NOTHING AGAINST SERBIA

Architecture of Bus Stations in Serbia

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:02:00 +0000

Central Bus Station in Niš (picture from wikimapia)

I got inspired for this post by Yomadic's blog entry: http://www.yomadic.com/bus-from-belgrade-to-nis-serbia/ and his beautiful picture of the Niš Bus station.

Since in the Balkans, particularly in Serbia, Railway travelling was never so popular like traveling by bus, some Bus Stations got a lot of architectural attention when they were built.

I found pictures from some interesting Bus Stations and hope to expand this collection soon!

Niš Bus Station

Entrance of the Bus Station (picture wikimapia)

One of them is the Bus Station in Nis (Ниш) built in 1977 and one of the most modern Bus Station of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with 18 platforms. Nis-Ekspress AD was the main investor.

Ćuprija Bus Station


Bus Station in Čuprija

A lot of inhabitants of Ćuprija work as "Gastarbeiter" in Western Europe, so really lots of Bus Lines serve this little town. That explains the big Bus Station at the entrance of the town.
A close up shows the lamellar structure of the roof supported by precast columns arranged in a semi-circle.

Novi Pazar

A postcard from the 70's of Novi Pazar's Bus Station

Another interesting Bus Station is the one in Novi Pazar built in the 1970's. The first time I visted Novi Pazar I was fascinated by it's frivolous architecture (read it in my post about Novi Pazar).

A newer picture on autobusi.net

The Bus Station fits in that style, and though it shows signs of age and people complain about its flaws it still looks charming.

Loving this combination: the bus station and his "soliter" a stand alone highrise building (from autobusi.net)

Zrenjanin

Zrenjanin Bus Station (from autobusi.net)

In Zrenjanin the Bus Station has a relief-like Fassade like in Niš. It/s not a big station, but with this detail it looks almost like an airport.

Communist Style Hotels 2

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:15:00 +0000

Hotel in Kolasin (Montenegro)

Last summer I posted about communist style Hotels in the Balkans with good example of state own Hotels built in the communist past.

To the list of Hotels I'd like to visit I will add also these 6 eye-catcher:

Bianca Resort & Spa in Kolasin (Montenegro)

Bianca Resort in Kolasin: Jumbo Alpin Architecture

The Hotel also featured in this old postcard get my thumbs up for its appereance! (The main picture is from here)

Hotel Merkur in Vrnjacka Banja

Vrnjacka Banja a Spa town in Central Serbia has a couple of cool buildings to offer. This is just one of it.

The garden side of the Hotel (Picture here)

The street side of the Hotel

Hotel Zubor in Kursumljska Banja

This building from 1982 is actually empty, as the country can not keep up with maintenance costs.

Hotel "Žubor" in Kursumlijska Banja (picture from here)

Hotel Internacional Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Hotel International Zenica (picture from here)

A masterpeace of a Hotel...and it still looks good today!

The Hotel today (picture from here)

Hotel in Vranjska Banja in Vranje

Unfortunately this one never got finished, started in 1973 it was about when the economical crises stroke the south of Serbia.

Just 50% completed (picture from here)

And at the end a little interior detail of a bathroom in Hotel Slavija in Belgrade

tile paradise (picture from here)

Links to other posts about interesting Hotel Architecture in the Balkans:

Hotel Donat in Rogaska Slatina (Slovenia)

Hotel Sirmium in Sremska Mitrovica

Hotel Petrus in Paracin

Hotel Palas in Mojkovac (Montenegro)

Hotel Srbija in Vrsac

Interesting Architecture in Rogaska Slatina (Slovenia)

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:15:00 +0000

Hotel in Rogaska Slatina (street side)

Rogaska Slatina is a well known Spa in eastern Slovenia. Usually touristic pictures from Rogaska Slatina show some belle epoque clinics and wellness centers and would not really grab my attention. But when I ran into this old postcard from the 70's of Hotel Donat I became curious....

An new picture from Hotel Donat (garden side) from here

The Hotel still loos like a huge concrete boat and the brutalist facade was preserved. Just added housing technology and sunshades were added on the roof. Also the interiors have been renovated and is now a wellness Hotel (Grand Hotel Donat)

Cultural Center of Rogaska Slatina from here

Also the Cultural center of this Spa town got my attention: a cluster of octagonal buildings with mint green facades! Rather daring but interesting!

A floor plan of the complex

In the Spa complex the medical center with the drinking hall (Rogaska Slatina is wellknown for its magnesium rich spa water) are another interesting buildings.
The overhauled condition of the structure needs a renovation but the starting situation is good: a neat modernist ensemble.
Maribor based architects from Styria Arhitektura d.o.o. made an inspiring suggestion in 2011 for a make over. A pergola and outdoor pools will be also added. I like that the existing vibe of the architecture will not be lost, it will be just slightly adapted.
What follows are the before/after pictures of the Styria architects (from the architects website):

Medical Center Rogaska Slatina today

Medical Center Rogaska Slatina proposition

See also a good renovation of a mid-century hotel in my post of Hotel Avala in Budva (Montenegro)

Stara Planina Mountains

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 08:03:00 +0000

Stara Planina

The Stara Planina (that means old mountains) is a part of the Balkan mountain range and lays in Eastern Serbia on the border with Bulgaria. The Balkan range runs 560 km from Vrška Čuka Peak on the border between Bulgaria and eastern Serbia eastward through central Bulgaria to Cape Emine on the Black Sea.

The Stara Planina is remarkable for its flora and fauna, and also with steep cliffs, the highest waterfalls in the Balkan peninsula and lush vegetation.

Geologically, the Balkan Mountains is a 'young' part of the Alp-Himalayan chain which stretches across most of Europe and Asia.

It can be divided into two parts: the main Balkan Chain and the Pre-Balkans to the north, which intrude slightly into the Danubian Plain.

On top of the Serbian part is this rock called "Babin Zub" (Grandmother's Teeth).

The surrounding are part of a ski recreational area in winter and full of nice hiking trails in summer.

I just took a few pictures while cruising around. I arrived by night at Babin Zub's Hotel after a drive through dark roads and the navigation telling that theres nothing further along. I really had no idea were I landed.

The next day I was surprised with a nice scenery while driving to see the newly errected just opened Hotel Stara Planina.

Also the new Hotel was a pleasant surprise, instead of an overstated giant facility with no relation to the surrounding, the building looks solidly adapted to the rough mountain setting from the outside and the interior is appropriately stylish.

After visiting the area in summer, I now would like to visit the area in winter.

Eastern Serbian mountains are as beautiful as the Western Serbian mountain (I wrote about those mountains here in my posts about the unique National Park Tara "Best travel tips for Serbia - TARA/KOPAONIK" and "Tara National Park in Western Serbia", the Ethno Village Sirogonjo "Etno Selo - Sirogonjo", the posts about the Zlatibor region: "More Ethno in Zlatibor", "Mokra Gora" and Ethno Village Mecavnik "Kusturica made it!".

