Monastery Radovasnica - Endowment of the King Dragutin

Manastir Radovašnica

Radovasnica Monastery is located in the village of the same name, 23 kilometers away from Sabac. It is located at the foot of Mount Cer and is considered the endowment of King Dragutin Nemanjić.

History of the monastery
The Radovasnica Monastery was first mentioned in Turkish censuses from 1600, under a different name - as the Kosanik Monastery. In old records, we find another of its names - the Temple of the Holy Archangel Michael and Gabriel on the river Radovasnica. The monastery church was first mentioned in 1541. Unfortunately, this church was burned several times during the Turkish invasions, and it suffered numerous destructions during the First World War. The role of the Radovasnica monastery in Serbian history is very important, since warriors and wounded were taken care of here, as well as various refugees. In addition, this monastery helped build and renovate other Serbian monasteries and churches.

Appearance and characteristics
The first church of this monastery was most likely built in the first half of the 15th century. It was built in the style of the Raska school, from crushed stone and brick. The older building was a triconch church with a dome and a semicircular altar apse. Parts of the old architectural plastic have been preserved only in fragments. Reconstruction of the old church began in 2011, thanks to Sister Milica Abt. The new church got a slightly different look - it has an elongated base and is a single-nave church with a narthex and a dome. Near the church you will notice the remains of old lodgings. During the renovation of the church, the use of the most modern materials and technology is allowed, so electricity is introduced into the monastery, as well as underfloor heating. The windows and doors of the church are made of solid oak wood, while the iconostasis is handmade in marble.

How to get to the monastery Radovasnica?
If you are driving from Belgrade, there are three routes you can take to reach this monastery:

via Route 21
via Route 124
via Route 26

Route 21 is the fastest way to get there, in less than 2 hours, by taking the E75 motorway and Route 21 to Sabac. After that, just follow Stefan Prvovencanog Street and in about twenty minutes of driving you will reach your destination.

Additional information
It is an interesting fact that about 9000 pieces of stone are incorporated into this building and that each stone is intended for someone (following the example of Princess Milica and the construction of the Ljubostinja monastery). If you are ever near Sabac, visit this monastery and learn something new about Serbian culture and tradition, which is truly unique!