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Manastir Sveta Trojica

Manastir Sveta Trojica

The spiritual and cultural centre of Stara Raška near Pljevlja

First written record: 1537.

Overview

Manastir Sveta Trojica is located about two kilometres from the centre of Pljevlja, in a green, wooded valley above the town.

It was the most important religious, educational and cultural centre of the Orthodox people of Stara Raška, Polimlje and Potarje. The earliest known record dates from 1537, and by the end of the 17th century the monastery was a renowned manuscript-copying centre. The church preserves the relics of the hand of Saint Sava and his staff, as well as a treasury of manuscripts, icons and goldsmith works from the 16th century.

Visiting

How to visit a monastery

All monasteries
  • Dress Modestly

    Always wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Women should have a headscarf for inside the church. Inappropriate attire may result in being refused entry to the monastery.

  • Best Time to Visit

    Arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid crowds, especially in summer. Weekdays out of season are most suitable for a peaceful visit — in the more visited monasteries, such as Ostrog, the difference is significant.

  • Respecting the Sacred Site

    Monasteries are living communities of monks and nuns. In the church do not eat or drink, speak quietly and do not enter areas closed to visitors. Do not take anything out of the monastery — not a stone nor a flower. Approach with respect, regardless of religious affiliation.

  • What to Bring

    Entrance to monasteries is usually free, and voluntary donations and candles are welcome. Pilgrims traditionally bring oil, wine, coffee and sugar as gifts for the monks; according to old custom, woolen socks are also brought to Ostrog for Saint Basil of Ostrog.

  • Church Feast Days

    On monastery feast days and major holidays, many believers come — check the date of the feast day of the monastery you are visiting. The greatest holiday is Saint Basil of Ostrog on May 12; for that day, reserve accommodation well in advance.

Highlights

Discover Manastir Sveta Trojica

Church of the Holy Trinity

Church of the Holy Trinity

Although the exact time of its founding is unknown, a place of worship existed on the site of the present-day church even before the Ottoman conquest of Pljevlja in 1465. The oldest part of the church has an almost square plan with a large apse, and four columns divide the nave into a wider central section and two narrow side aisles. The nave and altar were painted with frescoes in 1595, and the work is attributed to priest Strahinja of Budimlje. The narthex was added in 1876, and on the south wall of the nave there is a founder’s portrait of hegumen Visarion holding a model of the church.

Monastery Treasury

Monastery Treasury

The treasury preserves icons, liturgical objects, church embroidery and goldsmith works. Among them, a reliquary from 1576 in the form of a single-nave church with three cupolas and a chalice from 1578/79 stand out, both commissioned for hegumen Stefan. In the reliquary chest in front of the iconostasis are kept the relics of the hand of Saint Sava and the staff of Saint Sava, as well as parts of the relics of Saints Cosmas and Damian, Saint Thecla and the Holy Hieromartyr Seraphim. Icons attributed to the zograf Longin and icons of the Cretan school further illuminate the artistic importance of the collection.

Monastery Library and Manuscript-Copying School

Monastery Library and Manuscript-Copying School

From its first mention until the end of the 17th century the monastery was a renowned manuscript-copying centre. The names of the copyists hieromonk Sava, deacon Jovan, Dimitrije, Vlatko and Ratko Ranković, Gavrilo Trojičanin and others have been preserved. The library holds manuscript books, some on parchment, including the Hexaemeron, Topography of Cosmas Indicopleustes and the Pljevlja Synodikon of Orthodoxy. Some of the Holy Trinity manuscripts are today kept in Vienna, Saint Petersburg and Prague.

What to do

Activities in Manastir Sveta Trojica

Touring the monastery and frescoes

Tour of the church, nave and altar with frescoes from 1595.

Photography

Photographing the architecture and atmosphere of the monastery complex with permission.

Walking to the monastery

A short walk from the centre of Pljevlja to the monastery, about 2 km.

Attending the liturgy

Participation in the service in an active monastery (check the schedule).

Manastir Sveta Trojica
Plan Your Visit

Weather & Useful Info

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

About 2 km from the centre of Pljevlja, in a wooded valley above the town. The easiest way to get there is by car or on foot, and the road is asphalted.

The church preserves the relics of the hand of Saint Sava and his staff, parts of the relics of other saints, frescoes from 1595, manuscripts and the treasury with a reliquary from 1576.

The patronal feast is Holy Trinity, a movable feast celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter.

Information about tickets has not been officially published. The monastery is active, so it is recommended to ask on arrival about possible donations or fees for viewing the treasury.

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