Mileševa

Mileševa Monastery, surrounded with natural beauties of Western Serbia, is built near the town of Prijepolje, 70 km from touristic center of Zlatibor. The monastery is located at the river Mileševca, and was finished in 1243 as endowment of Serbian king Vladislav and is devoted to the Holy Ascension.

The foundation of the monastery is connected to an interesting legend. During the crusades of the late 12th century, Knights Templar came to this place to see Christ’s Shroud that was guarded by the brotherhood of Serbian knights called «Guardians of Saint George’s spear». Sounds of fight and swords hitting armors were heard for the whole night. When the last knight died a white angel, Archangel Gabriel appeared and pointed with his finger at the Shroud that disappeared on the rock. At this place king Vladislav built the Monastery, whilst the White Angel is nowadays the symbol of Mileševa.

The greatest treasure of Mileševa is partly preserved frescoes that are valued as the masterpiece of Byzantine art of the 13th century. The most famous fresco is almost totally preserved „While angel“, the greatest fresco in the gallery of Serbian medieval art. Untimely beauty and value of the fresco can’t be overestimated. One more historical fact is bound with the history of Mileševa. Relic of the greatest Serbian Saint Sava was brought in Mileševa from Bulgarian town Trnovo. Chronicles mention that his relics were brought to Belgrade by Turks who burnt it on the Vračar hill. This is why at this very place Saint Sava Cathedral is now being built.