Cultural Corridors of South East Europe

Heritage by Country / FYR of Macedonia

The Monastery of the Holy Virgin Immaculate near Kichevo

Info Sections
The Monastery of the Holy Virgin Immaculate near Kichevo

About the site


Corridor: Via Egnatia, Sofia-Ohrid Road
Country: FYR of Macedonia, Kichevo
Type: Christian religious centre
Epoch: Modern Times, Middle Ages
Theme: Christian Monasteries
World Heritage:
Modern TimesMiddle AgesChristian MonasteriesChristian religious centre

The monastery complex is situated on the slopes of the mountain Vrvoi, 12 km from Kichevo. In the Middle Ages this monastery was well known scriptorium and spiritual center, under the name "Krnino". The monumental church with central dome was rebuilt in 1848. Its architecture, particularly the eastern section, with the three apses, is very similar to the monumental Romanesque architecture that could be seen on the church of St. Donatus in Split (Croatia). The wall paintings in the alter space date from 1852, painted by the local artist Dicho Zograph and the naos was painted in 1880 by Dicho's son, Avram. They created iconographical programme with many influences from the Western art, transformed in the style called "Levant baroque". Among the painted portraits of saints in the first zone of the naos, the composition of the Holy Seven Slav Teachers (Cyril, Methodius, Clement, Nahum, Gorazd, Sava and Erasmus) has historical importance.

Expert Network