- Sopoćani
Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS =Stari Ras andSopoćani
State Party = SRB
Type = Cultural
Criteria = i, iii
ID = 96
Region = Europe and North America
Year = 1979
Session = 3rd
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/96The Sopoćani monastery (Serbian
Cyrillic : Сопоћани), an endowment of King Stefan Uroš I ofSerbia , was built in the second half of the 13th century, near the source of theRaška River in the region of Ras, the centre of the Serbian medieval state. The church was dedicated to theHoly Trinity and completed around 1265, with interior decorated shortly thereafter. ArchbishopSava II , who became the head of theSerbian Orthodox Church in 1263, is represented in the procession of archbishops in the area of thealtar . Thefresco es of Sopoćani are considered by some experts on Serbian medieval art as the most beautiful of that period. On the western wall of thenave is a famous fresco of theDormition of the Virgin .In the 16th century the monks had to temporarily leave the monastery on several occasions due to the Ottoman threat. Finally, during one raids in 1689 the
Ottoman Turks set fire to the monastery and carried off the lead from the church roof. The brotherhood escaped with some important relics toKosovo - but did not return to Sopoćani; it remained deserted for over two hundred years, until the 20th century. The church slowly decayed: its vaults caved in, its dome fell down, and the remains of the surrounding buildings were covered with rubble and earth.Finally, during the 20th century the monastery was restored and today it is settled by a thriving brotherhood of dedicated monks. The fact that most of the Sopoćani frescoes still shine with radiant beauty - surviving more than two centuries of extreme exposure to the elements - many consider nothing less than a divine miracle.
Burials
*
Stefan Uroš I of Serbia
*Hélène d'Anjou
*Joanikije I References
*"Sopoćani", Vojislav Đurić, Prosveta, Beograd, 1991.
Links
* [http://blago.serbianunity.net/Archives/Sopocani/index.html Serbian Unity Congress - BLAGO Project: Sopoćani]
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