The church of the Assumption in the Gracanica Monastery, the endowment of King Milutin, was built in the second decade of the 14^th century. It has the shape of five-dome building with the foundation in the shape of the developed cross-in-square and, thus, belongs to the group of the first-class architectural achievements of the epoch. Mihailo and Evtihije, famous painters from Salonica, completed the paintings by 1321. Divine Liturgy, prophets and evangelists are painted in the central dome below the painting of Christ Pantoctrator. The cycles of Great Feasts, Passion of Christ, Miracles, Parable, Christ's Comings after Resurrection, scenes from Virgin's life, St. Nicholas and Menologion are painted in the nave. Eucharist and Old Testament subjects are represented in the altar. Milutin and his wife Simonis, the Byzantine princess, are painted as rulers by the God's will since the angels bring them crowns from the Heaven. The Nemanjics' genealogical tree and the Last Judgment are painted in narthex, while the fragments of frescoes painted in the 14^th century and around 1570 are preserved in the outer narthex. In addition to the compositions of the cycles of Ecumenical Councils, Akathistos Hymn and Baptism, there are also the portraits of Serbian archbishops and patriarchs and the painting of the funeral of the Gracanica Metropolitos Dionisios. The Gracanica treasury was destroyed in the fires between 1379 and 1383. Today, the monastery keeps a significant collection of icons, the oldest one being the icon of Christ the Merciful from the 14^th century, unique by its dimensions (269 cm x 139 cm).

Serbian Holy King Stefan Milutin built Gracanica monastery in 1310. The monastery was dedicated to the Resurrection of Holy Mother.

The monastery is placed in a village Gracanica 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from Pristina, capital of Kosovo i Metohija province of Serbia.

Fourteenth and Fifteenth Century was the time of the great spiritual glory of monastery. In Gracanica lived hundreds of monks who have developed very intensive spiritual and artistic activities. In the second quarter of Sixteen Century Gracanica was the seat of metropolitan of Novo Brdo who brought the first printing house to monastery.

Afterward, in the time in great terror of Turkish invaders, monastery was deserted and its church served for parochial purposes.

After World War II the monastery was revived by nuns and since then Gracanica serves as a women's Abby. Nowadays in Gracanica live 16 nun sisters who spend their lives in icon painting, embroidery, agriculture works and other monastic services.

Here are some photos of the visit to the monastery & the adjacent city of Pristina.

	Entrance to Gracanica Monastery
Gracanica Monastery	Gracanica Monastery	Gracanica Monastery
Pristina Outskirts	Town of Pristina	Rebuilding of Church in Pristina