Temska a beautiful village of eastern Serbia

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 08:45:00 +0000

Temska

While traveling through Eastern Serbia I particularly loved some of the characteristic and soulful villages driving along smaller roads. Those villages are far enough from urban centers so they're totally quiet, but still near enough to benefit from trade oportunities and public infrastructure the cities can offer. Temska is one of those really picturesque villages without being too glamed up.

Typical example of moravian style rural houses in Temska

beautiful barns, traditional wood construction

Temstica river

With around 900 inhabitants, a ground school, postal office, a few stores and a coffee shop it looks like a lively neat place along the Temstica River (a affluent of the Nisava River).

Beautiful wood constructed barns with tile roof (and a couple of goats on Temska's streets)

Near the settlement there is a small hydroelectric plant and the small Monastery dedicated to the Holy Martyr Saint George called Temska Monastery.

Erected on ruins of a fortification of the 11th century, the monastery was built in the second half of the 16th century by the Dejanovic Family (nephews of Tsar Dusan).

The Konak (Guesthouse) is beautifully restored

The monasterie's dormitory and living quarters built in the 18th century represent an excellent example of the local folk architecture

On the porch of the building various natural balm and balsams with curative effects and produced in traditional way from medicinal herbs of the Stara Planina are sold. People stop by to buy such balms for curing eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, neurodermatitis, atopic dermatitis, skin allergies, acne, burnt skin, insect bits, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, alopecia, sinusitis, inflammation of the ears and open wounds.

The Temska Monastery church has a three-nave basis with a semicircular altar apsis and a low eight-sided dome. The monastery church itself was constructed of white stone and covered by stone layers. In 1654 a vault was added above the narthex instead of the old wooden construction and the porch was painted with beautiful frescoes.

Iconostasis of Temska Monastery Church

Temska Monastery cimetery

To give you some more information on village architecture in Serbia I post the links of my 6 Lessons on Serbian Rural Architecture.

Lesson 1 in Traditional Serbian Rural Architecture
Lesson 2 in Traditional Serbian Rural Architecture:Style by Regions
Lesson 3 in Traditional Serbian Rural Architecture: The South Serbian Village
Lesson 4 in Traditional Serbian Rural Architecture:The Family Homestead
Lesson 5 in Traditional Serbian Rural Architecture: The Moravian House and its Interior
Lesson 6 in Traditional Serbian Rural Architecture: How does "new" rural architecture looks like?

Donkey Cheese from the Zasavica Nature Park in Serbia

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 12:29:00 +0000

From this donkey comes the most expensive cheese in the world

When I visited the famous Serbian wildlife and nature reserves Zasavica one year ago while visiting Sremska Mitrovica (my post about it here) I didn't know that the world's most expensive cheese, made of donkey milk, is produced there!

I read here that the Nr.1 tennis player Novak Djokovic is buying an entire year production of this cheese to make it one of the key attractions at a chain of restaurants the Wimbledon champion and world number one is opening in his Serbian homeland.

Beside this interesting cheese story, Zasavica Park is indeed worth a visit. For all traveller who enter Serbia by the Zagreb-Beograd speedway Zasavica is on the road and makes a nice stop.

Mangulica Pig

Mangulica is the only surviving autochthonous Serbian breed of domesticated pig. Other two, Šiška and Šumadinka died out. A breed, also known as "woolen pig", due to its good qualities, is considered a "noble", but it almost died out in the 1980s.
Its fat has up to 80% less cholesterol and triglycerides than a common, white pig. In 1998 Mangulica was introduced in Zasavica, and are left to roam free in the reservation.

Goats

Sheeps

Agriculture:
The concept for Zasavica Nature Park ist that Agriculture helps local farmers to gain income from the reserve and at the same time it is an essential tool for the management of specific habitats and species. Agriculture is restricted to grazing and hay making and famers are not allowed to use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers. Preferably farmers use domestic cattle typical for the region like the Manguliza pig and Podolian cattle for grazing.

Cattles

Podolian-Cattle

In 1998 the cattle of the Podolian breed was introduced in Zasavica. First animals arrived in the spring of 1998 from Mionica, in western Serbia. Pasture "Valjevac", near the small Goransko-ribolovačko lake was chosen as their home. The pasture has an area of 3 square kilometers and today numbers 50 cattle. Breeding of Podolian cattle is being part of the program for the preservation of the animal species, developed by the Serbian Ministry of agriculture.

Ethno architecture from Srem Region and Vojvodina

Biodiversity
In this habitat types and species (including meadows and pastures, open water, marshes, wet forest patches and upwelling water springs) of European and Serbian importance are settle here and live in a favorable conservation status.

Educational program for schoolchildren, educational work camps and research camps are being organized with the purpose of increasing the awareness and knowledge on value and importance of protecting the wetland in general and Zasavica wetland in particular.

Here the official Website of the Zasavica Nature Park

Bukovo Monastery

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:16:00 +0000

A couple of kilometers from Negotin, on a forested hill lays the beautiful Bukovo Monastery overlooking villages toward the Dunav River and behind pieces of Romania and Bulgaria.

The layout of the monastery (source)

The monastery was founded by Serbian King Stefan Milutin (1282-1321) of the Nemanjic dynasty in the late 13th- or early 14th century.

The church is dedicated to St. Father Nikolaj the Wonderworker and by style is a special variant of the "Moravian School". The church has an elongated shape of a trefoil and was built as a single nave with arched barrel vault and without dome. The narthex was build later in the 19th century.

The wall around the monastery, the belltower and the colonnade were added in the 1930s.

In 2006 two new buildings were erected on the place of the old dorms, which were in ruinous state.

The church interior is richly decorated and in the narthex some frescoes in romantic style made in 1902 by Steva Todorovic shows some members of the Nemanjic Dynasty.

Fresco of Stephen Uroš II Milutin of Serbia (Стефан Урош II Милутин) and founder of the Bukovo monastery

Fresco of Stefan Nemanja (Стефан Немања) 1113 – 1199, Grand Prince of Raska from 1166 to 1196 and founder of the Nemanjić dynasty.

Fresco of Tsar Uros

In this fresco:
Sveti Sava (Rastko Nemanjic) came back from Hilandar Monastery (Mount Atos) to try to make peace between his two older brothers Stefan and Vukan (Stefan as second born was put on the thron instead of the oldest brother Vukan).

Fresco of Stephen Uroš III (Стефан Урош III) , 1285 – 1331

The monastery has a good website with lots of pictures and information:
http://manastirbukovo.org

The Smederevo Fortress

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:30:00 +0000

40km south-east from Belgrade lays Smederevo a town of about 100'000 inhabitants and its Byzantine Monumental Complex: the Smederevo Fortress.
I like the setting of this fortress on the banks of the Danube.

Smederevo was the residence of Serbian prince Đurađ Branković and the capital of Serbia from 1430 until 1439, when it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire after a siege lasting two months.

The Smederevo Fortress was modeled after the Constantinople fortress. It's classed as a water fortress and after the fortress' completion, there was a decline in its military importance and few structural changes were made. As a result, the original architectural style has been preserved to this day.

