Sopoćani

Coordinates: 43°7′5″N 20°22′26″E / 43.11806°N 20.37389°E / 43.11806; 20.37389

The Sopoćani monastery (Serbian Cyrillic: Сопоћани) (pronounced [sǒpotɕani]), an endowment of King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia, was built from 1259 to 1270, near the source of the Raška River in the region of Ras, the centre of the Serbian medieval state. It is a designated World Heritage Site, added in 1979 with Stari Ras.

History

Detail of the fresco Dormition of the Mother of God from Sopoćani c. 1265 (See also:Palaiologian Renaissance)

In the 1160s, the Great Zupan Stefan Nemanja consolidated his power on the throne in Raska.^[1] Although Nemanja's sons got the title of king and established the church as independent by making it autocephalous, developed the economic system and coined money, became richer and more sophisticated, the times, the work and person of Stefan Nemanja remained a great model and an example to be emulated by the younger generations. Sopoćani was an endowment of the Serbian King Stefan Uroš I, son to Stefan the First-Crowned and Nemanja's grandson. It was built in 1260 by King Uroš I Nemanjić as a church which would serve as his burial place, and was extended and renovated in the mid-14th century by his great-grandson Dušan. The church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Of the former larger monastery complex, which comprised numerous structures (dining rooms, residential buildings and others), today only the Church of the Holy Trinity remains. The monastery was once surrounded by a high stone wall with two gates. The completion of the painting of the main parts of the church can be indirectly dated to between 1263 and 1270. In Sopocani a decorative plan was carried out which was formed throughout the thirteenth century - in the chancel there are liturgical scenes, in the nave Christ's salvation work is shown through a cycle of the Great Feasts, in the narthex the Old Testament, dogmatic and eschatological themes are presented. Through the iconographic portraits of the Nemanjic family and through historical scenes Simeon Nemanja and Saint Sava. After Gradac (about 1275), the endowment of Queen Helen of Anjou, the wife of the founder of Sopocani - King Uros I - whose painters were high on the scale of creativity, there was a hiatus in creative artwork in Serbia. Archbishop Sava II, who became the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1263, is represented in the procession of archbishops in the area of the altar. The frescoes of Sopoćani are considered by some experts on Serbian medieval art as the most beautiful of that period. On the western wall of the nave is a famous fresco of the Dormition of the Virgin. In the 16th century the monks had to temporarily leave the monastery on several occasions due to the Ottoman threat. Finally, during one of the raids in 1689 the Ottoman Turks set fire to the monastery and carried off the lead from the church roof. The brotherhood escaped with some important relics to Kosovo - but did not return to Sopoćani; it remained deserted for over two hundred years, until the 20th century. The church slowly decayed: its vaults caved in, its dome fell down, and the remains of the surrounding buildings were covered with rubble and earth.

Finally, during the 20th century the monastery was restored and today it is settled by a thriving brotherhood of dedicated monks. The fact that most of the Sopoćani frescoes still shine with radiant beauty - surviving more than two centuries of extreme exposure to the elements.

Sopoćani was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

Gallery

• 
  Monastery building.
• 
  Detail of the fresco Dormition of the Mother of God from Sopoćani c. 1265
• 
  Detail of the fresco Dormition of the Mother of God.
• 
  Stefan Uroš I with his son Dragutin
• 
  Shepherd

Burials

• Stefan Uroš I of Serbia
• Anna Dandolo
• Joanikije I

In popular culture

Sopoćani, two episodes of the documentary series "Witnesses of Times" produced by the broadcasting service RTB in 1999-2000 was created by Petar Savkovića, directed by Stevan Stanić and Radoslav Moskovlović, music was composed by Zoran Hristić.^[2][3]

See also

• Studenica
• Žiča
• Mileševa
• Visoki Dečani
• Gračanica
• Nemanjić dynasty
• Spatial Cultural-Historical Units of Great Importance

References

• Sopoćani, Vojislav Đurić, Prosveta, Beograd, 1991.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sopoćani.

• Official website
• BLAGO Fund: Sopoćani
• Aerial video of the Sopoćani
• Sopoćani and Gradac - About the relation of funerary programmes of the two churches by Branislav Todić
• Representations of Lancet or Phlebotome in Serbian Medieval Art

World Heritage Sites of Serbia
	Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius Stari Ras Đurđevi stupovi Peter's Church Sopoćani Studenica Monastery Medieval Monuments in Kosovo Visoki Dečani Patriarchate of Peć Our Lady of Ljeviš Gračanica Monastery Stećak (with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro)

Cultural Heritage of Serbia
Archaeological sites	Exceptional Importance Great Importance Protected
Cultural Monuments	Exceptional Importance Great Importance Protected
Historic Landmarks	Exceptional Importance Great Importance Protected
Spatial Cultural-Historical Units	Exceptional Importance Great Importance Protected

