The domes
Stone, brick and red tile.
Македонец — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Македонец — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Македонец — CC BY-SA 4.0 · This illustration was made by Rašo. An email to Rašo would be appreciated too. — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kiril Simeonovski — CC BY-SA 4.0
Vodoča Monastery, or the Monastery of St Leontius, is a medieval monastery in the village of Vodoča, about 5 km northwest of Strumica. It is known for its old domed church and quiet gardens, is home to a community of nuns, and houses the seat of the metropolitan of the Strumica diocese. There is no precise record of its founding, but the church is thought to date from the time of Tsar Samuel. It was the seat of the bishops of Strumica and is first mentioned in 1018 in charters of Emperor Basil II. It suffered a great fire in the 14th century and two strong earthquakes, one in the 19th century and the Valandovo earthquake of 1931, and was later repaired. The complex stands on the left bank of the Vodočnica River, with three connected churches, east, middle and west, built of stone and brick. From the outside you see small domes, a columned entrance and red tiled roofs. Beside them are a modern arcaded residence, a courtyard and neat gardens. It is 5 km from Strumica, reached by car or taxi. It is a living monastery, so dress modestly, keep your voice down and ask before taking pictures inside. It makes a good short stop on the way to the Kolešino and Smolare falls, the nearer of which is 20 km away in a straight line.
Stone, brick and red tile.
Quiet and neat.
Columns at the entrance.
Vodoča village, northwest of Strumica
Yes, a community of nuns lives here, and it houses the seat of the Strumica metropolitan.
About 5 km to the northwest.