Strategically the fortress is located on the right bank of the Danube river on the triangular plain formed by the confluence of the Danube and Jezava rivers, only 72 meters above sea level. This location allowed the Serbian capital to remain near the Christian Kingdom of Hungary, while also satisfying Sultan Murad II of the Ottoman Empire by eliminating the uncontrolled passage of the Hungarians into the Morava valley.

The fortress' position connecting the Balkans and Central Europe has made it an important religious and commercial center for centuries.

During NATO agression against Serbia the "Jugopetrol" oil storage depot near Smederevo was bombed several times. Even though the facility is not located in the protected town zone, the force of the detonations and the burning of highly inflammable substances not only endangered the body of monuments in the town center but the strong detonations induced by the bombing caused shaking of the walls of the old town and the Fortress.

The fortress is currently used as a city park, and occasionally hosts cultural events. To the southeast, the previously open space along the Jezava now boasts a harbor. Unrestricted visits by tourists, inadequate protection, no maintenance and lack of strategy and financial resources contribute to the deterioration of the fortress.

The fortress is encircled by 1.5 kilometers of crenelated walls over 2 meters thick, and 25 towers which are each approximately 25 meters tall.

The throne hall, where Branković received his visitors, was built with four double-arched windows, fashioned in a mixed Gothic/Romanesque style.
The Donžon kula was intended to be the final line of defense. It was constructed with walls over 4 meters thick, and housed the nobility during Turkish attacks. Hidden doors were built into the Jezava wall, allowing for passage towards Hungary.
In the suburb, a sacral complex was built in phases from the 15th century onwards, and a Turkish bath was added by the Ottomans in the 17th century.
Between 1460–1480, while held by the Ottoman Empire, a larger defensive system was built, including escarpments, low walls, and more towers. During the first half of the 18th century, fortified trenches were added.

1. Main entry gate, 2. City gate II, 3. City gate I, 4. Ship gate, 5. Jezava gate, 6. Flag tower, 7. Turkish inscription tower, 8. Water tower, 9. Outer water trench, 10. Inner water trench, 11. Bridge, 12. Inner city gate, 13. Rectangular tower, 14. Keep (Donžon kula, Donjon tower), 15. Jerina's tower , 16. Despot's inscription tower (krstata kula), 17. Audience/Throne hall, 18. Palace, 19. Bath remains, 20. Church remains

Serbian Orthodox Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:10:00 +0000

Whenever I can, I like to celebrate the Serbian Orthodox Holidays in Serbia. Christmas and New Year are 2 weeks later than in the Western Christian World (Serbia follows like Russia the Julian Calender) and are a bit more spiritual and less commercially that its Western equivalent.

January 6th is Christmas Eve, it's Lenten fast day and traditionally Vegetarian Baked Beans (Posni Prebranac), Pickels (Tursija, Kiseli Kupus), Bread, Nuts and dried fruits are served.

Look here how Christmas in Serbia is celebrated.

Our family celebrates the family Patron (Krsna Slava) on Saint Stefan's Day (Стефан Првомученик) on January 9th.

This objects are needed for the ritual glorification of the Saint: A candle, the Slava Bread, the Saint Icon, cooked and sweetened grain (Koljivo) and Wine.

All over January the festive light decoration is still in use until the Holidays are over, and this is around St. Sava Day on January 27th. Saint Sava (Свети Сава) is the Patron Saint of the Schools and Students because he played a central role in education and the beginnings of medieval Serbian literature.
As the patron saint of the former Yugoslavia, St. Sava, or Sveti Sava, is commemorated on the anniversary of his death with special church services, speeches, and choral singing. Schoolchildren sing, dance, and recite poems in his honor.

The Serbian New Year is celebrated on January 13th, but I had to leave Serbia the day before, so I put together some goodies I brought with me and and cheered with some meze!

Kilim Rugs from Pirot

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 22:52:00 +0000

In the past years I worked on the renovation of our cottage in the Jablanica region of Serbia, and now what I'd like to hang on a wall of its living room is a traditional Kilim rug of Pirot (Пиротски Ћилим).

The Kilims of Pirot were usually used for covering floors, walls and for to be used as curtains, for bedspreds and for covering parts of furniture.
As part of the Serbian Heritage and Culture, those rugs are now often used for ethno style interiors and people who look at this picturesque folk art still gets inspired by its colors, ornaments, pattern and quality.

Kilim weawing was (and still is) a strenuous and laborious work, so it's often seen like a writing, a story and a diary of the person who made it. For centuries, women have been weaving their pain, joy, messages and symbols into the rugs.

Originally, these rugs were only an object of use, but slowly they became a symbol for heritage and were an inextricable part of the region in which they were created. Kilims were given as a gift only on special occasions – they decorated the salons of the Serbian dynasties of the Karadjordjevic and Obrenovic and rulers used to offer them to foreign diplomats, as a valuable gift and a unique souvenir from Serbia.

The most important ingredient for a good quality kilim is the wool (obtained from the sheep from the Stara Planina). Only a good quality wool is a guarantee for a long duration, a nice appearance and a high quality weaving.
The sheared wool gets classified by fiber length and then washed in boiling water, rinsed out, dried, bleached and dyed. By spinning the precious wool is transformed to yarn.

Pirot, situated on a caravan road between the Middle East (Among the most famous kilims are the ones from Persia, Afganistan, China and the Caucsus) and Europe, became a famous center for this ancient weawing technique.
In the 16th century, when rugs were made exclusively for domestic needs, the kilims were simple and mostly uncolored. However also multicolored rugs (called “ŝarenice”) were made.
In the 17th and 18th century the kilim making was improved and weaving was done on a vertical loom known under the name of “Pirot loom”. The Pirot vertical loom is a simple device leaned against a wall.

In the 19th century, the Pirot kilim reached the highest technical and art values with its real wealth of ornaments, colors and motifs. The kilims were earlier dyed by natural plant dyes later artificial (industrial) ones were used allowing more nuances of one color.
From century to century the kilim is crafted less and less in private houses and more and more in manufactures like the ones in Pirot during the 18th and 19th century. At the end of the 19th century Pirot had 250 looms and between two world wars a half of the whole women inhabitants of Pirot were involved in kilim making.
In 1886 the Kilim society of Pirot was founded and in international exhibitions and fairs Pirot kilims started to win gold-medals.
In 2002 Pirot Kilim became a Serbian Brand with protected geographical indication with 122 ornaments and 96 types of rugs registered.

Patterns and Motifs
The ornaments are always geometrical and the the same pattern appears repeated in different colors. Across the time they have always been transformed and enriched continually.
The most common pattern are:
rhombs, stylized “mirab” (kind of pattern), little dining-tables, amulets, German boxes and bombs, French candies, chests (“kuveri”)
then there are figurines like lizards, flames, small birds, scorpions, branches, doves in several variants, roses in several forms, pomegranates, wreaths, cross section of flowers braided into a wreath, flowers (carnations, pansies, tulips, roses).

Colors
А bold red color in several nuances – from light red to the color of rotten sour cherries prevails on Pirot kilims. The blue color is often used (gained of natural indigo) with little of yellow and white color (since mid of the 19th century, before the color beige made of onion leaves was used as white).

