Visiting Manastir Manasija

A spontaneous trip through the Balkans has seen me enter my 63rd country of Serbia. Having just arrived from the peaceful Lake Balaton in Hungary, I was looking forward to a few days based in the busy capital of Belgrade and exploring some of the surrounding country.

On my first full day in Serbia, I joined a tour through Get Your Guide appropriately named the Eastern Gems of Serbia. We made four stops throughout east Serbia, designed to give us a taste of all the variety of this part of the country.

The first stop was a visit to the Manasija Monastery or Manastir near Despotovac. Founded by Despot Stefan Lazarević between 1406 and 1418 this beautiful and idyllic monastery is considered one of the most important places of medieval Serbian culture. Lazarević's final resting place is inside the church. Many well-known manuscripts and translations were produced in its Schoolf of Resava and the inside of the church is home to some stunning frescoes, notably including the non-reproducable Byzantine blue.

"…across hills and fields and deserts he went looking for a place on which to build the desired family, the silent home. Having found the most suitable and the best site to build the home and having said a prayer, he approached the task and laid the foundations in the name of the Holy Trinity, universal Divinity…" - Constantine the Philosopher, 1433

How to Get to Manastir Manasija

The monastery is about a two and a half hour drive from Belgrade, if you have your own wheels. Alternatively, a popular choice is to book a tour from Belgrade - the tour I was part of went to four different stops throughout eastern Serbia.

Entrance is free.

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