National symbols of Serbia
Constitutional	Coat of arms (see also List) Flag (see also List) Anthem (see also List) National colours
Cultural icons	State decoration Regalia Heraldry Serbian eagle Serbian cross Cuisine Ćevapčići Gibanica Pljeskavica Šljivovica
Monuments	UNESCO Studenica Stari Ras and Sopoćani Gamzigrad Medieval Monuments in Kosovo Visoki Dečani Patriarchate of Peć Our Lady of Ljeviš Gračanica Other Church of Saint Sava Belgrade Fortress Smederevo Fortress Manasija Šargan Eight Golubac Fortress
People	Patron Saint Sveti Sava Depicted on Serbian dinar Vuk Karadžić (Linguist) Petar II Njegoš (Poet) Stevan Mokranjac (Composer) Nikola Tesla (Inventor) Nadežda Petrović (Painter) Jovan Cvijić (Geographer) Đorđe Vajfert (Industrialist) Milutin Milanković (Geophysicist) Slobodan Jovanović (Jurist)
Fauna and flora	Wolf Eagle Plum Oak Serbian Spruce
Names and codes	Names of Serbia .rs .срб
Unofficial	Serbian folk heroes Serbian epic poetry Three-fingers salute Mottos (Only Unity Saves the Serbs) National costume Šajkača Opanak Musical instruments Gusle Gaida Frula Mother Serbia
Category