More information abоut Kilims:
The website of the Guild of the Kilimmakers in Pirot : Damsko Srce (http://www.damskosrce.com/)

On Wikipedia the best Information about Pirot Kilims is in German (relying on the book about Kilims from Peter Bausback, 1983: Kelim. antike orientalische Flachgewebe. Klinkhardt & Biermann, München. ISBN. 3-7814-0206-1)

A good document about the sheeps of Stara Planina is a little information brochure from Sergej Ivanov (from which I used the pictures for this post)

A good website with lots of infromation about Pirot kilims:
http://www.kilimpirot.com/

Very beautiful picture of old Kilims on Tanjica's Flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanjica/2699490642/

And here my post about the Serbian Pavillon at the Shanghai-Expo with a facade inspired by Pirot Kilims http://sajkaca.blogspot.ch/2010/02/serbia-on-expo2010-in-shanghai.html

From Russia to Serbia

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:30:00 +0000

This weekend the Serbian Broadcast Company RTS aired a rerun of the great show "Sasvim Prirodno" (All about Nature) and this time author John Memedović ended up in Russia from where he brought a very unusual story.

Together with 20 Russians and cinematographer Soni Darijević he sailed on three ancient Russian sea boats – the Vityaz, the Khrabr and the Slavyana all the (water)way from Russia’s Samara Region to Belgrade.

The idea to travel 5'000 km like this came from Russian monk Father Feoktist and author John Memedović, for a good story, could not turn down this proposal…he accepted the anything but confortable way to travel, and even if he had really to struggle he jumped in and documented this trip.

"In today's time we live fast and constantly look for new things and values change all the time, so we are prone to forget the origins and we move away from the traditions ... " says Memedović.

Because of that, this intrepid crew did something completely opposite: they turned the clock 1'000 years back and slowed down the time. With great respect for history and heritage they went through this journey and made a very interesting doc.

I really enjoyed the beautiful landscapes….and listen to the beautiful song "Serbia" of Otac Feoktist (song in russian language, serbian translation underneath)

To see the documentary in Serbian her are the links: Part 1 unad Part 2

Од давнина гарде непријатеља су твоју душу тугом палиле.
Али разапети твој дух, да би угасили ватру, цео свет није могао.
Царство Христа не силази с крста, бићемо заједно са тобом!
Црни зли ветрови неће угасити ватру -- близак је наш последњи бој!
Сутра је наш последњи бој.

Рефрен:

Србијо, Србијо, ти си љубав моја, ти си сестра моја, Србијо, Србијо!

Лепотом чудесна, светла земља, острво православља.
Господу верна, Светог Духа пуна, Божја Југославија.
Мили Радивоје, златни витеже, стаћемо, брате, раме уз раме.
Богатир је с тобом, исукаће свој мач, упалићемо свећу пријатељства.

Долине и гребени, куполе, крстови, звоњава звона позива.
Дечицу да роде, у Христу да расту, ред је на српске мајке.
Много година, живела заувек, буди снажна сама у себи.
Од сестре рођене, од свете Русије, Србијо, поклон теби.

Od davnina garde neprijatelja su tvoju dušu tugom palile,
Ali razapeti tvoj duh da bi ugasili vatru, ceo svet nije mogao.
Carstvo Hrista ne silazi sa krsta, bićemo zajedno sa tobom!
Crni, zli vetrovi neće ugasiti vatru -- blizak je naš poslednji boj!
Sutra je naš poslednji boj.

Refren:

Srbijo, Srbijo, ti si ljubav moj, ti si sestra moja, Srbijo, Srbijo!

Lepotom čudesna, svetla zemlja, ostrvo pravoslavlja.
Gospodu verna, Svetog Duha puna, Božija Jugoslavija.
Mili Radivoje, zlatni viteže, staćemo, brate, rame uz rame.
Bogatir je s' tobom, isukaće svoj mač, upalićemo sveću prijateljstva.

Doline i grebeni, kupole, krstovi, zvonjava zvona poziva.
Dečicu da rode, u Hristu da rastu, red je na Srpske majke.
Mnogo godina, živela zauvek, budi snažna sama u sebi,
Od sestre rođene, od Svete Rusije, Srbijo poklon tebi!

Zaha Hadid for Belgrade?

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:28:00 +0000

The project of residential and business complex in the place of former industrial plant "Beko" is making next stage towards realization. Recently the investor presented a preliminary design of the project for the public review. The design of future multifunctional complex at the foot of the Kalemegdan fortress is an artwork of the renowned Zaha Hadid architectural studio from London.

The Greek company "Lamda development", known in Serbia as part of a holding company with EFG Bank and EKI Petrol, bought the bankrupt company "Beko" that owned a remarkable piece of the most exclusive land in the heart of Belgrade.

The very large plot (more than 38’000m2) is situated between the Kalemegdan fortress and the Dorcol riverfront near the "MilanGale Muskatirovic" sportcenter (former 25 may sportcenter).

The zone is of course protected as a monument of culture, however urban development plans allowed the construction under strict conditions with a maximum of 115,000m2 of floor space and also increased architectural standards are requested.

So the Greek Holding engaged one of the big names in world architecture, studio Zaha Hadid from London to obtain an outstanding project. And yes, the project is a stunning solution: what, at the first glance, looks like photoshop distortion at the second sight shows a subtle composition that surprises the observer!

From the architect's site:

"Sitting in the heart of Belgrade’s cultural axis the project explores the idea of introducing a habitable landscape whose undulating topography opens up the BEKO site to a variety of possibilities and views, whether into the confluence of Belgrade’s two rivers, the subtle monumentality of the Kalemegdan Castle and internally between constituent volumes of the design. Developed as a contemporary Mixed-Use Masterplan it includes Residential, Retail and Commercial areas along with a large scale Convention facility and a 5* boutique Hotel."

Hadid's proposition will hold 94,000m2 of surface (a little less than the prescribed maximum) but is fully in accordance with the terms of protection from the Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia.

The Masterplan for the Beko site allows for many green spaces throught the complex with no fences and barriers for public transition that link the riverfront with the fortress. Through height control, building shape and size the complex allows interesting angles of view and surprising situations.

The city's wish is to avoid that the Beko site becomes an exclusive, but dead island in the center of the city. So it will be interesting to see what the project will provide to counter act.

If the project goes ahead after public review, the investor enters into the process of obtaining location and building permits. (to be kept updated visit: http://www.beobuild.rs)

Architecture in Zajecar, Eastern Serbia

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:14:00 +0000

Zajecar is best known for culture, music and sports and its best value is probably the nearby Gamzigrad archeological site. So I wasn't expecting much from the city's architecture. However I was pleased to find some interesting modern buildings from the 60's and 70's in the very town center. Only a few roads away the city looks picturesque with older houses with two to three stories in warm earthy colors and a simple neoclassical style.

I took pictures of the modern buildings in the center, like this highrise building in beige, olive and brown ....

