Središte monastery, Orthodox monastery in Vršac, Serbia
Srediste is a stone monastery set within the Banat plain, bordered by the villages of Malo Srediste and Veliko Srediste from which it takes its name. The complex contains a main church building along with residential quarters for monks and supporting structures for monastic life.
The monastery was founded in the late 15th century by Despot Jovan Brankovic as part of efforts to strengthen Orthodox Christianity in the northern Balkans. This establishment became one of several religious centers that helped spread Serbian Orthodox faith across the Banat region.
The monastery serves as a living center of Serbian Orthodox faith for the surrounding communities and maintains daily spiritual practices rooted in monastic tradition. People in the area regard it as a spiritual anchor that shapes the religious identity of the Banat region.
The site is located in Vršac municipality and can be reached by following local paths from the nearby villages. Visitors should check opening hours in advance and wear respectful clothing when entering, as it remains an active place of prayer and study.
The monastery was abolished in 1777 under Maria Theresa's church reforms, and Turkish raids burned it about a decade later. Its surviving icons of Christ and the Virgin are now kept in the church at Malo Središte, while an illuminated 16th-century Gospel book and an 18th-century Russian Psalter belong to the church in Veliko Središte.
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