Stara Pavlica, Medieval monastery in Pavlica, Serbia.
Stara Pavlica is a monastery set on a rocky plateau above the Ibar River with traditional Serbian Orthodox architectural features and stone construction methods. The buildings integrate medieval structures within their natural hillside setting.
Stara Pavlica is believed to date from the pre-Nemanjić period, the 11th or more probably the 12th century. It is first mentioned in a donation charter of King Stefan the First-Crowned. Archaeological excavations in 1971 showed the church foundations rest directly on rock, with no earlier building on the site, and uncovered 14 graves, two of them children's.
The church is dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul, and fragments of frescoes survive inside. A 1936 newspaper article noted that images of the Nemanjić family and the Musić brothers could be seen there until recently, but they are no longer visible. The nearby Nova Pavlica monastery was founded by the Musić brothers.
The monastery is located about 6 kilometers north of Raška town and is accessible via proper directional signage. Visitors can come throughout the week, and the route guidance from the main road makes access straightforward.
The church lost its north aisle in 1930 when the Kraljevo–Raška railway was built. Excavations in 1971 found 14 graves beneath and around it, one holding a pair of silver earrings and 31 silver-gilt plaques, dating the cemetery to the late 14th and early 15th centuries.
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