Page 529 - Kosovo Metohija Heritage

Historic Monuments of Serbia: Kosovo and Metohija
Djurakovac, Saint Nicholas Church, 14th–16th century
The architectural renewal also included the erection of wooden narthex with the door decorated with shallow re- lief with the inscriptions of the names of founders and en- gravers. The roofs of narthex and altar are lower than the naos and the floor of exonarthex is considerably below the level of soil. The shrine belongs to the group of cemetery churches similar to those in the Beli Drim valley and rep- resents a rare combination of stone and wood. in its inte- rior, imperial gates built during the transition from the 16th century to the 17th century are kept as well as four big icons from 1630 and the manuscript Bogorodičnik (the book of poems about the Mother of God) from the 16th century. in the graveyard surrounding the church, in its older part which stretches to the new one, the tombstone with a deer can be noticed. Conservation works on the architecture, paintings and iconography took place in 1968.
The church was mined and destroyed in 1999, after the arrival of KFOR. Royal Doors and two icons, found in the ruins, are now kept in the monastery of the Patriarchate of Peć. The large centuries old oak tree was cut into pieces and burned.
5. Crkolez, Church of Saint John
The Church of St. john, built by 1355 on the old grave- yard above the village of Crkolez, is the endowment of landlord Radoslav (john as monk), buried in the shrine. it was mentioned in the charter of nun evgenija (Princess Milica) in 1395 by which it was confirmed that Duke Novak and his wife Vidosava presented the Church of St. john as a gift to the Monastery of St. Panteleimon on Mt. athos. The building is a typical village one-nave church with nar- thex and semi-oval vault. The apse is five-sided from out- side and there is a modest rosette on the western façade carved in the level of the surface of the wall. The paintings from the 14th century were repainted in 1672/1673 by a new layer of the well preserved paintings painted by Serbian most famous painter of the second half of the 17th century named Radul during the rule of Patriarch Maksim. This can be seen by the fresco-inscription on the southern win- dow. Particularly interesting is the detailed representation of the Last judgment with many sinners, who by their so- cial status belong to the village environment, as well as
Djurakovac, remnants of Saint Nicholas Church, destroyed by albanian extremists after june 1999
Inscription on the grave of certain Danilo from 1362, Djurakovac
Djurakovac, the Royal Doors
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