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Zica Monastery, 13th century Byzantine – Romanesque monastery in Serbia

The birth of Serbia is tied to a royal family with religious inclinations, therefore some monasteries in the country are crucial not only from spiritual, but also from historic standpoint. The founder of Serbian dynasty was Stefan Nemanja, a warrior and ruler who abdicated to become a monk together with his wife (in different convents). […]

Kale Fortress, watching over the capital Skopje

Kale fortress of Skopje dominates the capital of Macedonia from a high hill where it rests on very solid rock. River Vardar, the most important river in the former Yugoslav republic, flows right down the walls of this fortress, that also offers views of the modern neighborhoods of the capital, with blocks, factories and corporate […]

The Byzantine Empire, a Christian kingdom of a thousand years

One of the most enduring and fascinating empires in history, The Byzantine Empire appeared when Diocletian took the decision to split the Roman Empire in two parts. The decision was a practical one as the decaying Roman Empire was under siege by numerous barbarian tribes and the kingdom was too vast to manage from Rome. […]

St Andrew’s Church in Amalfi, a place where Byzantine art meets Italian Renaissance

According to tradition, St Andrew was the first among the twelve apostles to be called by Jesus to preach His teachings. Andrew was also a fisherman, like his brother, Peter, the founder of the Church. They both spread the Gospel in the Greeko-Roman world and suffered a martyric death, choosing a different shape of the […]

Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine response to the Temple of Solomon

The legend has it that when he first entered his masterpiece, emperor Justinian lift his eyes towards the dome and uttered: „Oh, Solomon, I’ve surpassed you!”. To understand just how entitled this far from modest remark was, we must put our imagination to work, picturing the basilica painted, the marble floor, the precious stones, the […]

The Monastery of Curtea de Arges, a spiral towards the Heaven

Five centuries of history have passed over this legendary monastery. The attribute is not arbitrary, as the Monastery of Curtea de Arges (150 km from capital Bucharest) has inspired one of the most famous popular legends in Romania. According to it, the Black King commissioned the building of a church of unseen beauty to the […]

One of the oldest Christian churches in the world: The Rotunda of St George, built by Emperor Galerius

Some say that this might be the oldest Christian church in the world that is still in place, while others admit that this is just the oldest monument of this type in Greece or in the city. However, the Rotunda from Thessaloniki, built in 306, is a witness to almost two millenniums of history. It […]

Voronet Monastery. The Esoteric Message Behind Orthodox Painting

The Voronet Monastery is the most famous buildings of Stephan The Great, a monument included on the list of UNESCO’s world heritage. Its frescoes speak of subtle esoteric knowledge held by medieval theologians of Moldavia and also of the skills of anonymous painters. Voronet is situated 5 km to Gura Humorului, in the county of […]

Platamon Castle, a watch post of the Byzantine era

In the dawn of the Christian era, the 10th century, Platamon was a strategic point, on a hill that guarded the roads of the East Roman Empire, on the shores of the Aegean see. The ruins of the ancient city of Herakleion can be found inside the walls of this fortification that now has a […]

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