Morača Monastery

Morača Monastery tickets: which one to buy

Morača Monastery stands beside the Morača river in the canyon of the same name, in central Montenegro, about fifteen kilometres south of Kolašin, on the main road between Podgorica and the north of the country, and entry is free, with donations welcome. It is one of the most important Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Montenegro. Visitors usually stop on the drive through the canyon, often combining the monastery with Kolašin, a mountain resort, the Biogradska Gora National Park, with its old forest and lake, and the Tara river canyon further north.

The drive from Podgorica through the Morača canyon is spectacular, with the road cut into the cliffs. The monastery is active, with monks, and visitors should dress modestly. A waterfall tumbles into the river beside the monastery. Photography inside the church may be restricted. Cafés and roadside restaurants in the canyon serve grilled trout and local cheese.

Visiting Morača Monastery: what to see

The monastery was founded in 1252 by Stefan, the son of Prince Vukan and grandson of Stefan Nemanja, founder of the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty. It was damaged during Ottoman raids in the sixteenth century and restored in the following decades. The monastery complex consists of the large Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, a smaller Church of Saint Nicholas, and residential buildings around a courtyard, enclosed by walls. The main church is built in the Raška style, with a single nave and a dome. Its most famous frescoes are the thirteenth-century cycle of the Prophet Elijah, including the raven feeding him in the desert, and later paintings were added in the early seventeenth century by the master Đorđe Mitrofanović. The iconostasis holds icons of the seventeenth century. The monastery's setting, among green meadows beside the river and the waterfall, is peaceful.

The main church's portal is carved in stone, and the facade is plain, with a simple bell tower. The frescoes in the narthex show the Last Judgement and scenes from the lives of saints. The iconostasis includes icons of the Virgin and Christ, and it is richly decorated. The smaller Church of Saint Nicholas has its own frescoes, although they are less well preserved. The monastery's konak, the residential building, has wooden balconies facing the courtyard. The monks grow fruit and keep bees in the monastery's gardens. The walls enclose a quiet space shaded by old trees. A path beside the monastery leads down to the waterfall and the river, where the water is clear and cold. The monastery has been an important centre of Serbian Orthodox culture in Montenegro, and it has kept manuscripts and books. The canyon walls rise steeply above the monastery.

Morača Monastery opening hours and the best time to go

The monastery is open daily. Summer is the most pleasant season in the mountains of central Montenegro, and spring and autumn are beautiful, with green or colourful forests. Winter is snowy, and Kolašin is a ski resort. The feast of the Dormition on 28 August, according to the Orthodox calendar, brings pilgrims. The road through the canyon can be busy in summer. Allow about half an hour for the monastery, and continue to Kolašin and Biogradska Gora National Park. Buses between Podgorica and Kolašin stop at the road near the monastery on request.