.... with its decorative fire escape stairs

70's buildings on the way to the center

60's architecture for the E.D. Jugoistok(electro public supply of south-east Serbia)

80's/90's buildings with asymmetrical terraces and bulging decorations

The typical "Beograd" Chain-Store in the center (I wrote about this retail-chain here)

The new facade .....and below how it looked in the past

previously this facade was in a bronzed color

This building is not an architectural highlight: ugly proportions, random postmodern details and an off-key roof make it an unattractive landmark near the main square. This building is home to Hotel "Srbija Tiš" and although it's not a pleasure from the outside, to do justice I should mention, that the interiors are spacious and renovated and they look quiet sophisticated. Thanks to the position there is also a great view from the hotel rooms.

Some impressions of the main square: the police station ...

... the national museum on the right ....

...the monument to its famous citizen: Nikola Pasic

More posts about Eastern Serbia:
www.sajkaca.blogspot.ch/2012/09/modern-pirot-buildings.html
http://sajkaca.blogspot.ch/2012/09/traditional-pirot-ponisavlje-museum.html

Interesting Architecture in Majdanpek

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:17:00 +0000

The first time I wrote about Majdanpek I had never been there. But when I found out about this town made from scratch I was so fascinated that I made it a stop during my last travel through Eastern Serbia. Here my entire collection of pictures of Majdanpek:

Majdanpek boomed because of the the copper mine. This is the administration building.

Majdanpek is really a big surprise when arriving from the Djerdap National Park: after a 20 minutes ride through a lush forrest in a hilly surrounding you enter the town from the top where a bunch of highrise buildings are revealed. Townplanning on a big scale!

interesting facade compositions

the youth club

very urban architecture in the middle of the mountains

The main square with the hotel and and youth club

Former Hotel Kasina (now Golden Inn)

Swanky Interiors

A consistently color scheme

Wide empty roads in the city center

The first reserves of copper ore in in the South district of the Majdanpek mine, were found at the end of the 1953 and at that time amounted to 85 million tonnes of ore with an average copper content of 0.83 percent. Based on that, and assuming further research, the Federal Executive Council of the then Yugoslavia made on 16 April, 1954 a decision on the establishment of the "Copper Mine Majdanpek“.

The 70's style concrete constructions are present in the entire city

Mix of modern architecture with mountain pines

After founding the coppermines the numer of inhabitants increased constantly and went from 2'000 in 1948 up to 12'000 in 1991. When United Nations imposed sanctions against FR Yugoslavia in 1992 the economic situation became difficult. Since then the population is in constant diminuition.

Colored house row in the city center

Majdanpek Tourist Map

The Hospital

The Post office

"Gastarbajterske Kuce" in Eastern Serbia

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 13:55:00 +0000

Long time ago I wrote about this phenomenon on Balkan Crew: it was a post about the "Gastarbeiter"-Houses built by migrant workers (Gastarbeiter is the German word for guest-worker and referred specially to migrant worker from the Balkans who went to work in Former West Germany in the 1960's and 70's).

A row of a modest version of the Gastarbajterske Kuce

It didn't change much since then, what concerns the building of prestigious Villas and enormous Houses in the Home Country: the effort to make money in the West (under arduous circumstances) has to be showed off back home as a reward for the hassle! It's easy to impress the local people with a house that blasts in size and decorations.

Flamboyant details

I made a tour through Eastern Serbia and collected pictures of all pure traditional and modern socialist architecture. But as ridiculous and grotesque this "Gastarbejterske Kuce" (Migrant Worker Houses) look, I thought it's worth to make a little collection also of those!

Crazy details: a Eiffel Tower in the garden

To understand this phenomenon there are a few facts that needs to be explained: Eastern Serbia is the most economically challenged region of Serbia and has one of the biggest amount of migrants. Almost all migrants have a modest school background and work as unskilled workers in West European Countries (mostly Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria). Rearly one of them has a understanding of Serbian vernacular architecture or bothers about it. Main goal of the house is to impress the surrounding. The functional aspect is much less important, not rarely the house doesn't correspont to the needs of the families at all.

enormous size and many exaggerated details

Almost all those houses are in little villages far from urban vicinity, for some of them there is not even a paved road to reach them. The houses itself are made with expensive materials and fittings, the land where they stay is usually worth just a couple of dinars. The biggest part of them are occupied only for a month during the summer.

Hollywood Style in Eastern Serbia

I don't want to mention in which villages I took the pictures to respect the privacy of the owners. For me those houses are a bit of an attraction even if they're far away to fit into the surrounding and look a little bit helpless with its mix of random styles.

no limit architecture

Almost like in a fairy tale

Modern Pirot Buildings

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:11:00 +0000

Highrises in Pirot

Pirot is a really interesting town regarding architecture. You can find well kept precious traditional buildings in a typical South-Eastern Serbian style (like I show in my last post). But there are plenty of good modern buildings as well, in fact the very center is a modern cluster of interesting 70'/80's- building.


TV Pirot Building on the main sqare: concrete structure and geometrical shapes

More peculiar buildings on the main sqare

A few years ago, Pirot underwent again remodelling of the city center. The main square was given a new look: green isles, some new planted trees, fountains, light and a lot of concrete should spruce up the city center.


a city square in a modern manner

Only after sundown people start to visit the square, in summer the hot stones and big concrete surfaces do not invite for a stay

The Square feels empty due to lack of shade and cozy corners. Also an atmosphere killer is the huge empty "Hotel Pirot" on the head of the square. The beautiful building is unfortunately closed and needs renovation works.


Beautiful but not in use: Hotel Pirot

Spooky exposure on the mains Square

The empty building is on a fantastic location: Full City Center!

Behind the empty building there is a extension of the main square......

....the extension looks like this: a "modern" pedestrian zone (from the 70's)

boardwalk behind the main square

the older modern buildings are being complemented with newer pieces

the residential buildings in the same style

Traditional Pirot: Ponisavlje Museum

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:56:00 +0000

The birth-house of Hristic Family was earlier called Konak malog Riste and represents the best preserved cultural monument of Pirot's traditional architecture from the middle of 19th century. Since 1968 it's used as National Museum (Address: Nikole Pasica 49, Pirot) and desplays ethnografic items.

The building was built in 1848 by Pirot trader Hristo Jovanovic, as the most prestigous building in town. The edifice itself by its architecture and details has all characteristics of Balkan-oriental style.

This style was was typical for the period of Turkish domination throughout 19th century and usually buildings were made of a half-timbered construction, the so called bondruka construction (see here) and had typical outlets: verandas, porches, gazebos and wooden bow windows.

The interior were layed out with rugs (pirot cilims) covering the floors, walls and seats.

It's basically a type of symmetrical buildings almost a square floor plan with a cross hall. It consists of a basement, ground floor and first floor.

On the bright white facades there are main decorative elements: wooden window frames and enhanced angles of the walls, covered with boards decorated with molded bars.

The museum shows oriental Balkan interiors and old hand-crafts of the region. Pirot is known for its artsy rugs the Cilim.

