Manasia (monastery)

In the first half of the 15th — 16th centuries, the monastery was a major center of Serbian culture (the so-called Resav school) —the books were translated and copied here even during the Ottoman conquest. In 1439, the Turks first occupied the fortress, finally in 1458. During the period of Turkish domination, the monastery was plundered several times ( 1476 , 1734 ). At the beginning of the 19th century, during the Serbian uprising, the monastery was practically destroyed and was in ruins for several years, but was renewed in the middle of the 19th century.

The monastery complex of Manasia includes the Church of the Holy Trinity , a large refectory ("school"), buildings with monastic cells. The Trinity Church is a cross-dome construction, with three conchs and 5 domes on high drums. On the west side of the church adjoins a large porch with a dome. Of the towers, the Despotov Tower is the largest.

The frescoes of Manasia are distinguished by soft rounded design, musical rhythm of compositions, highlighted color, characteristic of the late Paleologic art of the late 14th - first third of the 15th centuries, common in the images of Manasia - a contemplative, enlightened state, akin to bliss, while being close to a person and the world of his feelings. The Holy Trinity Church contains the Communion of the Apostles, the Adoration of the Lamb, the prophets in the dome, fragments of Great Feasts, miracles of Christ in Naos , the holy warriors in the lower tier, the Assumption of the Despot Stephen with a church mock-up on the western wall. in hand. The frescoes of Manasseh - an outstanding monument of the Moravian school - were created in the era when Andrei Rublev worked in Russia, the Pantanassa frescoes were created in Mystra - all ensembles of this circle have similar features.

• Description of the monastery on the website of the Congress of Serbian unity (English)
• Description of the monastery on the site of Serbian Orthodoxy (Serb.)