RAKOVAC MONASTERY – Rakovac

RAKOVAC MONASTERY – Rakovac

Rakovac Monastery is located on the northern slopes of Fruška Gora, along the Rakovački stream, about ten kilometers from Novi Sad. The monastery is first mentioned in the first census of Srem in 1546.

The monastery church is dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian. According to tradition, it was built by Duke Raka Milošević, chamberlain to Despot Jovan Branković (1499–1502), from whom the monastery takes its name. At the beginning of the 18th century, it served as an active scriptorium, where Dušan’s Code was transcribed. During World War II, the church and bell tower were mined. Restoration of the monastery church began in the 1990s, and the reconstruction of the konak started in 2003. Due to repeated destruction over the centuries, only fragments of the original frescoes remain.

Preserved paintings are found in the calotte, the drum of the dome, and on the northeastern and southeastern pillars. Recent cleaning revealed a scene of the Heavenly Liturgy beneath Christ in the dome, while standing figures of prophets appear in the dome’s drum. This artwork is believed to date from the 16th century, though it has not been fully studied.

The iconostasis by Vasilije Ostojić, highly Baroque and exceptionally ornate, was destroyed during World War II, with only a few archival photographs remaining. Originally, it contained 56 icons arranged in five tiers. Today, only three icons survive: “Jeremiah” from the Prophets tier, housed in the Museum of Srem in Sremska Mitrovica, and fragments of the scenes “Presentation” and “Baptism of Christ” in the Gallery of Matica Srpska in Novi Sad.

Stari Rakovac, Rakovac
+381 (0)21 62 75 022
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