fateful Battle of Kosovo Polje (1389) with the Ottoman forces, Sopoćani suffered serious damage and had to be restored by Despot Stefan, who paid special attention to strengthening its fortifications. In 16th c Ottoman attacks forced the monks to flee to the secluded Crna Reka monastery. Brought back to life in late 16th c, the Sopoćani Monastery was finally deserted in 1689 when it was ruined and set aflame by the advancing Turks who chased the rebellious Serbs northwards. The monastery was left in a pitiful state for the next two and a half centuries until it was finally renovated in 1929.
Although from the outside it looks like a basilica with three naves, it is actually a single-nave edifice whose side chapels were incorporated to a single line in the 14th c enlargement. The tall church, topped by a relatively small dome, with huge wall surfaces decorated only by Romanesque stone windows and arches, provides a new sense of grandeur and size that set an example for the subsequent royal endowments.
The outer open narthex, set with the tower in front, was built during the reign of King (later Emperor) Dušan. Since it was later reconstructed, it has only a few traces of frescoes. Stepping into the inner narthex we observe the magnificent ensemble of Sopoćani frescoes. On the north wall is a historical composition representing the Death of Queen Mother Ana Dandolo: lying on the catafalque in the presence of her son Uroš and princes Dragutin and Milutin, while Uroš’s wife Jelena is seen kneeling in front; Christ and the Virgin Mary receive the queen’s soul. The portraits of King Uroš’s family, all standing, are to be seen once more along the east and the south walls. Side chapels are dedicated to St. Steven, protector of the Nemanjić dynasty, and to St. Stefan Mirotočivi (i.e. Stefan Nemanja), the founder of the dynasty. This latter one also displays scenes from his life.
The oldest frescoes, located in the nave and dating from 1273/4, are considered to be the peak not only of Serbian but of all European painting at the time. Their expressionist strength and gracefulness, bright colours and bold compositions keep alive the spirit of classical antiquity and predate the works of Italian Renaissance. Due to its immense cultural value the Sopoćani monastery has also been included in the UNESCO World Heritage list of protected monuments. Although damage over time has effaced almost half of these works and the former golden background has disappeared totally, one still admires the excellence of the ensemble. The compositions here are unusually large and therefore comparably few in number. The most impressive is the scene of the Dormition of the Virgin, bearing intentional similarities with the composition of the Death of Queen Ana. The central position in the painting is reserved for Christ holding in his hands Mary’s soul. The lower zone displays the figures of prophets that give the impression of being both physically strong and spiritually wise. In the apse one can see the Adoration of the Lamb with a line of Serbian archbishops joining the rest of the Christian saints. The customary founder’s composition is on the south wall.