Đurđevi stupovi Monastery
History
The Đurđevi stupovi monastery originates from 1213. From the 18th to the 20th century, the Ottomans looted and burned the monastery 5 times. In the third decade of the 19th century, the monastery was renovated by Mojsije Zečević, who eventually opened a school. In the second half of the 19th century, important historical gatherings were held in the monastery.
Extensive repairs of the church were made in 1926. Parts of old frescoes have been preserved in this monastery. According to recent research, the outer narthex was painted in the time of Emperor Dušan. Remains of frescoes in the altar also date from the Nemanjić era. Back in the 1930s, there was an old hollow oak in the vicinity of monastery, believed to have been planted in the time of the Nemanjićs. In August 2013, the monastery marked 800 years of existence.
Cultural site details
Only the church has survived from the original monastery complex. Church of St. George has a complex architectural complex, from which three spatial units stand out. The oldest part is a single-nave base with a semicircular apse and an octagonal dome. This part is followed by a narthex with strong side buildings, wider than the church. Between them is a tall square tower. The building ends with a spacious rectangular outer narthex. The material is gray limestone and whitewash, stacked in irregular horizontal rows. Exonarthex is made of inferior material and in the lower zones it has built-in antique exteriors. In the spatial conception of St. George can feel the influence of coastal architecture, especially Kotor. In the church there is the tomb of the founder with a decorative cover plate and frescoes on the wall above it. Only fragments of the former frescoes have been preserved. A painted layer disappeared from parts of the frescoes in the altar and the narthex. Smaller surfaces of frescoes in the outer narthex with the theme of menology are of better quality and date from approximately the middle of the 14th century. In addition to the remains of the original frescoes, the monastery also keeps the gospel in a silver cover, as well as a large cross, a masterpiece of a master from the 19th century.