Pavlovac Monastery, Orthodox monastery in Koraćica, Serbia

Pavlovac Monastery stands on the southern slope of Kosmaj Mountain in the village of Koraćica. Its church, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, is built of broken stone and quicklime. South of the church is the monastic dormitory, and north of it are the remains of what is likely a summer residence of Despot Stefan Lazarević.

Built on the order of Despot Stefan Lazarević by pupils of court architect Rade Borović, the monastery stood in the village of Pavlovci until 1690, when Ottoman troops destroyed both village and monastery. On 21 November 1425 Stefan issued a charter there to Dubrovnik customs merchants. Ruined for about 280 years, it was rebuilt in 1967 from broken stone and quicklime.

The monastery is dedicated to Saint Nicholas, whose feast is the temple slava. Patriarch Arsenije III Crnojević served one of his last liturgies here in 1690 before leading his people into Hungary; the monks who stayed were killed and the monastery burned. Their relics were identified from 1963 to 1967 and laid in the foundation of the rebuilt church, marked separately.

The monastery can be reached by taking the Belgrade-Niš highway to Mladenovac and then following signs through the village of Koraćica. Plan to visit in good weather since access involves walking and climbing the mountainside.

The monastery complex includes a building north of the church that archaeologists believe may have been a summer residence of Despot Stefan Lazarević. Systematic excavations in 1973–1974 uncovered this structure, showing that the ruler had a private retreat within the monastery grounds.