The beginning of Pirot rug weaving tradition dates back to the 16th century, followed by the sheep-breeding expansion and farming development. Ornaments, their shape and colors make Pirot's rug recognizable everywhere in the world. They are full of symbolism and have Byzantine, Greek, Chinese and Turkish elements modified by Pirot's spinners' imagination and skills. On Pirot's rug geometric motifs are dominating and one of the most often is a rhombus - ornament with pre-historic tradition that also appears on ceramics, metal and bronze. Stylized form of branched tree in many varieties could be found on all oriental rugs and it is familiar to all Eastern nations.

The most important thing when it comes to the rug quality is the wool. For Pirot Cilim the wool of the Stara Planina Mountain's sheep is used in the manufactures of Pirot.

Spinning is done by a spindle and a distaff. Thicker fibers are used for rug base and they are not colored, unlike the thinner ones which are used for woof. Spun wool from the spindle is rewound on winder for straightening and after that it is winded into spools, which are later painted and whitened. Women from villages used to paint wool by themselves in nut's and ash's barks, as well as in onion scales. It's been painted with natural colors for a long time, but recently aniline colors appeared. Old herbal colors were bright red (cinnabar), livid (indigo), bright blue and dark green, green, black, coffee-brown and yellow.(exerpts quoted from panacomp.net)

Communist Style Commercial Buildings

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 19:24:00 +0000

Not only cool communist Style Hotels (like in my previous post here) are an obsession of mine, there are also the communist style shopping centers and commercial buildings that are enchanting to me! Almost every city in the former Yugoslavia has on the main street an empty building of the former chain of shops "Београд" (Beograd). The Beograd chain ("RKB") was established in 1965 and until during the 1980's was the most succsessful chain of shops in the country. Due to the bad economy and war of the 1990's the chain stroke up and later declared bancrupcy in 2002. Lately some of those empty shops are being converted into cheap Chinese Shops (like in my cover picture of Negotin, Eastern Serbia)

There are still a lot of cool buildings like that all over the Balkans. I tried to put some of the most interesting "робнe кућe" (department stores) into this post.

Shopping Center in Bar (Montenegro) picture source

The buildings look like landed U.F.O.s

This commercial building in Kragujevac (Central Serbia) looks like a beetle

(picture source)

This is a department store in Prijedor (Republika Srpska) (picture source)

And this one is in Backa Palanka (picture source: vojvodina online)

Beograd Trading Center in Sombor (Vojvodina, North-West Serbia) another closed Beograd branche store in the city center.

The Agrokomerc Commercial Building in Velika Kladusa (Bosnia & Herzegovina)

(picture source: vkladusa.com)

Fikret Abdić, the CEO of the farming conglomerate Agrokomerc, during the Bosnian War, declared his opposition to the Bosnian government, and founded the small, short-lived and unrecognized Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia in the northwest of Bosnia, composed of the town of Velika Kladuša and a few nearby villages. The mini state existed between 1993 and 1995 and it was allied with Army of Republika Srpska.Later he was convicted of war crimes against Bosniaks that were loyal to the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Robna Kuca Dvor (Hrvatska) (picture source) Facade with 3D effect!

Robna Kuca Korzo in Rijeka (Croatia) (picture source) a radical facade!

Communist Style Hotels

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 22:06:00 +0000

Hotel Krajina (Mrkonjic Grad)

My last post was about Hotel Sirmium in Sremska Mitrovica, a good example of a state own Hotel from the communist past. Those modern buildings tried to be an eye-catcher or by their size or by experimental shapes and details.
The Balkans are full of similar interesting Hotel buildings,and I'll post here the 4 Hotels I would like to see next:

Hotel Krajina Mrkonjic Grad (Republika Srpska)

postcard of Mrkonjic Grad (picture source)

Warn torn facade (picture source)

This Hotel hast been badly damaged during the war. Now it has been renovated and has about 20 rooms.

The fan-shaped Hotel in an old postcard (picture source)

Website of the Hotel: http://www.tcbalkana.com/?do=krajina

Hotel Prijedor in Prijedor (Republika Srpska)

Hotel Prijedor near the Sava river (picture source)

Address: Srpskih velikana 14, tel. +387 52 231 176

It is the biggest Hotel in the area and over 100 rooms. The big impressing building reminds me of the nearby WW II Mrakovica Memorial at Kozara artist Dušan Džamonja.

During the Second World War, numerous civilians and children, mostly Serbs, were murdered by the Croatian Ustashas and the German Wehrmacht. The memorial is dedicated to this region's Yugoslav partisans resistance victims during WWII.

Hotel Pirot in Pirot (Serbia)

Very good example of an eye-catcher facade with partly edged windows and a cool color scheme (picture source)

Hotel Pirot on the main city square (gradski trg) is not working anymore. I plan to visit Pirot this summer. In the picture below I already see some super interesting buildings on the square near Hotel Pirot....

(picture source)

Hotel Zlatibor in Uzice (Serbia)

Hotel Zlatibor (picture source)

This Hotel is my favorite: the rocket style shape, the grooved concrete soccle with the stylish letters and the obique windows in the second floors make me crazy! It has around 150 rooms and diverse restaurants, stores and ammenities in the ground floor.

Another view of this masterpiece! (picture from the Hotel website: http://hotel-zlatibor.com

Links to other post about great Hotels:

Hotel Petrus in Paracin

Hotel Palas in Mojkovac (Montenegro)

Hotel Srbija in Vrsac

Hotel Sirmium in Sremska Mitrovica

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 20:55:00 +0000

I have a crush on Communist-Style Hotel Architecture, and in the Balkan there are a lot of good examples of these state hotels (државни Хотел). Some still are run by the state and and just little investment has been done, so you can feel the atmosphere of the past time and enjoy on vintage design and architecture....

Last summer we made a family stop-over in Sremska Mitrovica and headed out for the local state-hotel "Hotel Sirmium" to stay for the night.

Hotel Sirmium is good example of a state hotel with the peculiarity that it has been built on the ruins of the „Imperial palace“ an archeological site of the famous ancient Roman city of Sirmium (today Sremska Mitrovica). That explains the random ancient pieces arranged around the reception.

The hotel has around 55 big rooms, the color concept is so old that it looks almost new again :-) The dark brown is used to pimp up the rooms....

.....but it's also the main color concept for the bathrooms.

The roman theme is used in the restaurant: meandering pattern on the wall and some roman Art in soc-realist style...a funny combination.

A stroll in the city center shows another nice building from the communist past, a stylish commercial building!

The rest of the city center is a picturesque mix of austro-hungarian baroque style and classic Vojvodina style.

Here some linksregarding Sremska Mitrovica:
Hotel Sirmium
Sremska Mitrovica
Zasavica Nature Park
Fruska Gora National Park Travel Guide

More communist style Hotels:
Hotel Srbija in Vrsac
Hotel Palas in Mojkovac (Montenegro)
Hotel Narcis Strpce

Monastery Guide to Fruska Gora

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:38:00 +0000

All the past posts about the Fruska Gora Monasteries and about the beautiful baroque town of Sremski Karlovci have been put in a practical printable travel guide you can download here on Issuu.