Serbian Orthodox Church
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Spiritual leaders of the Serbian Orthodox Church   Archbishops 1219–1346 Sava (St.) Arsenije Sremac (St.) Sava II (St.) Danilo I (St.) Joanikije I (St.) Jevstatije I (St.) Jakov (St.) Jevstatije II (St.) Sava III (St.) Nikodim I (St.) Danilo II (St.) Joanikije II (St.)   Patriarchs (since 1346) 1346–1463 Joanikije II (St.) Sava IV Jefrem (St.) Spiridon (St.) Danilo III Sava V Danilo IV Kirilo I (St.) Nikon I (St.) Teofan I Nikodim II Arsenije II 1557–1766 Makarije Sokolović (St.) Antonije Sokolović Gerasim Sokolović Savatije Sokolović Nikanor Jerotej Filip Sokolović Jovan Pajsije I Gavrilo I (St.) Maksim I Arsenije III Kalinik I Atanasije I Mojsije I Arsenije IV Joanikije III Atanasije II Gavrilo II Gavrilo III Vikentije I Pajsije II Gavrilo IV Kirilo II Vasilije I Kalinik II since 1920 Dimitrije Varnava Gavrilo Vikentije German Pavle Irinej   Heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Habsburg Monarchy (1690–1920) Metropolitans of Karlovci 1690–1726 Arsenije III Čarnojević Isaija Đaković Sofronije Podgoričanin Vikentije Popović Metropolitan of Belgrade 1718–1726 Mojsije Petrović Metropolitans of Belgrade and Karlovci 1726–1739 Mojsije Petrović Vićentije Jovanović Arsenije IV Jovanović Šakabenta Metropolitans of Karlovci 1739–1848 Arsenije IV Jovanović Šakabenta Isaija Antonović Pavle Nenadović Jovan Đorđević Vićentije Jovanović Vidak Mojisije Putnik Stefan Stratimirović Stefan Stanković Josif Rajačić Metropolitans and Patriarchs of Karlovci 1848–1920 Josif Rajačić Samuilo Maširević Prokopije Ivačković German Anđelić Georgije Branković Lukijan Bogdanović   Metropolitans of Belgrade 1831–1920 Melentije Pavlović Petar Jovanović Mihailo Jovanović Teodosije Mraović Inokentije Pavlović Dimitrije Pavlović   Metropolitans of Montenegro 1766–1920 Sava Petrović Arsenije Plamenac Petar I Petar II Danilo II Nikanor Ivanović Ilarion Roganović Visarion Ljubiša Mitrofan Ban
Serbian Orthodox monasteries Serbia Banjska* Bavanište Bođani Devič* Gračanica* Holy Archangels* Banja Beočin Bukovo Ćelije Crna Reka Đurđevi stupovi Fenek Gorioč* Gornjak Gradac Hajdučica Kalenić Kastaljan Koporin Kovilj Ljubostinja Manasija Mesić Mileševa Nimnik Poganovo Pokajnica Prohor Pčinjski Pustinja Rača Rajinovac Ravanica Rukumija St. Nicholas Sopoćani Studenica Suvodol Tronoša Tuman Vitovnica Bešenovo Divša Grgeteg Jazak Krušedol Kuveždin Mala Remeta Novo Hopovo Petkovica Patriarchate of Peć* Privina Glava Rakovac Staro Hopovo Šišatovac Velika Remeta Vrdnik-Ravanica Holy Trinity St. Melanija Sombor Središte Vojlovica Visoki Dečani* Zemun Žiča Zočište* Montenegro Bijela Beška Cetinje Ćelije Dajbabe Dobrilovina Donji Donji Brčeli Dovolja Dubočica Duljevo Đurđevi Stupovi Gradište Kaludra Kom Kosijerevo Majstorovina Miholjska Prevlaka Morača Moračnik Nikoljac Orahovo Ostrog Piva Podmaine Podmalinsko Podostrog Podvrh Praskvica Reževići Savina Stanjevići Starčeva Gorica St. Nicholas, Obod Vranjina Bosnia & Herzegovina Bišnja Detlak Dobrićevo Dobrun Dragaljevac Duga Njiva Duži Glogovac Gomionica Hercegovačka Gračanica Ilinka Karno Klisina Knežina Krupa Liplje Lomnica Lovnica Moštanica Ozren Papraća Petropavlov Pjenovac Rmanj Rožanj Sase Sokolica Stuplje St. Nicholas St. Basil of Ostrog Tavna Treskavac Tvrdoš Veselinje Vozuća Zavala Žitomislić Croatia Dragović Gomirje Komogovina Krka Krupa Lazarica Lepavina Oćestovo Orahovica Sv. Nedjelje Sv. Petke St. Basil of Ostrog Others Hilandar (Mount Athos) New Gračanica Monastery (USA) Notes * indicate monasteries in Kosovo, which is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Kosovo. List of Serbian Orthodox monasteries
Serbian Orthodox churches Serbia Church of Saint Sava St. Michael's Cathedral St. George, Banovo Brdo Ružica St. Mark's Church St. Basil of Ostrog St. Achillius, Arilje Peter's Church, Ras Cave Church, Lukovo Štava Church Odžaklija Kađenica Lazarica Church Church of St. George, Lukovo Church of Holy Ascension, Krupanj Saint George's Cathedral (Novi Sad) the Assumption, Zrenjanin Our Lady of Ljeviš* Church of the Virgin Hodegetria* Church of St. Elijah, Podujevo* Church of St. Nicholas, Prizren* Mala Gospojina Church* Christ the Saviour Cathedral, Pristina* Montenegro Cathedral of Podgorica Vlah Church Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Sarajevo Old Orthodox Church in Sarajevo Church of the Holy Transfiguration, Sarajevo Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Banja Luka Church of St. George, Sopotnica Church of St. Nikola, Dobrelja Old Church of St. Nicholas, Javorani Croatia Church of the Holy Venerable Mother Parascheva Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Trpinja Church of St. Nicholas, Vukovar Church of Pentecost, Vinkovci Church of St. George, Kneževo Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, Negoslavci Church of Pentecost, Markušica Church of St. George, Bobota Church of St. Stephen, Borovo Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, Srijemske Laze Church of St. Peter and Paul, Bolman Church of St. Stefan Štiljanović, Karanac Church of St. Nicholas, Mirkovci Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Gaboš Church of St. Nicholas, Jagodnjak Church of St. Demetrius, Dalj Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, Zagreb Church of St. George, Grubišno Polje Church of St. Nicholas, Karlovac Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, Drežnica Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Štikada Church of St. George, Varaždin Church of the Holy Annunciation, Dubrovnik Orthodox Church in Knin Church of St. Peter and Paul, Tepljuh St. Spyridon Church, Peroj Church of St. Nicholas, Rijeka Church of St. Nicholas, Vrlika Orthodox church of Holy Salvation, Cetina United Kingdom Church of St Sava, Notting Hill, London Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Serbian Orthodox Church, Halifax St. Nicholas, West Wycombe United States Sts. Constantine and Helen Serbian Orthodox Church, USA Trinity Chapel Complex, USA Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church (Jackson, California), USA Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church (Merrillville, Indiana), USA St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), USA Other countries St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church (Toronto), Canada Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church, Slovenia Serbian Church in Arad, Romania St. Sava Church, Paris, France Saint Spyridon Church, Trieste, Italy Annunciation Church, Szentendre, Hungary Transfiguration Church, Szentendre, Hungary Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Stockholm, Sweden Notes * indicate churches in Kosovo, which is the subject of a territorial dispute between Serbia and Kosovo.
Serbian saints St. Angelina St. Basil of Ostrog St. Danilo II St. Gavrilo Rajić St. Helen of Anjou St. Jovan Vladimir St. Prince Lazar / St. Princess Milica St. Makarije Sokolović St. Maksim Branković St. Nikodim I St. Nikolaj Velimirović St. Peter of Cetinje St. Sava St. Sava II St. Simeon the Monk St. Simeon the Myrrh-flowing St. Stefan Lazarević St. Stefan Štiljanović St. Stefan Uroš St. Stefan of Dečani St. Stefan the Blind St. Stefan of Piperi St. Teodor Komogovinski St. Vladislav St. Vukašin St. Georgije Bogić