MONASTIC BUILDINGS

A visit to the Patriarchal Monastery of Peć is worthwhile mainly for its ecclesiastical complex (churches and narthex). But it is possible to walk around almost the entire 3-hectare compound to discover the traces of a long history. The monastery is surrounded by powerful walls inherited from the Middle Ages. At that time, the site was also defended by four towers and a keep, which have now disappeared. During the Ottoman era, in agreement with the higoumen (abbot), the Albanian inhabitants of the neighboring villages appointed voivodes (guardians) responsible for the protection of the monks. Thus, there remains a house of the voivodes, outside, on the north bank of the Pećka Bistrica. Inside the monastery grounds, once you pass the large wooden gate, you find yourself facing ruins. These are the foundations of conventual buildings destroyed by an accidental fire in 1940 (before the Italo-Albanian occupation of 1941-1943): a bakery, a refectory and a guest house from the Middle Ages, the monks' cells, two kitchens, a water mill, an attic and a stable from the 18th century. Excavations in the 1960s also revealed the presence of other ancient buildings to the north and east.

The treasure: saved, but inaccessible. To the right of the entrance, the belfry houses the bells of the monastery. This tower is about 15 m high and is in the Serbo-Byzantine style, but it dates from 1970. Two buildings have been added nearby since 2007: the store and a guesthouse. The ruins of the old belfry (14th century), destroyed in 1940, can be seen opposite the narthex. The northwestern part is dominated by modern conventual buildings dating from the 1980s and 1990s. They are located on the site of the old conventual buildings destroyed by a fire set by Albanian nationalists on the night of 15-16 March 1981. This attack on the churches resulted in the loss of the patriarch's residence, the nuns' refectory, the infirmary, the workshops and the monastery treasury. There were no casualties, but many documents and liturgical objects disappeared in the flames. However, a large part of the treasure accumulated since the 13th century, including icons, could be saved. The treasure remains on site, only shown to distinguished guests. Finally, throughout the complex are visible the tombs of the monks who succeeded each other here for seven centuries. They stand alongside those of the nuns who have occupied the monastery since the 1950s.