Beocin Monastery in Fruska Gora

Going on with the series about the beautiful monasteries of the Fruska Gora (the only mount of the extended flat Vojvodina region in the National Park of Fruska Gora which is also a well know tourist destination). The links to the first 4 monasteries of the series (Velika Remeta, Novo Hapovo, Krusedol and Jazak) are on the bottom of this post.

The Beocin Monastery (Манастир Беочин).

The Beočin Monastery, whose church is dedicated to the Resurrection of Christ, lies on the northern slope of Mount Fruška Gora, near the road to Beočin. Its history can be traced back to the mid-sixteenth century, when the Monastery was mentioned for the first time in a Turkish defter. 

Under Arsenije III Čarnojević, it was renovated by monks of the Rača Monastery. Construction of today’s church begun in 1732, and it was enabled through donations of Milivoje Milaković from Futog, and his son Petar from Gložane. The church was completed in 1799, when the baroque crown was placed on top of the belfry.

The church (post Byzantine style with Moravian influence) of the Beočin Monastery was designed as a single-nave, elongated building, whose altar apse is seven-sided on the outside, and semi-circular on the inside, and with rectangular choirs.
The high, octagonal dome is supported by four free-standing pillars. Above an open, arcaded and rib-vaulted porch, soars a two-storied belfry. The western façade of the church is dominated by the stone portal with sculptured frame.

The high, lavishly gilded baroque iconostasis is the joint work of Janko Halkozović, Dimitrije Bačević and Teodor Dimitrijević. The fresco painting is, unfortunately, almost completely destroyed, save for the scene of the Dormition of the Virgin on the north wall. The church of the Beočin Monastery is on its southern and western sides enclosed by monks’ dwelling-houses, which were eventually joined together in 1765. Systematic restoration of the Monastery complex was begun in 1986.
(The text,slightly adapted, and the cover picture are from Spomenici kulture u Srbiji) 

Travel Tips:

Fruska Gora Monasteries Overview 
Velika Remeta Monastery in Fruska Gora
Novo Hapovo Monastery in Fruska Gora
Krusedol Monastery in Fruska Gora 
Jazak Monastery in Fruska Gora

Jazak Monastery in Fruska Gora

Now that the travel season is about to start, I want to complete the post-series about the beautiful monasteries of the Fruska Gora (the only mount of the extended flat Vojvodina region in the National Park of Fruska Gora which is also a well known tourist destination). The links to the first 3 monasteries of the series (Velika Remeta, Novo Hapovo and Krusedol) are on the bottom of this post.

Among the 16 monasteries of the Fruska Gora area, there is one that is well-known as an architectural jewel: The Jazak Monastery (Манастир Јазак).

The post Byzantine churche with Moravian school influence, was rebuilt and transformed during the 18th century when baroque elements – bigger windows, baroque bell towers and dome caps – were added. The post Byzantine basic matrix remained.

Тhe monastery church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The monastery was founded in 1736, by a group of donors citizens of Novi Sad, Baja, Osijek, Sid and Sasinci. The construction of the church traditionally designed, lasted from 1736 to 1758. but, as early as 1741, it was ready to receive the brethren. А Baroque bell-tower was added onto the West side and completed in 1803. 

The monks' quarters and dormitories, surrounding the church on three sides, were built between 1736 and 1761 in Baroque style.

The icons on the baroque iconostasis were painted by Dimitrije Bacevic in 1769. 

The remains of St. Tsar Uros, the last ruler of mediaeval dynasty Nemanjić, were buried in Jazak, also as a part of religious and national cult.

The monastery underwent the general reconstruction between 1926 and 1930. During World War II the monks' quarters were damaged, while the church remained intact. The monastery has been partly reconstructed.

Today it's a woman's monastery.

Travel Tips:
Fruska Gora Monasteries Overview 
Velika Remeta Monastery in Fruska Gora
Novo Hapovo Monastery in Fruska Gora
Krusedol Monastery in Fruska Gora

Belgrade No Name Architecture

 Usually I write about more or less well-known buildings in Belgrade made by great architects which represents examples of certain buildings style. 
Going through my photo collection of the last few years  I found some interesting pictures of 2004/5 of Architecture around the cit, examples of details that I simply loved but I never found enough interesting information to share on separate posts. 
So I decided to unite them in a post to point what was my first impression of Belgrade: that Belgrade is really full of amazing nice stuff. (small note: back then there were no guides available and Belgrade was definitely not on the "recommended" list!) 

An interesting concrete detail on a rooftop near Trg Republike (Трг Републике)

 A school facade at Akademski Plato near Kneza Mihaila Street (Кнеза Михаила)

 The roof of the old part of the airport Nikola tesla (back then it was simply Belgrade-Surcin Airport): love the structure and the "celadon"-color-paint!

