Gradac

Female Gradac monastery was built in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God around the year 1275 on the Ibar River, near Raska. This medieval building was built as an endowment of Queen Helen of Anjou, wife of Stefan Uros I and mother of kings Dragutin and Milutin.

The people, the Queen is remembered as a great Serbian benefactor and the longest-lived monarch in medieval Serbia. Shortly before his death took the Orthodox faith, zamonašivši in the church of St. Nicholas on Skadar Lake.

Jelena was posthumously declared a saint, and her day Orthodox Christians celebrate on November 12th. Gradac rises on the remains of a former church on the hill in the nation dubbed as Petrov rubble. At the time of building, and for the monks who were present during construction, was built in the small chapel of St. Nicholas.

Sam Green plateau where there is a Church of Our Lady of ancient times was considered a sacred place. The location where it is located is also known as the Valley of lilacs. The King Uros as a gift to his wife, ordered the Ibar valley planted lilacs would not queen resembled native Provence. Stylistically, Gradac corresponds to the architecture school of Raska enriched with Gothic elements. Nave building crowned by a dome has a three-part altar and parvis wider than the main part of the church. The impact is most noticeable Gothic arches and ornaments. Murals of the monastery is only partially preserved. Fresco lady, founder, Queen Helen was still visible, but unfortunately, she did not resist time. In particular goods of the monastery as its icon on the elaboration of which are elderly nuns. Sometimes they are organized and exhibitions icons created in an icon workshop.