Here the links to the previous posts:

Fruska Gora Monasteries Overview
Velika Remeta Monastery in Fruska Gora
Novo Hapovo Monastery in Fruska Gora
Krusedol Monastery in Fruska Gora
Jazak Monastery in Fruska Gora
Beocin Monastery in Fruska Gora

Vrdnik-Ravanica Monastery in Fruska Gora

Grgetec Monastery in Fruska Gora

A few monasteries of Fruska Gora

Buildings in Sremski Karlovci

http://issuu.com/francescamitrovic/docs/guide_fruska_gora_small

Buildings in Sremski Karlovci

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 20:37:00 +0000

The little city of Sremski Karlovci is a good starting ponit for the Fruska Gora National Park.
This historic town on the right bank of the Danube, is surrounded by vineyards and represents an example of integration of cultural and natural heritage.

It's a picturesque little Baroque Town with interesting buildings full of historical, academical and spiritual meaning.

he present day historic centre of Sremski Karlovci emerged from the development of the city during the 18th, 19th and at the beginning of 20th century.
The spontaneous development of an urban texture in the 18th century, when Karlovci was the largest Serbian town in the Danube area, was based on an earlier layout, as confirmed by historic sources and archaeological findings.

Since 1713, with the transfer of the Metropolitan seat in Karlovci, building activities were characterised by rapid development. With the growth of political importance and the role of Karlovci, the need arose for a public house to accommodate the new functions. The building activity was supported by the intelligent and ambitious metropolitans of Karlovci, as well as by rich traders and craftsmen, which together contributed to shaping the urban image of Karlovci around the middle of the 18th century.

This image of the old town, which was to be finally completed in the last decade of the 19th century and in the begining of 20th century, is largely preserved until our times. The urban centre is organised around the Square of Branko Radiccevica and the surrounding streets, encompassing buildings which have an exceptional place in the cultural history of the Serbs, due to their architectural, artistic and functional values.

The Gymnasium of Karlovci (Карловачка гимназија) is the oldest secondary school in Serbia (picture).
The present building was built 1891st was designed by Julius Partos, Hungarian architect. When built, it was also the Patriarch's Palace and was considered the most representative building of the Serbian Vojvodina.

The interior of the Gymnasium is richly decorated (picture)

Clerical High School of Saint Arsenije, founded in 1794, is the first Serbian Clerical High School, founded three years after the Gymnasium of Karlovci by Mitropolitan Stefan Stratimirovic. The second half of the 19th century represent the golden age in the history of this school, when Ilarion Ruvarac became the rector, and Jovan Zivkovic was one of the professors. In that period one of the first departments for bee keeping was established in the school.

The Clerical school was closed in 1914, after the World War I reestablished in Belgrade. The modern Clerical school called "Saint Arsenije Sremac" was founded in 1964, in the Palace of the Common funds, built at the beginning of the 20th century by Patriarch Georgije Brankovic.

The Sremski Karlovci City Hall is located at the center of Sremski Karlovci, Serbia (picture). City hall was built in the period between 1808 and 1811 in neoclassicism style. It was constructed to be garrison of the nearby Petrovaradin fortress in Novi Sad, and later it become military building. Above the balcony is a coat of arms of Sremski Karlovci.

The most important event that occurred in this building is declaration of Serbian Vojvodina from a balcony by Josif Rajacic in May 1848, known in Serbia as May Assembly, during European Revolutions of 1848. In this building the temporary government of Serbian Vojvodina was organized and was called The Main National Council.
Now, in the City Hall is the administration, including town council and police.

The St. Nikola's Synod Church (Саборна Црква Цветог Николе) was begun in 1758, on the place of the old church of St. Nikola, from the Turkish times and upon the initiative of the metropolitan Pavle Nenadovic. In 1760 the tower and the dome were built, accordingto the project of Zahariie Orfelin, while the church was finally completed in 1762. It is single-naved building with a semi-circular apse on the east and two high baroque belfries on the west. A magnificent iconostasis, a masterpiece of Serbian baroque paining, a work of Teodor Kracun and Jakov Orfelin in 1781 with woodcarvings by Arsenije Markovic. Significant relics are kept in the church: a miracle icon of the Mother of Christ with the little Christ and one part of the relics of St. Arsenije I Sremac, the first Serbian archbishop after St. Sava. The two thrones are foreseen for the Serbian king and Serbian patriarch.

Links:

Vrdnik-Ravanica Monastery in Fruska Gora

Grgetec Monastery in Fruska Gora

A few Monasteries of Fruska Gora Mountains

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 09:14:00 +0000

This post belongs to the series about the beautiful monasteries of the Fruska Gora (the only mount of the extended flat Vojvodina region in the National Park of Fruska Gora which is also a well know tourist destination).
This unique place lays between Novi Sad and Belgrade Airport and makes a good day trip (by car).

The links to the first 7 monasteries of the series (Velika Remeta, Novo Hapovo, Krusedol, Jazak, Beocin, Vrdnik-Ravanica and Grgeteg) are on the bottom of this post.

Here are a few others of the 15 preserved monasteries of the Fruska Gora National Park.

The Privina Glava Monastery (Манастир Привина Глава)

The monastery church is dedicated to the Council of the Holy Archangel Michael. According to the legends Privina Glava was founded by a man named Priva, in the 12th century. The monastery was named after him, so the tradition says. The legend also links the monastery to Jovan Brankovic (burried in Krusedol Monastery) and his brother, Bishop Maksim, who founded the monastery in 1496. The first documented evidence of Privina Glava is rendered by Turkish tax records of I566-67. The Monastery church is a single-dome structure with a trefoil base built between 1741 and 1760, after the model of the Novo Hopovo monastery church. The monastery residences were built on the South and partially on the East side of the church, between 1753 and 1771. The so-called zoograph icons on the old iconostasis were painted by Stanoje Popovic in 1747. The icons on the new iconostasis were painted by Andre Sartist in 1786. The murals in the central part of the church were made by Kuzman Kolaric between 1786 and 1791.

The Petkovica Monastery (Манастир Петковица)
The monastery church was dedicated to St. Petka. According to the tradition, founded by the widow of Stefan Stiljanovic (burried in Sisatovac Monastery), despotess Jelena. The monastery is first mentioned in Turkish documents of 1566-67. The church has a trefoil ground plan that has still been preserved, except for the wooden bell-tower, which was replaced in the mid-18th century. The fresco paintings, a good portion of which has been preserved, were finished in 1588. In the 18th century, the church was renovated several times, and in 1735 got a new iconostasis with a large carved cross. During World War II, the church was deserted and the icons carried off and lost forever. The iconostasis was destroyed and the cross moved to the Museum of Srem, in Sremska Mitrovica. The monastery has been partly renovated.