The slim high-rise building in Dorcol (the old part of Belgrade) in Dubrovacka Street (Дубровачка): mid-century concrete combined with see-through balconies.

 The building next to Vuk's Heritage Building (дом вукове задужбине) on Terazije (Теразије) shows off an interesting 70's style concrete facade, that looks interesting with the tacky commercials and boutique below!

 Another style of architecture: the old industrial style around the Belgrade hippodrome (Pastroviceva Street, on the South end of Senjak Area.

Block 29 in New Belgrade (Нови Београд) : Again an interesting concrete facade with rounded corners on windows. Love the color composition, a good example of how to freshen up concrete.


For more Belgrade posts:
5 Great Belgrade Panoramas

New Belgrade Block Architecture

Brankov Bridge in Belgrade


Secessionist Architecture in Belgrade


Travel Tips for Belgrade


5 Things to do in Belgrade

Vranje

 Since I saw movies like Zona Zamfirova and Ivkova Slava I always had the wish to visit Vranje, a lively city of South Serbia. From our family home in Kovaceva Bara it's just about an hour of traveling, but somehow I never made it to Vranje until last summer, when we wanted to show the area to my relatives from Italy! My husband made us a tour of  the region and so I had finally the oppurtunity to visit Vranje!

In ancient times, various tribes inhabited present-day Vranje, until the Romans conquered the region in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. The Roman fortresses in the Vranje region were abandoned during the Hun attacks in 539-544 AD. The name Vranje stems from the old word for "black" ("vran") in Serbian. Vranje was an important Ottoman trading site.


Around Vranje’s busy pedestrian zone is the Pasha’s residence on Pionirska Street. The complex comprises two buildings erected by Raif beg Džinić in 1765 as his residence. Its architecture is a typical example of South Serbian architecture. 

The National Museum in Vranje (Народни Музеј Врање)

It was founded in 1960. Pionirska 1, Vranje, Tel: 017 424018

The Museum features a collection of Roman excavations, medieval coins, traditional costumes and craftwork.

In general, buildings of this period include a basement and two floors. The walls are pierced by many windows arranged symmetrically. The façade is decorated with one or two bay windows, a cantilevered glass Advanced overlooking the street and expanded interior space, while the courtyard façade is decorated with a balcony. The court, located at the rear of the manor, is fenced by high walls.

The daughter of the last pasha sold it to the local metropolitan bishop who converted the building into Vranje’s first high school in 1881.

The building’s front residence, the selamluk was reserved exclusively for men. It faces the street was used by Pasha and his male entourage. The sheltered rear residence, theharemluk, was reserved for women. 

Мy Sketchbook entry for Vranje

Vranje is located 35km from the Macedonian border and 345km from Belgrade.
King Milutin annexed Vranje to the Serbian medieval state in 1282, the same year he acceded to the throne. Vranje consequently became the center of the župa (a small administrative division).

The old hamam of Vranje dates from 17th century and lays in the Roma District, but the surrounding doesn't look super inviting for a tourist (it's located in Ulica petog kongresa) 

Vranje's homepage: http://www.vranje.org.rs/kler_en.php

The Pašin's Quarter and the picturesque pedestrian zone of Vranje

The school is a an exemple of modern socialist style mixed up with oriental details. Vranje is one of the Serbian cities where the Tursk stayed the longest and it shows in many details of architecture.

The White bridge is a symbol of the city and is called "most ljubavi" (Lovers bridge) after the tale about the forbidden love between the Muslim girl Ajša and Serbian-orthodox Stojan that resulted in the father killing the couple. After that, he built the bridge where he had killed her and had the story in-scripted in Ottoman Arabic.
 

The Burberry signature on a building in the center of Vranje :-)

Colorful buildings at the entrance of Vranje

Air Force Headquarter in Zemun by Dragisa Brasovan

It's not the first time I write about this beautiful building by Dragisa Brasovan, but I'd like to share the pictures I made during a walk through Zemun. 

The building stands empty and unused near Avijaticarski Trg and even if it's really damaged (it was a target of NATO attacks in 1999) it still looks noble and attractive.

 

Dragisa Brasovan (Драгиша Бршован) finished this building, a large block structure of autonomous character, in 1935. The compositional strategy is to accentuate the strict symmetrical arrangement of the main facade with a prismatic vertical motif.

Some modernist architects criticized this building for its symbolism: the shape in fact is a dual of "Roda" fighter jets with its two wings.

 Air Force Signs and Memorials incorporated into modernist architecture

 Edged corners and a strict fenestration two other details of modernist architecture

 One of the damaged part that was a bit restored. 

A lot of details show Brasovan's good eye for modernist details.