Hilandar Monastery

The Imperial Lavra of the Nemanjićs

Hilandar is the only Serbian settlement that has lived and endured continuously for more than eight centuries. It was founded in 1198 by Saint Sava (Rastko Nemanjić) and his father, Saint Symeon (Stefan Nemanja), on the ruins of an older Greek monastery. Through the imperial charter (chrysobull) obtained from the Byzantine emperor Alexios III Angelos, the monastery became “an eternal gift to the Serbs”.

The monastery is not only a religious building but also the first Serbian university. The oldest surviving Serbian literature was written there, Vuk Karadžić researched source material there, and through the centuries all Serbian rulers, from King Milutin to Prince Lazar and the Obrenovićs, endowed it with gifts and additions.

The miraculous vine and the well

One of the monastery's greatest shrines is the Miraculous Vine of Saint Symeon, which, according to tradition, sprang up where the saint's relics had lain. Although eight centuries old, it still bears grapes that are believed to help childless couples. There is also Saint Sava's Well, whose water is believed never to run dry and to bring healing.

The great fire and restoration

In the night between 3 and 4 March 2004, the monastery was struck by a catastrophic fire that destroyed more than half of the monastery complex, including four residential wings. Fortunately, the treasury and the library with its priceless manuscripts were saved. The restoration of Hilandar continues to this day, representing one of the greatest undertakings in Serbian culture.