In this episode of Balkan Trip, we explore the architectural treasures of medieval Serbia, with visits to the remarkable Manasija Monastery and the grand Smederevo Fortress along the Danube River.
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00:00Welcome. You are watching the show Balkan trip. In this episode we will introduce you to the architecture and way of life in Serbia in the Middle Ages.
00:16We will visit Manat Irmanasiju and the city of Smederevo, the last capital of the Serbian medieval state.
00:25The medieval Serbia was located between the East and the West. It had a great political, economic and cultural reputation in Europe.
00:34Traces of this important history are visible even today. In Belgrade, Golubac, Kraljevo, Pirot, Smederevo.
00:43Today we have, first of all, medieval monasteries as a testimony of that epoch.
00:48It should be said that on UNESCO's list of world cultural heritage, the largest number of monuments from this area are Serbian medieval monasteries.
00:57Manat Irmanasiju
01:04Manat Irmanasiju, not far from Despotovac, is one of the most important monuments of Serbian medieval culture.
01:11It was built by Despot Stefan Lazarevic in the period from 1407 to 1418.
01:18The Serbian ruler lived in it and he was buried here in 1427.
01:25The entire complex was built in 11 years.
01:27Considering that it was built about 20 years after the Battle of Kosovo, this is the reason why we see so many walls and fortifications.
01:36It is considered a remnant of the fortifications, so-called fortifications for the defense of cold weapons.
01:42Manat Irmanasiju was built in the so-called Moravian style.
01:46It is an authentic Serbian architectural style.
01:50Before that, there was a Russian style and a Serbian-Byzantine style.
01:55However, this is an authentic Serbian style and it is characterized by traditions that were taken from Western Europe, primarily from the Mediterranean world, from Byzantium.
02:05Manat Irmanasiju
02:11Soon after the construction of Manat Irmanasiju, it became a haven for a large number of educated people, who, running away from the Turks, found their refuge here.
02:20The significance of Manat Irmanasiju is especially reflected in the fact that the so-called Resava school was founded here, in which books were translated and transcribed at that time.
02:30Manat Irmanasiju was the center of culture and literacy of our people.
02:37We have the latest information that several books were found in the world, which was personally transcribed by Despot Stefan.
02:44Imagine what a blessing it is for our people, because we are such a ruler.
02:47Despot Stefan Lazarevic was the ruler and military leader, but also a writer, translator, polyglot and knight who belonged to the Order of the Dragon.
03:09His face can be seen on one of the frescoes of the monastery, which was painted by the Solonian painters during the 15th century.
03:16What is very recognizable for our monastery is the famous Byzantine blue color, where Despot Stefan Lazarevic gave a kilogram of gold for a kilogram of paint.
03:30During the Middle Ages, Serbia was a rich country with the largest silver mines in Europe.
03:36Wealth was also seen in fertile land and water, which is the characteristic of Serbia today.
03:41The food in the Middle Ages was modest, and meat, wheat and vegetables were most often used.
03:48In the Middle Ages, most of the population in Serbia was a carpenter.
03:52We will find out how the rulers lived in Smederevo, where the only Serbian medieval court was located.
04:00The Smederevo Fortress is the largest plain fortress in Europe.
04:05It was built by Despot Đurač Branković, the sister of Despot Stefan Lazarević.
04:10It was built between 1428 and 1439 on the mouth of the river Jezava in the Danube, on an area of 11 hectares.
04:21It consists of a small and a large city.
04:24In the small city, as I said, the life of the despotic family took place, and the large city was a place for local population.
04:30You are in the last and only preserved Serbian medieval court.
04:35According to the leaders, this was the largest construction site in history.
04:40And according to popular belief, the fortress was built by the wife of Despot Đurač Branković, the Byzantine princess Irina Kantakouzina, who people called the cursed Jerina.
04:51What does the legend say?
04:53That she threw the servants out of the tower, that she threw lovers out of the tower, that she forced laborers to work,
04:59that she encouraged them to bring hot bread from Kosmaja to the system, from hand to hand.
05:05These are all legendary stories, there is no proof.
05:08It was a great human effort to build such a square.
05:13Vladar Đurač Branković was one of the most educated rulers of his time.
05:18He had the largest library in Europe, his own masonry, sewage and toilet.
05:2424 books were written in the courtyard.
05:27They organized fun and composed and played spiritual music for the distinguished guests.
05:33One exquisite, one renaissance courtyard.
05:36These are the walls and windows of the court of Despot Đurač Branković.
05:39We can see four impressive windows, that is, bifurcated, three in Gothic, one in Romanesque style.
05:47There were windows from the great hall for reception, where the despot probably received the most influential people in Europe.
05:57The windows of the court of Despot Đurač Branković were painted with glass from the famous island of Murano,
06:03for which Despot Đurač Branković gave 11,000 golden ducats, which is the equivalent of 11 million euros today.
06:11Smederevo
06:15It is also known that wine was drunk in this courtyard and that the ruler Đurač Branković asked to serve it with ice.
06:22The tradition of drinking wine and brewing wine in Smederevo and its surroundings has been maintained to this day.
06:29Grape is a symbol of Smederevo and this part of Serbia.
06:32Smederevo vineyard has a long tradition of 1,700 years.
06:37Here almost every house has vineyard and besides foreigners, Serbian varieties are also grown.
06:43Tamjanik Prokupac from Smederevo.
06:46Wine is a part of some culture, some traditions, some life of this people.
06:50Our ancestors always drank wine.
06:53Land in Smederevo is very mineral and it is transferred to wine.
06:59There really was the Pannonian Sea.
07:02We were on some coast where most of those mineral materials settled on the coast.
07:11It can be seen through wine.
07:13The Danube is nearby and gives that freshness, that the nights are cold, the days are warm.
07:18And that temperature difference between day and night gives that freshness to the wine and that bitterness that characterizes Smederevo.
07:27The tradition of wine tasting and drinking has been maintained to this day,
07:31and medieval fortifications are under the protection of the state and very visited tourist destinations.
07:37Not only in Smederevo, but also in Belgrade, Pirot, Golubac and other cities of Serbia.
07:47This was only part of the rich history of Serbia.
07:51We will meet again with more Balkan stories.