Decani Monastery in Kosovo World Heritage Site by UNESCO

Deçan monastery

The Deçan Monastery is a monument to the cultural heritage in Deçan, Kosovo. The Deçan Monastery, built in the 14th century, is on the list of UNESCO protected monuments.

Decani Monastery World Heritage

Deçani Monastery (Manastiri i Deçanit) is a medieval Orthodox monastery in Kosovo. The church consecrated to Christ Pantocrator contains the only fresco ensemble of Byzantine art that has been completely preserved from the Middle Ages. The church was started in the last years of his life by Stephan Deçanski and rebuilt by his son Stefan Dushan on the foundations of an old Illyrian church.

The monastery was built near the Bistrica River under the sharp slopes of the Acursed Mountains. The church is completely decorated with frescoes. They are the best preserved ensemble of frescoes in Southeast Europe in the Middle Ages. The treasury contains valuable icons from the 14th to 16th centuries and works of church handicrafts.

The frescoes, completed between 1335 and 1350, are among the most important examples of the Palaiological Renaissance. It was made by masters from the Ohrid painting school. The abundance of images and the theological scenes dealt with are captivating with their richly figurative and color-accentuated representation. In 2004 the monastery was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In 2006 the world heritage site was expanded to include additional monasteries and churches and renamed Medieval Monuments in Kosovo.