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7/29/2019 Studenica Engleski Mileusnic

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STUDENICA

Monastery dedicated to the Presentation of the Holy Virgin

In the biography of his father Stefan Nemanja, Saint Sava wrote about the erection ofStudenica; an excerpt reads:

The place used to be but a beasts hunting ground. When our master and autocratic rulerStefan Nemanja, who ruled over the whole Serbian land, came to hunt here, and while

hunting, he felt like building this monastery on the desert site.The construction of Studenica, the mother-church of all Serbian temples, took quite long

time. The first-stage works were ended by the spring of 1196, when Nemanja, having

relinquished his throne, underwent tonsure, took the name of Simeon and settled in his ownmonastery. Later, Nemanja left for Chilandar, and his son and successor to the throne Stefan

the First-Crowned took over the care over Studenica. Nemanja died in Chilandar in 1208;having reconciled his brothers Stefan and Vukan, Sava translated his fathers relics to

Studenica. Under Savas spiritual guardianship, Studenica became the political, cultural andspiritual centre of the Serbs. Sava composed a Typik (Rulebook) for the monastery, with anintroduction describing the life of the sainted Simeon.

Studenica enjoyed a continual care of Nemanjas descendants and other rulers of Serbia.Nemanjas grandson King Radoslav built a splendid narthex in front of the Church of the

Presentation in 1235. King Milutin erected a small church in 1314 and dedicated it to SS

Joachim and Ann.Since the fall of the Serbian despot-state (1459), Studenica has shared the destiny of the

Serbian people. The Turks often assaulted the holy place, but the monastery managed torecover each time. A major restoration was undertaken in 1569, when the frescoes in the

Church of the Presentation were repainted.

In early 17th century, an earthquake and then a fire befell the monastery. The disasters meanta loss of the historical documents and the art heritage that had for centuries accumulated

there. The Studenica monks travelled to Russia to collect aid for the restoration which startedin 1631. In late 17th century, during the Austro-Turkish war, Studenica was demolished by

the Turkish hordes and did not recover until 1758, when another restoration was carried out.

However, new troubles arose with yet another war between Austria and the Ottoman Empire.Having supported and sided with the fellow - Christians, the Studenica brethren were forced

to leave their monastery, taking along the relics of the sainted Stefan the First-Crowned. Inthe aftermath, the Turks looted, burnt and pulled down the monastic facilities. Toward the

end of the 18th century, the monastery was only partially restored. During the First Serbian

Uprising (1804-1813), Studenica was exposed to new attacks and was even abandoned for awhile. The monastic buildings were reconstructed in 1839, and in 1846 a new layer of

frescoes was painted, yet of poor quality, so that it was removed within the 1951 conservationworks.

The Virgins Church is a domed single-nave basilica. At its eastern end there is a three-sided

apse, while an extended narthex faces west. The vestibules on the north and the south attachto the structure an appearance of an intersecting nave. In 1230s, a large exonarthex was added

with two parecclesions and a cross-vault. The facades are built of slabs of white RadoCelomarble; inside, the church is revetted with tufa blocks. The dome was plastered in 1975 and

thus regained its original look.

Externally, the Church of the Presentation harmoniously reconciles two architectural styles:

the Romanesque, prevailing in the West, and the Byzantine. The blending produced aparticular building style known as Raska School.

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The achievement of Studenicas sculpture culminates in the four portals, primarily the west

one between the narthex and the exonarthex. On the north wall under the dome, there is awindow made of many square panes with medallions carved on a leaden plaque that present

eight fantastic animals (the symbols of the Virgins virtues), as well as two rosettes denoting

the Divine Eye.

It is justly supposed that the masons came to Studenica from the coastal region, perhapsKotor where Stefan Nemanja used to have a palace. The inscription on the tympanum of thewest portal is written out in pure Serbian lettering, which indicates that the artists may have

been of Serbian origin.

A partially saved inscription can be seen in the ringlike part of the dome which reads: ThisAll-Holy Temple of Our Immaculate Lady Mother of God was built by the glorious Vice-Roy

and Friend to the Greek Emperor Alexis - Stefan Nemanja, who was endowed with an angelicframe as monk Simeon... The Grand Duke Vukan in the year 1208/9, indictum 9. And myself

who has served here, do name the sinful Sava. Hence, the church of the Studenica monastery

was painted in the time of Prince Vukan and probably with the support of his brother Stefanthe First-Crowned. The original frescoes have partly been preserved in the altar, under the

dome, on the west wall and in the lower registers of the nave. The central position in thesanctuary is taken by a composition of the Mother of God with angels, below, there is Jesus

Christ administering the Communion to the Apostles - the scene was partly repainted in the

16th century. The old layer also includes the Annunciation and the Presentation of Our Lordin the Temple, on the western wing of the altar screen. The most splendid representation is

that of the Crucifixion, painted on blue background in 1209 - it is one of the paramountachievements in the Serbian painting art ever.

