Tiered domes
Rising to a central dome.
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Gračanica Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery in the town of Gračanica, south-east of Pristina. King Stefan Milutin built it in 1321 to replace an older 13th-century cathedral on the same spot, and it is one of his last great works. In 2006 it was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List as part of the Medieval Monuments in Kosovo. The church is famous for its stepped mass, its domes rising in tiers towards a tall central dome, and for walls of stone and brick in warm colours, and it counts among the finest examples of late Byzantine architecture in the Balkans. The narthex and tower were added a few decades after it was built to protect the paintings on the west front; of the old monastery buildings, only the church survives. It is an active place of worship: dress modestly, with no shorts or sleeveless tops, women are asked to cover their hair, and photography inside the church is forbidden. Carry your passport in case of a check at the entrance.
Rising to a central dome.
Warm colours.
A combined visit.
Town of Gračanica, south-east of Pristina
Outside, yes; inside the church photography is forbidden, and modest dress is required, with women asked to cover their hair.
