Ljubostinja Monastery

Yet another example of the Morava School style beauty, Ljubostinja Monastery is the Princess Milica’s endowment. This wise woman, an only mediaeval female ruler, reigned in her nun’s habit, as nun Eugenia. He took her monastic vows after Lazar’s death in the Battle of Kosovo. It took a long time to build Ljubostinja, from 1388 to 1405, and we have the name of its first master builder, Rade Borović. In Ljubostinja – besides St Eugenia – nun Jefimija was buried, the wife of Uglješa Mrnjavčević, who also took her monastic vows after death of her husband.

GEOGRAPHY

It is in the Ljubostinjska river valley, between Trstenik and Vrnjačka banja.

HISTORY

The Ljubostinja Monastery was the centre of one of the numerous uprisings against the Ottomans – the Koča’s Frontier – in the late 18th century. In retaliation, the Turks looted the monastery and took all the Princess Milica’s treasures with the Prince Lazar’s crown, today kept in Istanbul. In the Second World War, the Germans kept bishop Nikolaj of Serbia prisoner in Ljubostinja.

OUTSTANDING FIGURES

Princess Milica (St Eugenia), nun Jefimija