Serbia, thousand years old, has a lot of historic monuments (some of them are included in the UNESCO world culture heritage list). These Serbian monuments are from different historic epochs: pre-historian finds, from the Ancient Greek times, Roman fortresses and palaces, historical monuments from the time of the medieval and the modern Serbian Kingdom, ethnographic reserves.
The hundreds of monasteries, which still fascinate the guests with rich history and beautiful nature surrounding, have preserved the national spirit over the turbulent centuries in Serbian history. In the centuries of Turkish national domination, the religion was a factor for the Serbian people in saving them from the assimilative policy of the conquerors.
Brilliant examples of medieval art were preserved in them, especially in monasteries: Sopocani, Mileseva and Zica.
The Sopoćani monastery is an endowment of King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia. It was built in the 13th century, near city of Ras (today Novi Pazar), the centre of the Serbian medieval state. The church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The frescoes of Sopoćani are considered as the most beautiful of that period.
The tourists can see unique samples of the medieval Serbian fresco-painting. Many towns and villages offer the possibility to feel the Serbian Renaissance in combination with excellent conditions for recreation and tourism. Ethno lovers can enjoy the rich in cultural events folklore calendar, including traditional holidays and customs, related to the Serbian way of life and culture.
The Serbian monasteries were centers of enlightenment and culture in these difficult times. Each of them has its own appearance and intriguing story but they all keep the Serbian spirit and faith.
