Manastir Sveti Jovan Bogoslov

Monastery of St. John the Theologian - the most important information

The Monastery of St. John the Theologian is located on the left bank of the river Jerma. This Orthodox monastery is 25 kilometers away from Pirot and represents the endowment of the lord Konstantin Dejanović, from the end of the 14th century. The monastery church was painted a century later, as evidenced by the inscription above the entrance, on which you can see that the works were completed in 1499. A special attraction of the Poganovo monastery is the gallery of frescoes of about 360 m2, which is one of the highest paintings in this area. The Monastery of St. John the Theologian was for a time part of Bulgaria (from 1879 to 1920).

Appearance and characteristics of the monastery of St. John the Theologian
The past of this monastery is evidenced by 3 round stones with inscriptions, which are built on the west side of the temple. The following names are engraved on them: Jovan Bogoslov (patron), Mr. Konstantin and Mrs. Jelena. The monastery of St. John the Theologian became very famous for its icons among art connoisseurs. The foundation of the monastery church was built of unhewn stone, which was fixed with a large amount of mortar. The walls are made of treated blocks, whitewash, with a very small relief, while the roof was covered with shingles until the restoration period, and after conservation work with ordinary sheet metal.

The Monastery of St. John the Theologian has the features of Moravian architecture. The church is characterized by a single nave and dome and was built according to the scheme of a developed cross. Around the monastery itself you can see several economic buildings, which are built in oriental style and fit perfectly into the whole ambience and complex of the monastery. The great renovation of the monastery of St. John the Theologian was carried out in 1876, while conservation and restoration works were carried out between 1966 and 1974 on the church, mutvak and konak.

How to get to the monastery?

If you start by car from Belgrade, you can reach the monastery of St. John the Theologian in 3 and a half hours (by highway A1 / E75).
The center of Pirot is about twenty kilometers away from this monastery, so we advise you to cross this distance by taxi. The following carriers will be at your disposal: Fox Taxi (010/321 111), Flash Taxi (010/234 61 08) and Blu Taxi (010/318 222).

Additional information
The Monastery of St. John the Theologian is known for keeping one of the most beautiful icons (the so-called double icon) from the end of the 15th century - a gift from Empress Jelena, on one side are the figures of the Mother of God and John the Theologian, and on the other a miracle in Laton monastery. Today, this icon, along with some other valuables from the monastery, is in the collection of the crypt of the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky in Sofia. The Monastery of St. John the Theologian has been the host of the "International Art Colony Poganovski Monastery" for 15 years.