BLAGO: Archives
|
|
|
|
|
The Gracanica monastery, near Lipljan in Kosovo, is one of the last monumental
foundations of King Milutin Nemanjic. Built on the ruins of the former Church
of the Holy Virgin, the monastery, finished in 1321, was dedicated to the
Dormition of the Holy Virgin. On the southern wall of the chapel is written
the king's charter, including the following words: "I have seen the ruins
and the decay of the Holy Virgin's temple of Gracanica, the bishopric of
Lipljan, so I have built it from the ground and painted and decorated it
both within and without".
The narthex and the tower were added a few decades later, in
order to protect the frescoes on the west facade. The narthex
was heavily damaged by the Turks several times between
1379-1383, when the tower was burned and the fire devoured a
rich collection of manuscripts and other precious objects. The
narthex was reconstructed in 1383. Again, Gracanica suffered
damages at the time of the Kosovo battle (1389).
Continue >>>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