The Sisatovac Monastery (Манастир Шишатовац)
The monastery church is dedicated to the Birth of the Mother of God. The foundation of the monastery is ascribed to the refugee monks from the Serbian monastery of Zica who tore down the original church of St. Nicholas called Remetsko, and erected on its site a new church, which was dedicated to the Virgin, and named Sisatovac. The reliable facts illustrating the life of the monastery date from the mid-l6th century. In 1543, the relics of St. Stefan Stiljanovic were brought from Siklos to the monastery. The old two-domed church, which had been built by masters from Adriatic coast, Jovan and Gaspar, was destroyed in 1778. A new, larger one, donated by the bishop Vikentije Jovanovic-Popovic was built on its site. The monks' quarters were erected on three sides, while the fourth was closed by the church itself. The quarters acquired their present appearance at the beginning of the 19th century. The cemetery chapel was dedicated to St. Paul and St. Peter, and the chapel was built in 1750. The iconostasis and murals for the new church were made by Grigorije Davidovic-Obsic, in 1795. The monastery was destroyed during World War II. The reconstruction of the monastery is under way.

The Rakovac Monastery (Манастир Раковац)
The monastery church is dedicated to St. Cosmas and St. Damianos. According to a legend written in 1704, Rakovac is the heritage of a certain man, Raka, courtier of despot Jovan Brankovic. The legend states that Raka erected the monastery in 1498. The monastery got its name after him. The monastery was mentioned in the first Turkish census of Srem in 1546. The addition of a baroque bell-tower on to the West church facade, in 1735, entailed certain changes in the trefoil shape of the church and the whole monastery complex. The monks' quarters acquired their final appearance in 1771, surrounding the church on three sides. The church was supposed to be painted at the beginning of the 16th century. The only preserved parts of the frescos are those in the tambour of the dome. The icons on the baroque iconostasis were done by Vasilije Ostojic in 1763. The single-nave chapel in the monastery graveyard dedicated to the Shroud of the Mother of God, built in 1751, houses the iconostasis painted by Janko Halkozovic and Vasilije Ostojic, in 1755. The monastery was severely damaged in World War II and a lot of cultural, historical, and artistic valuables were irretrievably lost. The church has been reconstructed.

The Staro Hopovo Monastery (Манастир Старо Хопово)
The monastery church is dedicated to St. Pantelemon and was built in 1752. According to the tradition the monastery was founded by bishop Maksim. The first reliable data about the monastery date back to 1545/46. There are no records about Staro Hopovo from the 17th century and the first half of 18th century. According to some records before there was a church devoted to St. Nicholas, with walls made of wooden planks. Instead of that church, which was destroyed in an earthquake, the present one, dedicated to St. Pantelemon was errected. In the new, single nave domed church, the throne icons, on the baroque iconostasis, were painted by Janko Halkozovic.
During World War II, the church was damaged and the iconostasis was dismantled. The church itself underwent conservation and restoration after the World War II. The monastery is not anymore in use.

My Travel Posts about the other monasteries:

Vrdnik-Ravanica Monastery in Fruska Gora

Grgetec Monastery in Fruska Gora

Picutres and texts in part from SPCO Lucern and pravoslavlje.nl

Grgeteg Monastery in Fruska Gora

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:58:00 +0000

This post belongs to the series about the beautiful monasteries of the Fruska Gora (the only mount of the extended flat Vojvodina region in the National Park of Fruska Gora which is also a well know tourist destination). The links to the first 6 monasteries of the series (Velika Remeta, Novo Hapovo, Krusedol, Jazak, Beocin and Vrdnik-Ravanica) are on the bottom of this post.

The Grgeteg Monastery (Манастир Гргетег).

The Grgeteg Monastery, with the church dedicated to Saint Nicholas and located on the southern slope of Mount Fruška Gora, was, according to a legend, built in the mid-fifteenth century by Despot Zmaj Ognjeni Vuk for his father, Grgur the Blind. The earliest historical data related to the Monastery are encountered in Turkish defters from the mid-sixteenth century.

Although prior to the Great Migration of Serbs it had been forsaken, its refurbishment took place in the beginning of the 18th century through endeavors of the Metropolitan Isaija Đaković. The baroquization of the church was undertaken between 1766 and 1771, during the Metropolitan Pavle Nenadović.

Extensive refurbishment from the time of hegoumenos Ilarion Ruvarac, undertaken in the late 19th century, was supervised by an architect from Zagreb, Herman Bole.

The older iconostasis, painted by Jakov Orfelin, was replaced by a smaller screen, whose author was Uroš Predić, executed in the style of academic realism. The Grgeteg Church is a single-nave building, with a round altar apse and rectangular choirs. The 18th century dome was removed during the last refurbishment, which insisted on a clear layout and symmetry, both in the interior of the church and on its façades.

The monks dwelling quarters surround the church by all four sides. They originated during the Metropolitan Pavle Nenadović, in whose time a campanile—to be pulled down in WWII—was also erected. In the same period the iconostasis in the campanile chapel was destroyed, painted by Pierre Križanić. Systematic reconstruction and conservational works were begun in 1953.

(The text,slightly adapted, and the cover picture are from Spomenici kulture u Srbiji)

Travel Tips:

Vrdnik-Ravanica Monastery in Fruska Gora

Vrdink-Ravanica Monastery in Fruska Gora

noreply@blogger.com (SAJKACA) — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:40:00 +0000

Going on with the series about the beautiful monasteries of the Fruska Gora (the only mount of the extended flat Vojvodina region in the National Park of Fruska Gora which is also a well know tourist destination). The links to the first 5 monasteries of the series (Velika Remeta, Novo Hapovo, Krusedol, Jazak and Beocin) are on the bottom of this post.

The Vrdnik-Ravnica Monastery (Манастир Врдник-Раваница).

The Vrdnik-Ravanica Monastery, with a church dedicated to the Resurrection of Christ, was built in the 16th century on the southern slopes of the Mount Fruška Gora. In a Turkish defter, it is mentioned as the “Monastery of Saint John nearby helmet Vrdnik.” After the Great Migration of Serbs in 1690, it was populated by monks from the Ravanica Monastery near Cuprija, and ever since has often been referred to as the “Ravanica of Srem.”

The monks from Ravanica had to flee from the Turks in order to safeguard their treasures and the holy relics of Prince Lazar, so they found this place where they renovated the Vrdnik Church, changed its dedication, and reestablished the cult of the Prince Lazar.
A bigger church was built in 1811, during the Metropolitan Stefan Stratimirović, whereas on the site of the smaller church, a stone cross was placed. Based on the project of Kosta Zmijanović, the work was undertaken by Kornelije Srbin from Novi Sad. It is a single-nave building of large dimensions, with a small dome conspicuously out of scale with the rest of the edifice, a round apse and rectangular choirs. Soaring above the narthex with the choir gallery is a three-storied baroque campanile. Façades are enlivened with pilasters topped by classical capitals and large, rounded window openings.

Frescoes, executed in the spirit of Romanticism, are work of Dimitrije Avramović, who also painted the iconostasis. Lavish and assorted woodcarving of the iconostasis, characterized by pronounced symmetry in tune with the classicist spirit, was done by Marko Vujatović. The most elaborate restoration in the post-WWII period was undertaken between 1987 and 1990.

(The text,slightly adapted, and the cover picture are from Spomenici kulture u Srbiji)

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