Description of the attraction
The Orthodox monastery Manasia was founded at the beginning of the 15th century by the ruler Stefan Lazarevich, who also had the title of a despot - a close Byzantine emperor. As a ruler, Lazarevich was not at all despotic, on the contrary, for his services he was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church at the beginning of the last century.
One of the eleven fortress towers of the monastery is called Despotova, it was the tallest and best preserved. The monastery itself is located next to the municipality of Despotovac. This settlement has been known since the end of the 14th century, and the foundation of the monastery took place in 1407-1418. Another name for the monastery is the Resava Monastery.
In addition to the fact that the monastery was well fortified, it was also a major cultural center. It had an extensive library, including about 20 thousand volumes. The inhabitants of the monastery were engaged in the translation and rewriting of books even at a time when the Turks continued to conquer the Balkan Peninsula and Serbian lands. Manasiya was captured by them and plundered several times. The monastery was last destroyed at the beginning of the 19th century, but in the middle of the same century it was rebuilt.
One of the most remarkable buildings in Manasia is the Trinity Church, which was built as the mausoleum of the despot Lazarevich. It is recommended to visit the Trinity Church for the ancient frescoes of the late 14th - early 15th centuries, painted by the masters of the Moravian school, preserved in its interior. They depict various biblical subjects and Stefan Lazarevich himself. There are several versions about the origin of the name of the monastery, including a version about the Greek writer Manasseh, whose works were highly valued by the ruler Lazarevich.
The continuation of the excursion around Manasia can be a visit to the Resavskaya cave, located about 20 kilometers from the monastery. The cave is famous for its colorful stalactites and stalagmites. It was discovered only about half a century ago, but the time of its origin is called the preglacial period.
