![]()
Church
of the Holy Virgin Odigitria
![]() printsize image 720 KB The endowment of the main accountant Jovan Dragoslav and his family is located above the village of Musutiste, 10 km south-east of Suva Reka. It was built in 1315 which is evidenced by a long and neat stone inscription above the western portal. The founder was one of the first Serbian landlords who was in the position to build such a big church. It was built with alternate layers of stone and brick, while the semi-circular altar apse has a more complex decoration in the combination of brick and mortar. Its foundation has the shape of the shortened cross with the dome supported by four free columns. Only fragments of paintings are preserved, so that four archpriests painted in the altar area (including one of the oldest representations of St. Kliment Ohridski) and several individual figures in the northern-western corner of naos (holy women, warriors Teodor Tiron and Teodor Stratilat, angels and St. Panteleimon) speak about the great skill and education of the painter. Although they have no direct parallels, the Musutiste frescoes can be placed among the most beautiful achievements of the epoch of King Milutin. Although their creation was not mentioned in the founders inscription, it is supposed that they were painted immediately after the completion of construction and by 1320 at the latest. The church keeps two throne icons from 1603. The temple was renewed in the second half of the 19th century. No conservation works were carried out.
|