Foto: The Visoki Decani monastery (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Kosovo - Near Peja should lie the Visoki Decani Monastery. We expected to see signs for it when entering, but unfortunately not. We decided to ask. A man on the phone interrupted his conversation to help us. The monastery turned out to be near Decani, about fifteen kilometers further on. However, the man also strongly advised us to visit the Patriarchate Monastery in Peja, which he emphasized might be even more beautiful. He pointed out the route and explained that we must register at the police post near the monastery. Due to tensions between the Serbian minority and the Albanian majority in Kosovo, Serbian Orthodox monasteries are permanently guarded by the police and NATO forces. The police officers registered our details, and then we were allowed into the monastery garden. The burgundy-colored church in the middle of the garden is decorated with beautiful, colorful frescoes. The monastery was founded in the 13th century and provides residence to archbishops and patriarchs. The various rooms are phenomenally beautiful. It’s understandable that photography is prohibited, but it is also a pity. We are grateful to our informant for advising us to visit here. On the way to Decani, we stopped at a restaurant to eat something. The menu was only in Serbian. We tried to see if they had something like a sandwich? That turned out to be possible with a hamburger. Shortly after, it appeared they actually didn’t have hamburgers or buns, or maybe both. It wasn’t quite clear. The owner himself helped us find something else. The chicken curry, which was initially “finished,” was now available. Fine by us. When paying, the waiter gave us a note with directions (signed by him) on how to get to the Visoki Decani Monastery. Following his instructions, we drove toward the monastery. Roadblocks by KFOR, the NATO troops, appeared ahead. We reported to the military post. It felt more like entering a military zone than visiting a monastery. After leaving our passports, we were allowed to visit the complex. A young man came to meet us. “Would you like to see the church?” he asked. He could just show us around before his lunch. He explained that the beautifully decorated church was built in the 14th century by order of King Stefan Uroš III Decanski. This church was also beautifully furnished. It’s bizarre to think that since 2004, there have been as many as five attacks on this monastery.
Decani_Monastery
Kosovo - Decan Monastery is one of the most prominent monasteries in Kosovo and is located near the town of Decan. It was founded in the 14th century and has since been an important religious and cultural site. The monastery features impressive architecture and ...
Historical center of Prizren
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