The Holy Despot Stefan Lazarević’s endowment. It is also called Resava, after the river where it was built. The monastery church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Its construction lasted from 1407 to 1418. Immediately following its foundation, the monastery became the cultural centre of the Serbian Despotate (principality). Its Resava school of scribes was well known for its manuscripts and translations throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, even after the fall of the Despotate. The remains of the school are still standing beside the Holy Trinity Church. Manasija was built as a true mediaeval fortress on the eastern border of the principality and it had 11 tall defence towers.
RELIGION AND TRADITION
Fresco Holy Warriors
ART
Manasija belongs to the Morava School, the style of the 14th and 15th century church architecture in Serbia, the period of Prince Lazar and his successors. The Ravanica, Lazarica , Kalenić and other monasteries are also of the Morava School style. They feature nice and colourful façades of alternate stone and brick courses. In its exterior, Manasija is more like the Rascia School style. It is another, an earlier architectural style featured in Studenica, Sopoćani and the High Dečani.
GEOGRAPHY
The monastery is located some 30 km from the Belgrade – Niš highway, near Despotovac.
OUTSTANDING FIGURES
Holy Ddespot Stefan Lazarević, Constantine the Philosopher