Studenica Monastery

Studenica Monastery is one of the WHS that means much more to the people of the nation where it resides than it does to outsiders. I went there with my Serbian friends while staying with them and it's a bit of trek to get to being somewhat buried in the Dinaric Alps.
The reason that the Serbian people revere this monastery is because it was founded by Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the medieval Serbian nation. It's an important site for Serbian people and that is very apparent when you're there.
The actual monastery comprises of the original Byzantine church and it's later extension plus some monastic buildings. There are important frescoes inside the church that have been sadly damaged during restoration work, this was the case when I visited in 2009, maybe they have been restored now.
I found it funny that an old monk said something to me in Serbian which made my friend laugh. I asked later what he had said and she said, "I wish you safe travels on your journey, unless you don't believe in God, then I don't care". Charming!

I visited this WHS in 2022 visiting en route the uninscribed Zica monastery. The latter monastery is red no more, at least at the time of visit, but it still looks good without paint both outside and inside. Likewise, Studenica Monastery's red painted dome had its paint removed, but this seemed quite temporary as I noticed a number of buckets of red paint on the side.

The Studenica Monastery was built between 1186 and 1196 in a once desolate region, on the fertile slopes of the Radocelo mountain. Its founder, Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja, could be compared to Noah from the Old Testament, because with Studenica Nemanja created also the ship of salvation by which he brought his people to the Lord, as glorified in the hymns of praise echoing inside the monastery. Stefan Nemanja abdicated in 1196, took the monastic vows and a new name, Simeon. He is represented really well on the south wall of the church, as a monk with the Studenica church in his hand, a recurring theme I had also noted at the Zica Monastery and at the Gracanica Monastery in Kosovo. The crown on Stefan Nemanja's head reminds believers that he left the earthly treasures of fame, power and wealth, for the skae of a modest monastic life and in that way he became an unrivaled model for his descendants.

Stefan Nemanja built the gorgeous church of Studenica remembering his former imprisonment in Constantinople, and dedicated it to the Virgin Benefactress. Excellent …

Located in a rural and remote corner of Serbia, Studenica Monastery is the nicest Serbian Orthodox monastery and church I visited while in Serbia. It is a fortified monastery, with walls and a tower, that reminded me of the churches in Romania. And it has great murals and a good state of preservation, probably owed to the remoteness. I think the consistency was the part that impressed me the most.

Getting There

You can get to Studenica from both Kraljevo and Novi Pazar. Take a bus between the two and get off at Usce. From Usce, there are a few daily connections to Miliće which stop in Studenica. The connection is timed to match the bus from Kraljevo. Details are found here. You should check with the bus driver regarding return times. There was ample time for the visit and having a sandwich before jumping the bus back.

I came in the morning by bus from Kraljevo and left in the afternoon for Novi Pazar. My original plan had been to catch a cab to the monastery, but Usce doesn't have cabs. I had already started a 2h hike when I saw a bus behind me heading the proper direction.

On my return to Usce via the same bus, I caught the bus to Novi Pazar. Note: Usce has an "official" bus terminal, but some buses stop along the road, 20m off the bus terminal.

While You Are There

Novi Pazar and Stari …

When you get to the place called Ušće, you take a right turn from the main road and after 11 km, you are there. There is a bus line from Ušće to Studenica and back, but it doesnt go so often. I walked from monastery back, but it wasnt so good idea, because there is now light where the road goes, only forests and mountains. I recommend to go by stop, there will be always someone from locals driving that way. Monastery is very important for Serbian history, founded by the Stefan Nemanja, first ruler of Serbia. In monastery you can see remains of Stefan Nemanja, his wife Ana and their middle son Stefan, who was the first king of Serbia.

Despite its prominent place in Serbian history, the Studenica Monastery nowadays is a simple and quiet place. I drove there from Vrnjacka Banja (a spa town near Kraljevo), stopping on my way at the rather grand Zica Monastery. Well, at least they have a car park that is made for hundreds of visitors. And its bright red colour (after Mount Athos) draws attention from afar.

None of that awaits at Studenica. It's a little more remote, uphill on a winding road through the pretty mountains that also are a Unesco Biosphere Reserve. I ended up at the backside of the monastery, where I took the last parking spot among 8 or so. The monastery is fully surrounded by a stone wall, including a tower and two gates.

The inner area of the monastic complex is quite small. Around the edges lie the rooms that are in use by the current monks - this is an active monastery. I visited on Sunday, May 5th, which happened to be Easter Sunday in the Julian Calendar which is used by the Serbian-Orthodox Church. The Serbian visitors were dressed in their Sunday best, and two families had their little babies baptized in the Church of the King by a bearded priest clothed in black.

The larger church (Church of the Virgin) has a pretty typical Rascian design, a mix of white marble and a romanesque front combined with Byzantine murals inside. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside, so I cannot show …

Studenica Monastery is a huge complex including several churches, being the main one dedicated to the Presentation of the Holy Virgin. Besides this one there is another church dedicated to Saints Joachim and Anne, a small church dedicated to Saint Nicholas with beautiful frescoes inside and the foundations of another church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist.

In order to get the Monastery you should leave from Belgrade heading for the town of Nis and taking a secondary road that is crossing the towns of Kragujevac and Kraljevo. In a short distance from Studenica there are some other monasteries such as Zica and Sopocani, being this last one a World Heritage Site as well.

If you are fond of orthodox churches, as for sure I am, this is definitely a place that you will enjoy.