Klisina monastery, Orthodox monastery in Nishtavci, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Klisina monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery in the village of Nishtavci, 15 km south of Prijedor, on a hill beside the Prijedor–Sanski Most road near the Sana river. Its church is a modest single-nave basilica with a yellow facade, white Byzantine-style arches and a tall bell tower resembling those of Russian churches. Inside, a rich iconostasis and chandelier stand in place of frescoes.
The original medieval monastery, dedicated to the Presentation of the Lord, was destroyed by the Ottomans after the conquest of Bosnia in 1463 and the monks were expelled. A wooden church later replaced it, serving as a parish church until the Ustaše burned it in 1941. The present church was built on its foundations and consecrated in 1993, and the monastery was officially re-established on 1 January 1998.
The name Klisina derives from the Greek word 'ekklisia' (church), a memory of the medieval monastery destroyed in 1463. Villagers gather for the feasts of the Presentation, the Holy Spirit and Saint Marina on 30 July, when the bell saved from the Sana in 1941 is rung.
The monastery holds regular liturgical services and evening prayers where visitors can speak with the resident clergy. It helps to check service times in advance to plan your visit during a meaningful time at the complex.
During excavations for the current temple, workers discovered foundations of a wooden church from the Ottoman period along with historical burial sites. These findings reveal that the ground has held religious significance across many generations.
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