Ever since the 5th and the 6th century, Serbian tribes have crossed the Sava and the Danube rivers, settling in the large area of Branicevo and Sumadija, as well as around high mountains overlooking the Adriatic Sea.
The Serbs adopted Christianity in the second part of the 8th century, while the first formal Serbian state was founded at the end of the 10th century under the rule of King Jovan Vladimir.
In the period between 1150 and 1168, Stefan Nemanja united all Serbian lands and established the large and powerful state of Raska, which marked the beginning of the period of flourishment of religion and sacral art under the protection of the high state and church dignitaries.
The period under the rule of the Turks partly discontinued this progress, which continued in the renewed Serbia until today.
Serbia has about 400 monasteries, while at least as many churches and as much church property have been placed under the protection of the state. Several Serbian monasteries are also under the protection of UNESCO (Studenica, Sopocani, Visoki Decani, Pecka Patrijarsija…)
When you approach the monasteries of Serbia, open the door and enter. You will see things in which Serbia is the richest country in Europe – the works of art which were long ago included in all world encyclopaedias as an artistic rarity – fresco painting, fascinating medieval paintings on the walls. The pictures on the monasteries' walls were made during the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries, and they have magical powers. They turn their eyes towards you when you move, they follow and appease you, and at the same time they tell a monumental story about the Christendom and life of Medieval Serbia... They speak of the golden spoons which were already in use in Serbia in the 13th century at the time of King Stefan Prvovencani, and of the rise of the Serbian State during the reign of Emperor Dusan, who was proclaimed the Emperor of Serbs and Greeks in Skopje in 1346. Don't miss fresco paintings in the monastery of Sopocani (the Assumption of the Holy Virgin), Studenica (the Holy Cross, Miroslav's Gospel), Mileseva (the White Angel), Zica and Manasija, and especially the "outdoor museum" as Kosovo and Metohija are sometimes called – the place of the oldest Serbian churches, with the Patriarchate of Pec, Gracanica, Bogorodica Ljeviska and Visoki Decani, and the masterpieces of Byzantine painting of the 14th century. | 
