Manasija monastery

The Manasija Monastery (, ) also known as Resava (, ), is a Serbian Orthodox monastery near Despotovac, Serbia founded by Despot Stefan Lazarević between 1406 and 1418. The church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It is one of the most significant monuments of medieval Serbian culture and it belongs to the "Morava school". The monastery is surrounded by massive walls and towers. Following its foundation, the monastery became the cultural centre of the Serbian Despotate. Its Resava School was well known for its manuscripts and translations throughout the 15th and 16th centuries. Manasija complex was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia, and the monastery entered the UNESCO Tentative List Process in 2010.

== Architecture and history == thumb|left|Monastery fortifications. thumb|right|Manasija monastery in 1875. thumb|right|Overview 1890 - 1900. The founding charter of the monastery has not been preserved. The Manasija Monastery, also known as Resava, was built two kilometres northwest from the town of Despotovac, in the picturesque ravine. Construction of the monumental mausoleum and the fortified town lasted about a decade. During this period, a church, large refectory, adjacent buildings, towers and walls, fortifications with protective walls and trenches were constructed.