Visoki Dečani

Visoki Dečani tickets: which one to buy

The Visoki Decani Monastery stands in a valley at the foot of the Prokletije mountains, near the town of Decan, in western Kosovo, about fifteen kilometres south of Peja, and entry is free, with donations welcome. It is a Serbian Orthodox monastery and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Medieval Monuments in Kosovo, which UNESCO also lists as in danger.

Visitors must usually leave their passport or identity card with the security at the gate, as the monastery has been protected by international peacekeepers because of past tensions. Visitors reach it by car or taxi from Peja, and it is often combined with the Patriarchate of Peć, another UNESCO monastery, and the Rugova Gorge. Modest dress is required, and photography inside the church is not allowed. The monks produce wine, cheese and honey, sold at the monastery. Local drivers in Peja can arrange trips to both monasteries in half a day.

Visiting Visoki Dečani: what to see

The monastery was founded in 1327 by the Serbian King Stefan Uroš III Dečanski, and after his death his son, Emperor Stefan Dušan, completed the church in 1335. It was built by a Franciscan friar, Vita of Kotor, in a style that combines Romanesque and Gothic architecture from the Adriatic coast with Byzantine traditions, and it is the largest medieval church in the Balkans. The church's exterior is made of alternating bands of light and dark marble, with carved portals and windows. Inside, the walls are covered with one of the largest and best preserved cycles of medieval Byzantine frescoes, painted between 1335 and 1350, with more than a thousand scenes and thousands of figures, including a family tree of the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty and a rare depiction of Christ holding a sword.

The tomb of King Stefan Dečanski, venerated as a saint, stands in the church. The carved wooden iconostasis and throne are from the fourteenth century. The church's portals are decorated with carvings of animals, plants and figures. The frescoes include scenes of the life of Christ, the Last Judgement, the Old Testament and a calendar of saints. The marble facade's bands of colour give the church a distinctive appearance. The monastery's treasury holds icons, manuscripts and liturgical objects, though it is not always open. The monks' residence and refectory surround the church. The monastery's chestnut and walnut trees shade the courtyard. The Bistrica river flows past the monastery. The monks welcome visitors and sometimes offer tours. Candles lit before the tomb of the king fill the church with light.

Visoki Dečani opening hours and the best time to go

The monastery is open daily, and visiting hours may change depending on the security situation, so check before travelling. Summer is warm in the valley, and spring and autumn are beautiful, with the mountains green or covered in autumn colours. Winter is cold, and the mountains are snowy. Orthodox feasts bring pilgrims from Serbia. Allow about an hour for the monastery, and combine it with the Patriarchate of Peć and a drive through the Rugova Gorge. The Patriarchate of Peć, about half an hour's drive north, has three churches with frescoes from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.