MoraÄa (monastery)
The Monastery Morača ( Serbian Cyrillic Манастир Морача ) is a Serbian Orthodox monastery in central Montenegro. The monastery was founded in 1252 by Prince Stefan, a son of Vukan Nemanjić and grandson of the founder of the medieval Serbian ruling dynasty of Nemanjic, Stefan Nemanja. Together with the Ostrog monastery and the Piva Monastery is the monastery Morača one of the most visited cultural and religious sites of Montenegro.
Location
The monastery is situated on the upper reaches of the Morača, a few kilometers north of the Morača Canyon ( Morača klisura ), on the European road E 65 / E 80, the main artery from Podgorica to Kolasin and on to Serbia.
Description
The Monastery Morača consists of the main church, dedicated to the Dormition of Mary, a small chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas and the residential buildings with the monastic cells were also determined for the accommodation of pilgrims. The entire complex is surrounded by a high wall. The monastic enclosure can be accessed through two gates.
The single main church porch is in the style of Raška School. The original features of the monastery suffered severely, than at the beginning of the 16th century, the Ottomans looted the monastery: The live coverage of the roof was removed, the interior of the church has been exposed to wind and weather, the monastery was deserted. It was not until about 1570 it was renewed. In the 18th century, the monastery was the center of the guided by the inhabitants of Morača Valley and neighboring tribes fighting against the Ottomans. 1820 came to the free Montenegro.
From the Romanesque period, the portal has been preserved, as well as some frescoes from the 13th century depicting the life of the prophet Elijah on multiple image panels. More frescoes date from the 16th and 17th centuries. In the lobby a representation of the genealogy of Jesus occupies an entire wall, further illustrations show the Last Judgement. Main theme of the frescoes of the main room is the life of Jesus, as well as depictions of the most important saints of the Orthodox tradition.
The Monastery Morača has an extraordinarily rich collection of icons from the 17th and 18th centuries. Part of it adorns the magnificent carved iconostasis, which was 1600-1617.
The monastery complex includes a chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas, which was built around 1635 on the foundations of the former main defense tower. Hence the square floor plan stirs without visible from the outside apse, and that the chapel is not aligned in east-west direction. The chapel is inside and richly painted with frescoes, which are mostly scenes from the life of Saint Nicholas.
Belfry and side chapel
Residential buildings
Exterior views and floor plan