From the inscription below the representation of the Assumption of the All-FIoly Virgin on

the west wall, we come to know that the Studenica frescoes were repainted in 1569, in thetime of Heugomenos Simeon. On the south wall, there is the founders composition which

shows the Virgin taking Simeon/Nemanja with the church model to Jesus Christ, theMagistrate Impartial.

The narthex was painted in 1569, and those frescoes include the exquisite representation of

the Last Judgment in the upper registers and the portrait of Stefan Nemanjas wife Ana as nunAnastasija.

The earliest fresco-painting of the Studenica monastery marks the supreme achievement ofthe Byzantine arts at the

very beginning of the 13th century. The 15th-century frescoes were also carried out expertly

and they actually meant the first restoration enterprise of that kind with the Serbs. On thebasis of some elements in the painting technique, monk Longin is considered to have taken

part in the undertaking, and he was one of the best Serbian painters of the time.

The frescoes in Radoslavs narthex and the parecclesions originate from the 1230s anddisplay close relation to the painting style of the main church. The north chapel, dedicated to

St Nicholas, contains a composition of the Hetimasia and a cycle dealing with the life of StNicholas. In the south chapel one finds the portraits of Stefan Nemanja, Stefan the First-

Crowned and the latters son king Radoslav with his wife Ana. Three dignitaries of theSerbian Church were portrayed on the north wall in the narthex: Sava, Arsenije and Sava II

(the latter was King Radoslavs younger brother).

The treasury

Northward from the Studenica refectory there is the 18th century monastic residence now

housing and displaying, in a museum-like way, a number of the precious exhibits from theStudenica treasury. But frequent wars and plunders have considerably reduced the richest

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depository of the Serbian spiritual life and culture in general. Noteworthy exhibits now

include: the 14th-century epitaphion of Antony of Heraclea, embroidered with gold and silverthreads; the covering for the reliquary of the sainted Stefan the First-Crowned - gift from

Olivera Despina, Prince Lazars daughter and Sultan Bajazets wife; the 12th-century gold

ring of King Radoslav; the reliquary for the Holy Cross made of gold-plated silver, dating

back to 1628; the 1750 Triptych; numerous old manuscripts and books printed between the15th and 18th century.

The Church of SS Joachim and Ann /Kings Church

Walking from the Virgins Church to the northwest, there is the Church of SS Joachim and

Ann, also named, after its founder King Milutin, Kings Church. The inscription on thefacade below the roof cornice says: In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy

Spirit, I, servant to God, Stefan Uros, greatgrandson to Lord Simeon and grandson to the

First-Crowned King Stefan, son to the great King Uros and (myself) King of all Serbian andcoastal lands, have built this temple to (celebrate) the name of the sainted righteous

antecedents of Christ Joachim and Ann, in the year 1314, indictum 12, and I have contributeda Chrisovoulia to the holy church. May God Himself and my sinful self anathem- ize

whoever changes that. Amen. The church has been built under the auspices of Archimandrite

Protosinkellos Jovan"Kings Church is constructed in the form of a compressed cross and with a dome octogonal

without. It is built of stone and tufa and the facades are plastered.Of particular value are the frescoes inside this little church which date from the second half of

the 14th century, they were painted by King Milutins favourite artists.

The Church of St Nicholas

The ground plan of this temple is single-naved, with gables projecting upwards and a

semicircular apse. It was built of stone and tufa. Its construction presumably took place

simultaneously with that of the Virgins Church or of King Radoslavs narthex at the latest.Only fragments of the original frescoes have survived some of their features relate them to

other paintings of the 12th, or possibly (but not later than) mid-13th century. The iconostasisdates back to the 17th century.

St John s Church

Between the Church of St Nicholas and Kings Church there are the foundations of a church

dedicated to St John the Baptist.

The refectory

From the Virgins Church to the west, there is an old refectory, built in the time ofArchbishop Sava (the 13th century). It used to have an upper floor, too. The edifice was built

of rubble and fresco-painted. The interior has been rearranged of lately.

The bell-tower gate

The bell-tower on the western side of the Studenica complex was erected in the 13th century.

There used to be a chapel inside the tower, and now some fragments of its frescoes can beseen there. Additional remains of fresco-painting have also been uncovered on the external

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part of the narthex and they splendidly represent the genealogy of the Nemanjic family. The

features of this painting style obviously relate these frescoes to those in the Virgins Church,and the latter date back to 1208-9.

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studenica engleski mileusnic

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