The four major sites
Of all the old churches in Europe, the one in the monastery of Dečani is one of the most impressive. For those who are interested in medieval art, it alone is worth a trip to Kosovo. Located near Peja/Peć, it was erected between 1327-1330 at the request of the Serbian king Stefan Dečanski. Its elegant architecture is a unique blend of Byzantine, Serbian, Dalmatian, Romanesque and Gothic arts. The interior is covered with more than a thousand well-preserved frescoes, which makes it simply the medieval church with the most frescoes in the world. All this earned the monastery of Dečani to be listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004 ... among the sites of Serbia. Because the UN and its body responsible for heritage and education, UNESCO, do not recognize the independence of Kosovo. This imbroglio did not prevent UNESCO from classifying three other religious sites in the territory in 2006. Still officially in Serbia, they are grouped within the "medieval monuments in Kosovo" with the monastery of Dečani. In addition to this one is the Patriarchal Monastery of Peć, founded around 1230.Formerly the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church, it houses a richly decorated complex and almost unparalleled: four churches adjoining each other that seem to form one from the air. Near Pristina, the sumptuous monastery of Gračanica was founded in 1321 by the builder king Milutin and served as a model for 14th century Balkan architects and painters. Finally, in Prizren, theChurch of the Mother of God in Leviša completes this list of exceptional monuments. Built in 1307, it is a superb example of Serbian-Byzantine art. But it is under restoration and closed to visits since the attack it suffered in 2004.
Heritage at risk
In 2006, the "medieval monuments in Kosovo" were included in the Unesco list of World Heritage in Danger. In Europe, only the historic center of Vienna (Austria) and the mining village of Roșia Montană (Romania) appear on this "red list" because of recent construction that affects their integrity. In Kosovo, the reasons are different. Unesco stresses the difficulties of management and conservation of the four monuments due to the special status of Kosovo and the risks of destruction caused by tensions between communities. Thus, 155 Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries in the country were destroyed or vandalized between 1999 and 2004. As a result, the four monuments remain under permanent protection of the police or KFor in the case of the monastery of Dečani. Since 2021, Pristina has been calling for the "medieval monuments in Kosovo" to be removed from the list of World Heritage in Danger. A request that has little chance of success. Because the issue is also legal. According to Unesco, it is up to the heritage services of Serbia to ensure the management of the four sites. But this is refused by the Kosovo authorities. The Serbian Orthodox Church refuses the assistance of the heritage services of Kosovo. But the Serbian clergy sometimes makes questionable choices. Thus, in 2006, the exterior walls of the ecclesiastical complex of the monastery of Peć were repainted in red against the advice of UNESCO and most art historians.
Other Serbian religious sites from the Middle Ages
The vast majority of Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries from the Middle Ages were destroyed by Albanian nationalists during the two world wars and after the Kosovo war. However, there are still about 40 sites that can be visited in addition to the three monasteries classified by UNESCO. The most numerous are those in the small Serbian enclave of Velika Hoča (near Gjakova/Đakovica). The village has thirteen ancient churches, the oldest of which dates back to the 12th century. Velika Hoča is also a wine-growing region that supplies the country's Orthodox monasteries with wine. Near the enclave, the monastery of Zočište (14th century) was rebuilt after the massacre of its monks in 1999 and retains some of its 14th century icons. The second interesting area is Prizren. In the city itself, the churches of St. Nicholas (1331) and of the Holy Savior (1330) were vandalized in 2004, but some of the original frescoes have been restored. Nearby, the churches of St. Nicholas of Sredska and St. Nicholas of Mušnikovo, both from the 16th century, are relatively well preserved. Also near Prizren, there are two important complexes abandoned at the end of the Middle Ages: the Monastery of the Holy Exchanges (1340) and the hermitage of St. Peter of Koriša (9th century). In the Mitrovica area, one can visit the monasteries of Banjska (1316) and Devič (1434). Further north, near Leposavić/Leposaviq, the foundations of the Serbian-Bulgarian basilica of Sočanica (9th century) remain. In the Peja/Peć region, the Gorioč Monastery (14th century) suffered damage in 1941 and 1999, but it still houses frescoes from the 17th and 18th centuries. Finally, in the Serbian enclave of Štrpce is the church of St. Nicholas of Gotovuša (early 16th century).
An embarrassing legacy
Serbian medieval religious sites are the most important heritage complex in Kosovo, attracting pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. However, this ensemble puts the authorities of the new state at odds: on the one hand, they try to promote tourism, on the other, they minimize the contribution of Serbian heritage. Thus, in the official documentation of Kosovo, Serbian religious sites are presented as "medieval" or "Orthodox" while hiding the qualifier "Serbian". This term is important, however, because Orthodoxy is organized by "nations", with independent Churches each having traditions, a liturgical language, rites and a hierarchy. The Serbian Orthodox Church differs from the Russian, Greek and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches. If the medieval Orthodox monasteries and churches of Kosovo are so valuable, it is precisely because they are Serbian: they possess architectural and artistic characteristics that are the fruit of Serbian history.
