"Žièa Monastery" Zica by Andrew_W_K

Žièa monastery is a beautiful red coloured 12th century monastery situated between Kraljevo and Mataruska Banja. On the day I went the sun was shining and the snow capped Balkan mountains seemed to glisten in the distance. The setting for this monastery is quite stunning.
The building itself was instigated by the first crowned king of Serbia, King Stefan Nemanjic and is an important symbol of the Serbian people.
The building has been damaged and renovated many times over the centuries, sadly sometimes deliberatley, notable by the Turks.

Frescoes Žièa Monastery

Photographing inside the monastery is prohibited but you can buy postcards in the monastery shop. Sadly many frescoes inside the main building are quite badly damaged but as you pass through the archway that leads to the monastery there are some excellent frescoes which you can photograph.

Monastery Grounds

I confess that I don't know what all the buildings within the monastic compound are for (I suspect that one is an ossuary and another a chapel of some sort) but all add to the beauty of the sight especially against a backdrop of snow capped mountains.