After visiting the Savinac monastery, which I wrote about in the previous post, we headed to another beautiful monastery only about 10 km from there. It is the Rakovac monastery on Fruska gora mountain in Vojvodina, north province of Serbia.
It was founded in the 15th century and dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian. That is why at the entrance it is written "holy doctors Cosmo and Damian pray for us".
Surrounded by foreign visitors who wandered quietly through the ancient walls, I had the strange but beautiful sensation of not being in my own country, as if I had discovered a hidden, fairy-tale place somewhere far away.
The Rakovac Monastery was founded by a man named Raka, from whom it got its name. Some say that he killed a deer and according to legend, since it is a sacred animal, he built the monastery out of remorse.
Over the centuries, it has witnessed wars, destruction, and rebuilding. You can still see the old walls that survived despite all the wars.
There was something timeless about the place, a sense that life slows down within those walls.
In history, it was also called the court monastery because many church dignitaries lived there.
And inside you feel that elegance, and at the same time respect for this important landmark.
Whether you are religious or not, you can’t help but feel the tranquility that flows through this beautiful monastery, tucked between the green hills of Fruska gora.
Thank you for reading.
Jelena